Website Launch Checklist: 50 Checks, Free

Fifty checks to run before a website goes live, grouped the way a launch actually happens. Tick them off on this page: your progress is saved in your browser, and you can copy the whole list into a document or ticket.

The short versionCheck the content and phone layout with real reviewers first, then links and forms, then the technical items: SEO tags, speed, accessibility, privacy and tracking. Do the launch-day steps in order, and keep an eye on errors and search traffic for the first week.

1. Content and copy

No dummy text or stock filler images left anywhereSearch every page for dummy text, unfinished notes and made-up names.
Spelling and grammar checked on every page
Prices, phone numbers, addresses and opening hours are correctHave the client confirm each one in writing.
Every page has one clear heading and a clear next step
Legal names, copyright year and company details are correct in the footer
The client has reviewed and signed off the copy

2. Design on every screen

Checked on a real phone, not only a resized browser window
Checked on a tablet, and on a small laptop around 1280 pixels wide
Checked in Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge
No text cut off, overlapping or running off the screen
Menus, sliders, tabs and pop-ups work by touch and by keyboard
Images are sharp but compressed, with no stretched or cropped faces
Favicon and app icon show in the browser tab and on a phone home screen

3. Links and navigation

Every link works, with no links still pointing to the staging address
Links to other sites open where you expect them to
A helpful 404 page exists and links back to the main pages
Old URLs redirect to their new pages (301 redirects) if this replaces an existing site
Social media and email links go to the right accounts

4. Forms and conversions

Every form submitted once for real, and the message arrived in the right inbox
Error messages are clear when a field is missing or wrong
Thank-you messages or pages show after submitting
Spam protection is on for public forms
Checkout or booking tested end to end with a real or test payment
Automatic emails (confirmations, receipts) read well and come from the right address

5. Search engines

Every page has a unique title and descriptionAim for titles under about 60 characters and descriptions under 160.
The "noindex" setting from staging is removed, so search engines can see the live site
A sitemap exists and robots.txt doesn't block the site
Each page has a canonical link pointing to its own address
Share images and titles look right when a link is pasted into LinkedIn, Slack or WhatsApp
Images have descriptive alt text

7. Accessibility

Text has enough contrast against its background
The whole site can be used with a keyboard, with a visible focus outline
Form fields have visible labels, not only grey hint text inside the box
Headings are in order, and buttons and links say what they do
Videos have captions and nothing flashes rapidly

8. Privacy, legal and security

Privacy policy and terms are published and linked in the footer
Cookie consent is set up where the law requires it
The site loads over HTTPS everywhere, with no security warnings
Admin passwords changed from defaults, and test accounts removed
A backup of the site exists, and you know how to restore it

How to run the review part without endless emails

Sections 1 and 2 depend on other people: the client, a colleague, someone on a phone. That is where launches usually slip, because feedback arrives as screenshots, voice notes and long emails that have to be matched to the page by hand.

Send reviewers the staging link in a tool where they click on the page to comment. Each note is pinned to the exact element, desktop and phone comments stay apart, and you tick items off as you fix them. With HTMLAnnotate that works on any staging link, including sites behind a browser password box, and reviewers never need an account.

Questions

When should I start the launch checklist?

Start the content and layout checks one to two weeks before launch, while there is still time to fix what reviewers find. Leave the launch-day section for the day itself.

Who should review a website before launch?

At least one person who didn't build it, the client or a stakeholder who signs it off, and someone checking on a real phone. Fresh eyes catch broken links and unclear copy that the builder no longer sees.

Is my progress saved?

Yes, in your own browser on this device. Nothing is sent to us. Clearing your browser data or switching devices starts the list fresh, so use Copy as text to keep a record.

What are the most commonly missed launch checks?

Forms that send to the wrong inbox, staging pages left open to search engines, missing redirects from old URLs, leftover dummy text, and pages that look fine on desktop but break on a phone.

How do I collect feedback on the staging site?

Send reviewers a link where they can click on the page and comment, so every note is tied to the exact element. HTMLAnnotate does this for any staging link, including sites behind a browser password box.

Website launch checklist