Definition
Link disavow is a mechanism offered by Google via its Disavow Links tool in Search Console. It allows webmasters to submit a list of domains or URLs whose inbound links they want Google to ignore. This procedure is primarily used when a site has been the victim of negative SEO or has accumulated low-quality backlinks likely to trigger a penalty. The disavow file is a simple text file in .txt format containing the domains or URLs to reject, one per line, using the domain: syntax to disavow an entire domain.
Key Points
- Use only as a last resort after attempting manual link removal
- Google's processing of a disavow file can take several weeks
- Improper use of disavow can hurt rankings by rejecting beneficial links
Practical Examples
Disavow after a negative SEO attack
A competitor created thousands of spam links to your site. You identify these toxic domains in Search Console and submit a disavow file to neutralize their impact.
Link cleanup before reconsideration request
Following a manual penalty for artificial links, you contact webmasters to remove links, then disavow the remaining ones before submitting your reconsideration request.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use it only if you have a significant number of toxic or spammy backlinks pointing to your site and you have not managed to get them removed by contacting webmasters. Google recommends using it only in cases of confirmed penalty or serious risk.
No, disavowing does not physically remove the links. It simply tells Google not to take them into account when evaluating your site. The links remain visible in reports but lose their influence on your ranking.
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Last updated: 2026-02-07