Xenu's Link Sleuth | BlackHatUs.Com

Xenu’s Link Sleuth is a legendary Windows-based tool for scanning websites and identifying broken links, redirects, and site structure issues. Praised for its speed and simplicity, it remains a go-to tool for SEOs, webmasters, and developers who want a no-frills way to keep their websites clean and fully functional. Now available 100% free at Blackhatus.com, it’s a must-have in your technical SEO toolkit.

What is Xenu’s Link Sleuth?

Xenu’s Link Sleuth is a fast, free, and lightweight website link crawler that checks websites for broken links, missing images, improper redirects, and other HTML errors. Originally developed by Tilman Hausherr, this tool may be old-school, but it’s incredibly effective for large-scale link audits and works well even on websites with thousands of pages. It’s a Windows-only program that’s portable, easy to use, and extremely resource-efficient.

Detailed Features of Xenu’s Link Sleuth

Full-Site Crawling
Scans internal and external links on entire websites, no matter the size. Handles sites with thousands of pages quickly and efficiently.
Broken Link Detection
Flags all broken internal and outbound links (404s, timeouts, DNS errors), making it easy to fix link rot and improve UX.
Redirect Analysis
Identifies HTTP 301, 302, and meta refresh redirects, so you can clean up unnecessary or incorrect redirect chains.
Visual Sitemap Creation
Automatically generates an HTML sitemap based on crawl structure — useful for users and search engine indexing.
Status Code Reporting
Displays HTTP status codes for each URL including 200 OK, 404 Not Found, 403 Forbidden, 500 Internal Server Error, etc.
Image & Media Link Checks
Detects broken links in images, JavaScript files, stylesheets, Flash, and other embedded objects.
Anchor Text Preview
Shows the clickable anchor text for each link found, helping you analyze link context and optimize internal linking.
Multi-Threaded Scanning
Utilizes multiple threads for high-speed crawling — ideal for auditing large sites without overloading the server.
Filter Options
Crawl specific sections of a site, exclude certain file types, or limit the crawl depth using advanced filtering.
Exportable Reports
Export results into CSV or TXT formats for documentation, team collaboration, or further analysis.
Free & Portable
No installation required. Xenu runs as a lightweight .exe file — simply download, open, and start scanning.

Why Use Xenu’s Link Sleuth?

Fast & Lightweight: No heavy UI, no bloat. It’s the perfect tool for quick, efficient SEO link audits.
Perfect for Large Sites: Scans massive websites without crashing or consuming excessive system resources.
Easy to Use: Simple interface with clear, readable reports — great for beginners and pros alike.
Completely Free Forever: No license, no subscription. And now, you can get it direct from Blackhatus.com.
Still Relevant in 2025: Despite being a classic, Xenu remains effective for link monitoring, especially when paired with modern tools.