Does it change how the PDF looks?

No. Only the link annotation's target is rewritten or the annotation removed. The visible text, layout, and images are byte-for-byte the same.

Can it check whether links are actually dead?

Yes, optionally. Tick the consent box and press Check links — each URL is probed over the network. Browsers limit cross-origin checks, so unreachable answers are reported as 'unverifiable', never as dead. Syntax problems are always caught offline.

What about links that are just text, not clickable?

The tool audits link annotations — the clickable hotspots. Text that merely looks like a URL was never made a link in the PDF, so there is nothing to fix; you would add a link in an editor instead.

Are internal page links covered?

Internal links (the kind that jump to another page) are listed with their target page so you can see them, but they are read-only — the tool focuses on external URLs, which are the ones that rot.

Can I remove a link without deleting the text?

Yes. Marking a link for removal deletes only the invisible clickable annotation. The words stay exactly as they were — they just stop being clickable.

Does it work on password-protected PDFs?

Yes. Enter the password when prompted and the document is decrypted in your browser. The password never leaves your device.

Is my PDF uploaded anywhere?

No. Parsing and rewriting happen locally. The only network call is the optional link check, which sends just the URL strings — and only after you opt in.

데드 링크 디버거

PDF 안의 모든 링크를 점검해 끊어지거나 잘못된 대상을 표시하고, 원본 파일 없이도 바로 수정하거나 삭제하세요.

1. Upload a PDF

Every clickable link annotation is listed with its page and target.

2. Review and fix

Flagged links show why. Type a replacement URL or mark a link for removal.

3. Save the fixed PDF

Link targets are rewritten in place — the visible text never changes.

About Dead Link Debugger

Fix a Published PDF Without the Source File

The InDesign file is gone, the colleague who made the catalog left, and the PDF on your website still links to a domain you no longer own. Dead Link Debugger exists for exactly that situation: it reads the link annotations embedded in the PDF itself, lists every one with its page and target, and lets you type a replacement or remove the link outright.

Only the link targets change. The visible text, layout, and images are untouched — a reader sees the same document, but the clicks go where you want them to.

What the Audit Catches

Every link annotation is checked twice: once against URL syntax rules (offline, always on) and optionally against the live web.

Malformed URLs

Empty targets, missing schemes like example.com instead of https://example.com, and strings no browser can parse are flagged before you ship.

Dead and Redirected Links

Opt in to an online check and each http(s) link is probed for 404s, 410s, and redirects — so you can point it at the final destination directly.

Rewrite or Remove

Type a replacement URL to retarget a link, or mark it for removal. Internal page-jump links are listed too, so nothing hides.

Audit Report

Download a Markdown report of every link, its status, and the fix applied — useful for sign-off or a changelog.

Honest Limits of a Browser Check

The online check is off by default and only runs when you tick the consent box and press Check links. Your PDF is never uploaded — only the URL strings are contacted, each to its own server.

Browsers restrict cross-origin requests, so some sites refuse to answer a check even though the link works fine. Those come back as 'unverifiable' rather than 'dead' — a link is only called dead when a real 404 or 410 response comes back. Syntax problems, on the other hand, are caught offline with certainty.

How It Compares

Most PDF editors can add links; few can audit and repair the ones already inside a finished file.

기능	Adobe Acrobat	Online PDF editors
List every link with its page		Rarely
Rewrite link targets in place		Paid
Remove links without touching text
Offline syntax validation
Optional live reachability check	Paid
Markdown audit report
No file upload required	Desktop only

Your Document Stays on Your Device

Link auditing reads the PDF's annotation dictionaries — work that happens entirely in your browser. The file is never sent anywhere. The only network activity is the optional per-URL reachability probe, which is disabled until you explicitly turn it on.

That matters for the documents this tool is built for: contracts, manuals, and catalogs that often aren't public yet. Fixing a link shouldn't mean handing the whole document to a third party.