Free Tools / Before you go live
Website Launch Checklist
Launch with fewer loose ends.
Work through 24 practical checks for a new website, redesign or move. Cover backups, redirects, indexing, contact forms, mobile usability and the content your customers need.
Use this as a working list. Mark each check honestly, use Not sure when it needs investigating, and choose Not applicable only where it does not apply. Items marked Essential deserve attention before you rely on the live site.
Some checks can only be completed at or after launch. This is a manual checklist, not a website scan or a guarantee that a site is ready, secure or compliant.
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Your launch checks
0 of 24 reviewed
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01 Backups & launch plan0 / 4 reviewed
Have a way back before changing the live site.
Take a backup and check how to restore it
Keep a current copy of the site and the data it depends on. For WordPress, include both files and the database. Verify the backup is usable and test restoration safely away from the live site. Keep a copy outside the site being changed.
Confirm ownership, access and renewals
Check the right people can access the domain, hosting, website admin and business email. Confirm renewal arrangements and recovery details. Use individual accounts and multi-factor authentication where supported; do not put passwords in this checklist.
Plan hosting changes without breaking email
If changing hosting or nameservers, record the current DNS settings and identify which records serve the website and email. Preserve required email records, agree the change with your provider and test business email afterwards. Choose Not applicable if DNS is unchanged.
Agree the launch owner and rollback plan
Choose who makes the change, who checks it and what would trigger a rollback. Allow time to monitor the launch. For sites taking orders, bookings or submissions, plan how to protect new records so restoring an older backup does not lose them.
02 URLs & redirects0 / 4 reviewed
Help visitors and search engines reach the right pages when addresses change.
List existing URLs before a redesign or move
For an existing website, list important current pages and downloads, including addresses people may have bookmarked. Use your sitemap, content list and Search Console to help. For a brand-new site with no previous URLs, choose Not applicable.
Map changed URLs to relevant replacements
If an address is changing, map it to the closest relevant new page and prepare a permanent server-side redirect, normally 301 or 308. Do not send every old address to the homepage. If there is no replacement, an appropriate 404 or 410 may be correct. Choose Not applicable if no URLs change.
Test redirects on the live domain
Open old URLs and check their final destinations and HTTP responses. Look for loops, unnecessary chains and redirects to the wrong page. Keep useful permanent redirects in place after launch. Choose Not applicable if no URLs change.
Use the final URLs throughout the site
Check menus, internal links, canonical URLs and XML sitemaps use the intended live addresses rather than staging URLs. A canonical tells search engines which version of a page you prefer; it does not redirect visitors.
03 Indexing & live settings0 / 4 reviewed
Check the public site can be found, while private areas stay private.
Check public pages can be crawled and indexed
Review live robots.txt rules, page noindex settings and any coming-soon protection. Remove accidental launch restrictions only from pages intended to be public. In WordPress, also review the search engine visibility setting. A robots.txt block is not a reliable way to keep a URL out of search, and can prevent a noindex rule being seen.
Verify HTTPS and the preferred domain
Open the live domain and key pages over HTTPS with no certificate warning. Check HTTP and alternate www/non-www versions reach the chosen address. Check images, scripts and styles also load securely. Do not bypass browser security warnings to mark this done.
Keep staging and private information protected
Keep the development copy and private files behind suitable access controls. Noindex is a search instruction, not a privacy or security barrier. Remove public test accounts and sample personal data. Choose Not applicable if there is no separate staging site.
Check Search Console and submit the live sitemap
Confirm ownership access in Google Search Console, submit the current sitemap and inspect important live pages. Monitor indexing and crawl problems over the following days. Submitting a sitemap does not guarantee indexing or rankings; new pages can take time to appear.
04 Forms & customer journeys0 / 4 reviewed
Follow the same route as a real visitor, all the way to the destination inbox.
Test each contact form from submission to inbox
Send clearly labelled test messages through each live form. Confirm the correct person receives them, check spam and verify the reply route works. Check confirmations do not expose private details. Choose Not applicable only if there are no forms; still test the contact route you provide.
Check labels, validation and confirmation messages
Try an empty form and an invalid email address. Errors should explain how to fix the problem without losing the rest of the entry. Use visible field labels, make successful submission clear and check any spam protection is usable. Choose Not applicable if there are no forms.
Test booking, checkout or other essential actions
Where offered, check bookings, baskets, prices, delivery options, order emails and confirmation screens. Use the provider’s supported test or sandbox process, then confirm the intended live configuration. Do not create a real charge merely for this checklist. Choose Not applicable if these features are not offered.
Verify contact links and the follow-up process
Check published email addresses, booking links and any other contact methods. Confirm who responds and that enquiries are not going to a former supplier or test inbox. You do not need to publish a personal phone number.
05 Mobile & usability0 / 4 reviewed
Check the website works for people using different devices and ways of navigating.
Use key pages on a real phone
Read the page, open the menu and use the main buttons in portrait and landscape. Look for sideways scrolling, overlapping text and pop-ups covering controls. Test the main enquiry or buying route, not just the homepage.
Check keyboard access, labels and readability
Use Tab and Enter to navigate without a mouse. Look for a visible focus indicator, logical headings, useful image alternatives, readable contrast and text that still works when enlarged. Automated checks can help, but do not replace these manual checks.
Check loading and interactions on mobile
Try a normal mobile connection as well as Wi-Fi. Check images load and menus, buttons and forms work after caching or optimisation is enabled. Use PageSpeed Insights to investigate delays that prevent people using the site; a single score is not the whole experience.
Find broken links, files and missing-page problems
Follow key navigation, footer links, downloads and image links. Try an address that does not exist: the page should help visitors recover and return a genuine 404 response. Check there are no placeholder links or missing images on important pages.
06 Essential content & trust0 / 4 reviewed
Give people accurate information and a clear reason to choose you.
Publish accurate core business information
Check the homepage, main service or product information, About page and contact route. Make the offer, areas served, availability and next step clear. Remove demo text, unfinished offers and outdated prices. Confirm the final content with the person responsible for the business.
Make genuine trust signals visible
Place relevant real reviews, examples of work and clear information about the business near important offers and enquiry buttons. Use client names and logos with permission, and show only current credentials or memberships. Do not invent testimonials or success claims.
Review privacy, cookie and customer information
Check that published notices describe what this site actually does, including forms, third-party services and any tracking. Review applicable terms, delivery and returns information for the business. Get appropriate advice where needed; copying another site’s policies or using this checklist does not establish compliance.
Check search titles, sharing details and branding
Give important pages clear, distinct titles and descriptions. Check the site name, logo, favicon and social-sharing preview where used. Remove references to the theme demo or development site, and make sure shared links open the intended page.