To disavow backlinks, create a plain text file listing the URLs or domains you want Google to ignore (one per line, using domain:example.com for whole domains), then upload it in Google’s disavow links tool for your Search Console URL-prefix property. But Google says most sites never need to. Use it only when you have many spammy or paid links that caused, or are likely to cause, a manual action.

We see more harm from unnecessary disavows than from the links people disavow. If you are building links going forward, our white-hat link building services keep you out of this situation. Here is the full picture.

What is disavow in SEO?

Disavowing is telling Google not to consider specific links to your site when assessing it. Google launched the tool in 2012, during the era of the Penguin algorithm, when bad links could actively demote sites.

The situation changed in 2016 with Penguin 4.0, after which Google’s systems mostly devalue spammy links (ignore them) rather than penalize the site receiving them. That is why Google’s advice on disavowing has become steadily more cautious.

What Google says

Google’s Search Console help page for the tool states:

• “In most cases, Google can assess which links to trust without additional guidance, so most sites will not need to use this tool.”
• It is “an advanced feature” that, “if used incorrectly,” can “potentially harm your site’s performance in Google Search results.”
• You should disavow only if 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 likely will.

Google’s John Mueller has gone further in public comments, describing “toxic links” as a concept made up by SEO tools and saying routine disavowing of such links is a waste of time. He has also said the tool may be removed at some point.

Bing removed its disavow links feature from Bing Webmaster Tools in October 2023, saying its systems handle unnatural links automatically.

Practitioner behavior is following the guidance. In Editorial.Link’s 2026 survey, only 39.0% of 518 SEO professionals said they still use Google’s disavow tool.

When you should disavow

1. You have a manual action for “Unnatural links to your site.” Check Search Console under Security & Manual Actions > Manual actions. This is the clearest case.
2. You (or a previous agency) built links that violate Google’s spam policies, such as paid links that pass ranking credit, private blog network links, or large-scale exact-match anchor campaigns, and you cannot get them removed. Disavowing pre-emptively here is reasonable, because a manual action is likely.
3. You are cleaning up after a link scheme and want to show good faith in a reconsideration request.

When you should not disavow

• Because a tool labeled links “toxic” or gave them a high spam score
• Because of random low-quality links you did not build (scraper sites, spam directories, foreign-language link lists)
• Because a negative SEO attack is suspected, without evidence of ranking harm or a manual action
• Because traffic dropped after a core update (core updates are about content quality and relevance, not bad links)
• As routine monthly maintenance

Google ignores most of that junk already. Disavowing good links by mistake, on the other hand, removes value you earned.

How to do a link audit before disavowing

1. Export your links

Download links from Search Console (Links report > Export external links) and from a third-party tool such as Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz, or Majestic. No single source is complete.

2. Focus on links you or your agencies built

The question is not “is this link ugly?” but “did someone create this to manipulate rankings?” Look for:

• Paid links without rel=”sponsored” or rel=”nofollow”
• Links from networks of sites with the same template, owner, or hosting
• Exact-match commercial anchors repeated across many domains
• Article directories, bookmarking sites, and comment links from old campaigns
• Sitewide footer or sidebar links from unrelated sites that were paid for

3. Check context, not just metrics

Spam scores and “toxicity” ratings are tool estimates. Open the linking page. Ask whether a real editor would plausibly have placed the link.

4. Try removal first

Google asks you to remove bad links where possible. Email the site owners, ask them to remove the link or add rel=”nofollow” or rel=”sponsored,” and keep records of your requests. This documentation matters if you file a reconsideration request.

How to create a disavow file

Google’s format rules:

• Plain text file, encoded in UTF-8 or 7-bit ASCII, ending in .txt
• One URL or domain per line
• Prefix domains with domain: to disavow every link from that domain or subdomain
• Lines starting with # are comments and are ignored
• Maximum 100,000 lines and 2 MB
• You cannot disavow a subpath such as example.com/blog/

Example:

“`

Paid links from 2021 campaign, removal requested 2026-09-12, no response

domain:cheap-links-network.example domain:another-pbn.example

Single pages with paid links

https://blog.example.org/sponsored-post-2021/ “`

Disavowing at the domain level is usually safer than listing individual URLs, because the same site may have several pages linking to you.

How to upload your disavow list

1. Open Google’s disavow links tool (search “Google disavow tool” or go through Search Console help).
2. Select your property. The tool works with URL-prefix properties only, not Domain properties. If you only have a Domain property, add a URL-prefix property for your site first.
3. Upload your .txt file. Errors are shown immediately and your old list stays in place until a valid file uploads.
4. Wait. Google says it can take a few weeks to take effect as it recrawls and reprocesses pages.

Important details:

• Each upload replaces the existing list. Always download the current file, edit it, and upload the full version.
• Lists apply per property and to child properties, so http and https versions may each need one.
• Disavowed links still appear in the Links report.
• You can cancel all disavowals from the same tool if you need to undo them.

If you have a manual action

1. Remove as many unnatural links as you can and document every request.
2. Disavow the links you could not remove.
3. Submit a reconsideration request in the Manual actions report explaining what happened, what you fixed, and how you will prevent it. Link to your documentation (for example, a shared spreadsheet).
4. Wait for Google’s response. If it is rejected, review the examples Google provides and repeat.

Prevention is cheaper

Most disavow projects exist because of link building that cut corners. Build links you would be comfortable showing a Google reviewer: earned editorial placements, digital PR, and properly disclosed sponsorships. Our guide to white-hat link building covers the types that stay safe.

Frequently asked questions

What is a disavow list?

A text file listing URLs or domains whose links you want Google to ignore when assessing your site, uploaded through Google’s disavow links tool.

Do toxic backlinks hurt my site?

Usually not. Google says it can assess which links to trust in most cases and mostly ignores spammy links. “Toxic” is a label from SEO tools, not a Google term.

How long does a disavow take to work?

Google says it can take a few weeks as it recrawls and reprocesses the pages involved.

Can disavowing hurt my rankings?

Yes, if you disavow links that were helping you. Google calls it an advanced feature that can harm performance if used incorrectly.

Should I disavow links for Bing?

You cannot. Bing removed its disavow feature in October 2023 and handles unnatural links automatically.

Does the disavow tool work with Domain properties?

No. Google’s disavow tool supports URL-prefix properties only.