Google Disavow Tool Guide: How to Work With It

With the Disavow Tool (direct link to the Google Disavow Tool) website owners can instruct Google not to take unwanted links into account when evaluating their site. This is how you can prevent bad Backlinks from harming your Ranking.

However, caution is advised when handling the Disavow Tool. There is a risk that the advantages turn into disadvantages. This can be avoided through a thorough analysis of backlinks. In addition, Google advises first using other options to remove unwanted links.

What is the Disavow Tool?

The Google Disavow Tool was introduced in 2012. It is part of the Google Search Console (referred to as “Webmaster Tools” until 2015). The operating principle has remained the same:

Users upload a text file containing pages or domains.
Google declares the links from these pages or domains to your own site invalid. This is equivalent to marking them with nofollow.

The Disavow Tool is based on the fact that backlinks are one of the most important ranking factors for Google. These are links that lead to your own site.

If these links come, for example, from pages that have no relation to your own industry, or from spam pages, this leads in the worst case to a penalty. The ranking deteriorates.

Anyone who uses the Google Disavow Tool skillfully can improve their own backlink profile and prevent ranking losses or reverse them.

Who is this tool suitable for?

Google's algorithm devalues many bad links automatically, instead of downgrading the site. This means they have no effect on the ranking. However, Google still issues manual actions for certain backlinks.

Since Penguin 4.0 (in real time) and SpamBrain, Google devalues most bad links automatically, without downgrading the site. Most websites therefore no longer need the Disavow Tool at all; it is primarily relevant in the case of a manual action or with known, self-built spam links.

Google itself recommends using the tool in the following case:

Website owners believe that many bad links point to their site and that these have led to a manual penalty or will do so in the future.

Do I even need the tool?

For most websites, the answer is: no. Google (including John Mueller) makes it clear that the majority of sites never need the Disavow Tool.

Google's algorithms – Penguin 4.0 (in real time) and SpamBrain – devalue spam and manipulative links automatically, without downgrading the entire site. The tool is practically only useful in two cases: in the case of a manual action due to unnatural links, or if you have built up manipulative links yourself (or received them via Negative SEO) and cannot remove them.

How does the tool work?

Using the Google Disavow Tool requires several steps. Careful preparation is crucial in order to avoid mistakes.

1. Identify bad links

Before you can devalue links, you must create a list of the problematic links. A backlink analysis tool is suitable for this, such as:

Google Search Console (under “Links” you can view incoming links)
Ahrefs or Majestic for a more in-depth analysis

In doing so, you should examine exactly which links are actually harmful. Criteria for bad links are:

Links from irrelevant or untrustworthy pages
Spam pages, link farms, or pages with suspicious content
Links that obviously violate Google's guidelines (e.g., link networks)

With a link audit you can specifically find bad links and analyze them correctly.

2. Create a disavow file

Once the harmful links have been identified, a disavow file must be created. The file has the following requirements:

Format: .txt
Each line contains a URL or a domain:
Individual URLs: http://spamseite.com/schlechter-link
Entire domains: domain:spamseite.com
Comments begin with # and are ignored

An example of a disavow file:

# Beispielhafte Liste von schädlichen Links
http://spamseite.com/schlechter-link
http://spamseite2.com/irgendein-link

# Ganze Domain entwerten
domain:spamdomain.com

The disavow file must meet certain requirements: a plain text file with the extension .txt, character encoding UTF-8 or 7-bit ASCII, a maximum of 2 MB or 100,000 lines, a maximum URL length of 2,048 characters, and exactly one entry per line. Individual subfolders or path segments cannot be devalued specifically – either a concrete URL or, via domain:, an entire domain. Comment lines begin with # and are ignored.

3. Upload the file via the Disavow Tool

The Disavow Tool is not integrated into the normal navigation of the Search Console and also cannot be accessed via a “Disavow links” menu item. Instead, access it directly via the separate URL search.google.com/search-console/disavow-links, select the property there, upload the prepared .txt file, and confirm.

Open Google Search Console
Navigate to the Google Disavow Tool
Select your own website
Click on the “Disavow links” button
Upload the prepared .txt file and confirm

Screenshot of the upload interface of the Google Disavow Tool in the Search Consol — Fig.: https://search.google.com/search-console/disavow-links

After the upload, Google confirms the process, but it often takes several weeks for the changes to become visible.

Important: Google does not remove the selected links; it merely declares them invalid. Whether and when this happens can only be recognized by a change in the ranking.

Important notes on usage

The Google Disavow Tool is an instrument for advanced users and should be used with caution. Otherwise, there is a risk that users accidentally remove good links and negatively affect their ranking.

This can be avoided through the following measures:

Google advises first contacting the owner of the website from which the unwanted link originates. It is often enough to ask them to remove the link.
To evaluate links, a link analysis tool is suitable. It is also advisable to check each link classified as bad individually for its source and context.
Website owners also have the option of declaring links valid again. To do so, they upload a new text file without the links in question to the Google Disavow Tool.

A new disavow file completely replaces the existing one: during the upload, the list previously stored for the property is completely overwritten, not supplemented.

Anyone who wants to make links valid again therefore uploads the complete, cleaned-up list again – if an entry is missing, its devaluation is lifted. Before each new upload, the current file should be backed up locally.

Before the upload, a short checklist is advisable:

Only act in the case of a manual action or known, self-built spam links.
Check each link individually for its source and context before it goes on the list.
When in doubt, first try to have the link removed by the site owner.
Proofread the finished list – wrongly devaluing good, ranking-boosting links can cost you the ranking permanently.
Back up the file before the upload, since the upload overwrites the old list.

Summary

Google's algorithm often reliably recognizes bad links and devalues them automatically, instead of downgrading the site. Most websites therefore no longer need the Disavow Tool at all. It remains relevant primarily in order to fix a manual action or to devalue self-built spam links.

The decisive factor is to use it sparingly and carefully. This is how website owners avoid negative consequences.

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