When to change a page slug without breaking links
A practical look at when updating a slug is worth it and when keeping the old path is the safer SEO decision.
Not every old slug needs to be rewritten
Some slugs are ugly but harmless. If a page is already indexed, linked internally and shared externally, changing the slug should solve a clear problem rather than satisfy a cosmetic preference.
Good reasons include a misleading topic, duplicated paths, a major naming shift, or a migration that requires cleaner structure. Weak reasons include changing it only because the wording feels slightly old.
If you change it, handle the surrounding signals too
A slug change should trigger a small checklist: update internal links, add redirects, verify canonicals and make sure the new path is the version shown in navigation and sharing flows.
That way the change improves consistency instead of creating two competing URLs for the same page. The slug is small, but the supporting signals around it decide whether the change stays clean.