MediaCG
MediaCG / Plugins / LinkPatrol

LinkPatrol

Finds broken links, images, redirects and bad mailto/tel links in your posts in small background batches — then helps fix them in bulk.

Description

  • Checks internal and external links, images and files, email/phone links without mailto:/tel:, site addresses without https://, and internal links to old addresses that redirect.
  • Works in the background with WP-Cron in small batches, with a per-site request limit, an optional night-only window and a run duration limit — the server does not notice it.
  • Temporary errors (timeouts, 5xx) are rechecked the next day; a link is marked broken only after two failures in a row. Working links are rechecked every 30 days, broken ones every 7.
  • New and edited posts are scanned when saved.
  • Overview with progress and quick fixes; all links with filters and bulk actions (check first, replace with the final address, fix the format, remove the link keeping the text, hide); posts with problems; schedule; settings; activity log.
  • Changes to post text only by explicit action; the modified date is not touched and the previous text is kept in post meta.
  • Editors can review and fix; administrators change the schedule and settings.
  • WP-CLI: wp linkcheck scan | check [--limit=N] [--kind=internal|external|media] [--shard=n/m] | report | fix-malformed | fix-redirects

External services

To check a link, LinkPatrol sends an HTTP request (HEAD, then GET if needed) to the address found in your posts. Nothing else is sent; no data about visitors is collected.

Changelog

1.5.1 (2026-10-15)

  • The «MCG Plugins» menu is now at the top of the admin menu, right under the Dashboard.

1.5.0 (2026-10-15)

  • Public API for other MCG plugins (MCGLC_API: status, counts, broken links with the posts they are in and a «fix» link). SearchPulse uses it instead of checking external links a second time.

1.4.0 (2026-10-12)

  • Updates now come from the MEDIA CONTENT GROUP update server (mediacg.org): new versions show up in Plugins → Updates like any other plugin, with «View details» and auto-updates.
  • Plugin URI and Author URI point to mediacg.org.
Older versions (3)

1.3.0 (2026-10-06)

  • Renamed from MCG Link Check to LinkPatrol; data, queue, settings and schedule are kept.
  • English source strings with a full Ukrainian translation.
  • Pages moved under the shared «MCG Plugins» menu (tabs inside one page, problem counter in the menu); old addresses redirect.

1.2.0

  • Night-only mode, run duration limit, recheck periods (week/month), schedule summary and the recommended preset.

1.1.0

  • Own admin section: overview, all links with filters and bulk actions, posts, schedule, activity log.
  • Temporary errors are rechecked the next day; broken only after two failures in a row. WP-CLI --shard for parallel checks.

Versions

Version
1.5.1 (current)
1.5.0
1.4.0

The plugins update themselves on every site: a new version shows up in Dashboard → Updates within ~12 hours, or right after «Check again».

For now the plugins run only on MediaCG and partner websites and are not distributed publicly. Interested in a plugin? Write to [email protected].