Website launch checklist (36 checks before you go live)

Short answer: before launching a website, confirm every link works, every page fits a phone screen without sideways scrolling, all images and scripts load with no console errors, pages load in about 3 seconds, each page has a title, meta description and one H1, forms actually deliver, and HTTPS and search indexing are set correctly. The full 36-item checklist below is grouped by area.

Built for small agencies and freelancers handing a site to a client. 14 items are checked automatically by Proofday’s Launch Check; the rest need a human.

Links & navigation

Every link in the main navigation and footer opens a working page (no 404s). Proofday checks this
Internal links point to the final production domain, not staging or preview URLs.
External links still resolve (no moved or dead pages). Proofday checks this
Old URLs from the previous site 301-redirect to their new equivalents.
The 404 page exists, is branded and links back home.

Mobile & layout

Every page has a viewport meta tag (width=device-width). Proofday checks this
No page scrolls sideways on a 390px-wide phone. Proofday checks this
Mobile menu opens, closes and every item is tappable.
Text is readable without zooming; buttons are large enough to tap.
Layouts checked at tablet and wide desktop widths too.

Content & media

Every image loads (no broken images). Proofday checks this
All scripts, stylesheets and fonts load without errors. Proofday checks this
No http:// assets on an https:// site (mixed content). Proofday checks this
Placeholder text (lorem ipsum, “TBD”) and test content removed.
Contact details, prices, dates and legal names proofread.
Favicon and social share image set.

Functionality

No JavaScript errors in the browser console. Proofday checks this
Every form submits, shows a confirmation and the message actually arrives.
Checkout, booking or signup flows completed end to end with a test transaction.
Analytics and conversion tracking fire on the right pages.
Cookie banner and consent behave as required in your region.

Speed

Pages fully load in under ~3 seconds on a normal connection. Proofday checks this
Images are compressed and sized for display (WebP/AVIF where possible).
Non-critical scripts are deferred; caching/CDN enabled.

SEO basics

Every page has a unique, descriptive <title>. Proofday checks this
Every page has a meta description. Proofday checks this
Each page has exactly one H1. Proofday checks this
robots.txt does not block the live site; noindex removed from production.
sitemap.xml exists and is submitted to Google Search Console.
Canonical tags point to the production URLs.

Accessibility basics

Images have alt text (empty alt for decorative images). Proofday checks this
The <html> tag declares the page language. Proofday checks this
Colour contrast and keyboard navigation spot-checked.

Launch day

HTTPS certificate valid on both www and non-www; one redirects to the other.
DNS changes verified from outside your network.
Backups and a rollback plan in place.

Check your site against this list automatically

Items marked Proofday checks this are covered by the $149 Website Launch Check: up to 10 public pages rendered on desktop (1366×768) and mobile (390×844), with a Pass / Needs fixes / Fail verdict, copy-ready developer tickets, full-page screenshots and one retest. The rest need a human.

Run a free quick preview Get the $149 Launch Check See a sample report

FAQ

What should I check before launching a website?

At minimum: working links, a mobile-friendly layout with no sideways scrolling, every image and script loading, no JavaScript errors, acceptable load times, titles and meta descriptions on every page, working forms, HTTPS, and that robots.txt and noindex aren’t blocking search engines. The 36-item checklist on this page groups these by area.

How long does pre-launch website QA take?

For a 10-page brochure site, a careful manual pass usually takes a few hours. Automated checks for links, mobile layout, console errors, missing assets and SEO basics take minutes; forms, checkout and copy proofreading still need a person.

Can website launch QA be automated?

Partly. 14 of the 36 items on this list can be checked automatically by loading each page in a real browser — Proofday’s $149 Launch Check does exactly those. Form submissions, payments, email delivery, logins and content accuracy need manual testing; Proofday marks them “not tested”.

What screen sizes should I test?

At least one common phone width and one laptop width. Proofday tests every page at 390×844 (mobile) and 1366×768 (desktop); also spot-check tablet and wide screens by hand.

Does an automated check guarantee my site has no bugs?

No. Automated checks catch a lot of common, visible problems quickly, but no tool finds every issue. Treat it as a first pass, then test your key user journeys yourself.