If you run a Shopify store for long enough, you’ll eventually come across broken links (404 pages).
Maybe you deleted an old product, changed a collection name, or updated your navigation. Whatever the cause, these errors don’t just frustrate your visitors - they also harm your SEO and can cost you sales.
The good news?
Fixing them is straightforward once you know where to look and how to set things up correctly.
In this guide, we’ll cover exactly how to find and fix broken links in Shopify, how to customise your 404 page, and tips to prevent them from happening in the future.
Why Broken Links Matter in Shopify
A broken link is a URL that no longer points to a live page, often showing a 404 error. They usually happen when:
- A product or collection is deleted
- URLs are changed without redirects
- Pages are unpublished or moved
- Third-party apps generate faulty links
Why it’s a problem:
- For SEO: Search engines treat broken links as wasted crawl budget and lost link equity. Too many 404s can hurt your rankings.
- For shoppers: Landing on a 404 is frustrating. Most visitors will bounce instead of searching again, which means lost conversions.
How to Find Broken Links in Your Shopify Store
Before you can fix them, you need to know where they are. Here are the most reliable ways to spot them:
-
Google Search Console
- Go to Coverage → Not Found (404).
- See which URLs Google has indexed that now return errors.
-
My SEO & Site Performance Report
- Pulls data from Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track your 404 pages alongside other useful insights.
- Purchase my Looker Studio Report for a one-time fee - perfect if you want everything in one easy-to-use dashboard.
-
SEO & Audit Tools
- Tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Broken Link Checker crawl your store and flag any broken URLs.
How to Fix Broken Links with Redirects
Once you’ve found them, the best fix is to create a 301 redirect - which tells search engines and users that the page has permanently moved.
How to add a redirect in Shopify:
- From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store → Content → Menus URL → URL Redirects.
- Click Add redirect.
- Enter the old URL path (without the domain).
- Enter the new destination URL.
- Save.
👉 Best practice: Always redirect to the most relevant page. For example, if you delete a sold-out t-shirt, redirect to a similar product or the collection page - not just the homepage.
Customising Your Shopify 404 Page
Even with good housekeeping, some visitors will still hit a 404. Instead of showing them a dead end, turn it into an opportunity.
You can edit your theme’s 404.liquid file to add helpful features like:
- A search bar so visitors can find what they’re looking for
- Links to your top collections or bestsellers
- A friendly, branded message (a touch of humour works well)
This way, even if a shopper lands on a 404, you give them a reason to stick around.
Here are some example 404 pages I have built for clients
Preventing Broken Links in the Future
A little ongoing maintenance will save you a lot of headaches:
- Always set up a redirect before deleting products, collections, or blog posts.
- Keep URLs simple and consistent (avoid unnecessary changes).
- Run regular audits with Search Console or an SEO tool.
- Update internal links when making changes, rather than relying only on redirects.
- Use apps like Easy Redirects or Broken Link Manager for automation.
Bonus SEO Tip: Reclaim Backlinks
If you discover that external websites are linking to a page that no longer exists, don’t let that authority go to waste.
- Redirect those URLs to the closest relevant page.
- If appropriate, reach out to the site owner and provide them with the updated link.
This preserves your backlink profile and strengthens your SEO.
Final Thoughts
Fixing broken links and 404 errors in Shopify is one of the simplest ways to improve both your customer experience and your search visibility.
By regularly checking for broken URLs, setting up smart redirects, and customising your 404 page, you can keep visitors engaged, protect your rankings, and make sure your store always feels polished and professional.
Take 10 minutes today to audit your store and set up redirects (or purchase my interactive report to automatically monitor 404s for you) - your future customers (and your SEO) will thank you.
