Google says most sites never need to disavow links. Here is when the disavow tool is appropriate, how to create and upload a file correctly and the mistakes to avoid.
Backlinks, the links from other websites to yours, are one of the signals Google uses to judge how trustworthy and relevant your site is. Most of them are harmless or helpful. Occasionally, though, a site ends up with links that look manipulative: paid links, link schemes or spammy directories created to game the rankings.
Google's disavow links tool lets you ask Google to ignore specific links. It sounds like a simple clean-up job, but Google describes it as an advanced feature that should be used with caution. Used wrongly, it can do more harm than good. This guide explains when disavowing makes sense, when it does not, and how to do it properly.
Do you actually need to disavow?
For most websites, the answer is no. Google's disavow links help page says most sites will not need to use the tool, because Google can usually assess which links to trust without any extra input.
It is normal for every website to pick up some low-quality links over time: scraper sites, random directories and spammy pages that copy content. Google generally ignores these. Disavowing them will not improve your rankings and will not make Google see your site as higher quality.
Google says you should only consider disavowing if both of these are true:
- You have a considerable number of spammy, artificial or low-quality links pointing to your site, and
- Those links have caused a manual action, or you think they are likely to, typically because you or a previous SEO provider paid for links or took part in link schemes.
How to check for a manual action
A manual action is a penalty applied by a member of Google's team when they find a site breaking Google's spam policies. You can check in Google Search Console under Security & Manual Actions > Manual actions. If there is an "unnatural links to your site" action, Google will tell you.
If you are new to Search Console, our guide to what Google Search Console is and how to use it explains how to set it up.
Step 1: Review your backlinks
Start with the Links report in Google Search Console, which lists the sites linking to you. Third-party tools such as Ahrefs, Semrush or Moz can give a more complete view.
Look for patterns that suggest manipulation rather than links that are merely unimpressive:
- Links you or a previous agency paid for, that pass ranking value
- Large numbers of links from obvious link networks or private blog networks
- Keyword-stuffed anchor text repeated across many unrelated sites
- Links from sites created purely to sell links, often in unrelated languages or topics
- Sitewide footer or sidebar links that were part of a deal
Do not disavow links just because a tool gives the site a low score. Low authority does not mean harmful. A small local blog or a niche forum might have a low score but be a perfectly natural link.
Step 2: Try to remove the links first
Google recommends trying to get bad links removed at the source before disavowing them. Contact the website owner and ask them to remove the link, or to add a nofollow or sponsored attribute. Keep a record of your attempts, because it is useful evidence if you later need to submit a reconsideration request for a manual action.
Step 3: Create your disavow file
If links cannot be removed, list them in a plain text file. Google's rules for the file are:
- It must be a .txt file encoded in UTF-8 (or 7-bit ASCII).
- Put one URL or domain per line.
- To disavow every link from a whole site, use the domain: prefix, for example domain:spammy-example.com. Listing a single URL only disavows links from that page, not the whole site.
- Lines starting with # are treated as comments and ignored.
- The file can be up to 100,000 lines and 2MB.
A simple example:
# Paid links from 2019 campaign, removal requested with no reply
domain:spammy-example.com
https://another-example.net/page-with-paid-link.html
Step 4: Upload the file
- Go to Google's disavow links tool while signed in to a Google account that is an owner of the Search Console property. Only owners can upload a list.
- Select the correct property. The tool works with URL-prefix properties; it does not support Domain properties.
- Upload your text file.
Important points to remember:
- Each upload replaces the previous file. If you want to add links, download your current list, add the new entries and upload the complete file again.
- It is not instant. Google says it can take a few weeks for the changes to be reflected as it recrawls the web.
- Disavowed links still appear in the Links report. That does not mean the disavow has failed.
Step 5: If you have a manual action, request reconsideration
Disavowing alone does not lift a manual action. Once you have removed what you can and disavowed the rest, submit a reconsideration request through the Manual actions report. Explain what happened, what you did to fix it and include evidence of your removal attempts.
The risks of getting it wrong
Because disavowing tells Google to ignore links, disavowing good links can remove value your site was benefiting from. This is why Google calls it an advanced feature. Common mistakes include:
- Disavowing large numbers of links based only on a tool's "toxicity" score
- Disavowing whole domains that include genuine, relevant links
- Uploading a new file that accidentally wipes out an older list
- Treating disavowing as routine maintenance when there is no problem to fix
If you are unsure, get an experienced SEO specialist to look at your link profile before you upload anything.
Focus on building good links
For almost every business, the better use of time is earning links that help: being listed accurately with genuine local organisations, producing useful content people want to reference and building relationships with partners and suppliers. Our beginner's guide to backlinking covers safe, sustainable ways to do this, and our guide to what Domain Authority means explains why third-party link scores should be treated with care.
