This template is used onapproximately 347,000 pages. To avoid major disruption and server load, any changes should be tested in the template's/sandbox or/testcases subpages, or in your ownuser subpage. The tested changes can be added to this page in a single edit. Consider discussing changes on thetalk page before implementing them.
This template is used to markdead links, either within a paragraph or within areference citation. Marking dead links signals to editors and toWP:Link rot bots that this link needs to be replaced with an archive link. Sometimes dead links can be repaired manually; seeLink rot for suggestions.
Usage
Before considering whether to use the{{dead link}} template it is often useful to make a search for anarchive copy of the dead link and thereby avoid using the tag altogether. All{{cite xxx}} templates have the facility for adding|archive-date= and|archive-url= parameters for linking to an archive copy. Non-{{cite xxx}} citations can use{{webarchive}}.
Append this templatedirectly after the link (after the link code's terminating] if you are usingwikitext), or, if you are using a{{cite xxx}} template,directly after the{{cite xxx}} transclusion (not inside it), but inside the reference, if any, i.e. before the</ref>, in all cases leaving the original link intact:
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.example.org|title=The Example Website|access-date=22 September 2012}}{{Dead link|date=November 2025}}</ref>
For bare links, leave a space after the end of the URL and the template:
Otherwise automated tools can have trouble determining where the URL ends, because it will ambiguously containurl-encoding and wiki-encoding mixed together.
Not following these syntax rules might hinder detection by automated tools. If the citation contains multiple URLs (e.g. chapter-url and url) in a template, and only one is broken, you can use wiki comments like<!-- <your hidden explanation here> --> to explain which one is broken.
If the article usesclickable footnotes, then this template should be placed just before the</ref> that contains the dead link. The notice will then correctly appear in the reference section instead of in the body of the text, and soWP:Link rot bots can properly find and fix the link.
If you are placing this template inside a<ref> </ref> reference, do not leave anysubstitution template such as{{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} or{{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}, because substitutions fail inside ref tags.
Avoid using this template when the reference is fully adequate without the link. In this case, simply remove the link. For example, if a{{cite journal}} template is used with aDOI, remove the|url= parameter.
Provides a history of the linked page via theWayback Machine. Setonly if history actually exists, as otherwise it is misleading to users and editors.
date
The date parameter consists of the full English name of the current month with initial capital, a space, and the year, not full dates; e.g., "January 2013", but not "jan13".Any deviation from these two rules will result in an "invalid date parameter" error.
bot
Bot accounts specify the|bot= parameter as a sign that the tag was added by an automated process. Set asbot=<bot name>.
fix-attempted
Set this to "yes" if you have tried unsuccessfully to find an archived copy, or a copy with a different URL. This will put the page inCategory:Articles with permanently dead external links, and the annotation will be rendered as "[permanent dead link]" instead of just "[dead link]". Note that this currently will occur for any value supplied, including "no", so if a fix was not attempted, simply leave this parameter off, or set it to be blank. Also note that if a page cannot be found in theInternet Archive (Wayback Machine),often a live copy can be found via a web search for the full title, in quotes, on the original website, or on the Internet at large. Alternatively, you can use{{Permanent dead link}} as a shortcut to using this parameter.
Notes:
The date-substitution template may be used to automatically generate the date, e.g.,{{Dead link|{{subst:DATE}}}}. SeeHelp:Substitution for more information.
Thedate= parameter need not be added by the editor: if not entered, abot will soon add it.
Examples
<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.example.org |title=Web page title |website=Example.com |access-date=22 September 2012}} {{Dead link |date=September 2012}}</ref> →[1]
<ref>{{cite news |title=Sorrell accuses Murdoch of panic buying |author=Plunkett, John |url=http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,14173,1601858,00.html |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=27 October 2005 |access-date=22 September 2012}} {{Dead link}}</ref> →[2]
Avoid using free/bare links without a separator (e.g.http://www.example.org/{{Permanent dead link}}). Frequently software is unable to differentiate the URL from the template, and will interpret the template as a literal part of the URL. Add square brackets or a space separating the template from the URL. Correct:http://www.example.org/ {{Permanent dead link}} and Correct:[http://www.example.org/]{{Permanent dead link}}
Avoid complicated formatting. Nesting inside another template is not generally supported.
Avoid using[ ] { | } < > characters between the end of the external link and {{Permanent dead link}}, as they are often used to format text.
