The Internet Archive has introduced a new WordPress plugin designed to combat “link rot,” the gradual disappearance of web pages that leaves articles filled with broken links. Called Link Fixer, the tool automatically detects and preserves external links in WordPress posts using archived versions from the Wayback Machine.
Developed in collaboration with Automattic, a major contributor to the WordPress ecosystem, the plugin scans posts for outgoing links and ensures that they are archived. If a linked page later becomes unavailable and returns a 404 error, readers are automatically redirected to a stored version from the Internet Archive. Should the original page come back online, the plugin restores the original link without requiring manual updates.
Link rot has become a growing issue across the web. According to research from the Pew Research Center, about 38 percent of web pages that existed in 2013 were no longer accessible by 2024. This erosion of online content can undermine research, journalism, and long-term digital preservation efforts.
In addition to preserving external links, Link Fixer can also archive a site’s own content and allows administrators to customize how frequently links are checked. The default scanning interval is every three days. With WordPress powering more than 43 percent of websites worldwide as of 2025, the plugin could play a significant role in preserving online content if widely adopted.
