Every website owner knows that backlinks are a core ranking signal in Google’s algorithm. When credible, they boost your authority and help your pages climb higher in search results. But not all links are good news. Some can drag your site’s reputation down — especially those coming from spammy, irrelevant, or manipulative sources.
In some cases, Google may even issue a manual action against your domain for what it perceives as “unnatural” link activity. If that happens — or if you suspect you’re at risk — it’s time to take control through a process known as link disavowal.
This guide walks you through everything you need to know about disavowing links properly, safely, and effectively.
What Does “Disavowing Links” Mean?
When another website links to yours, Google sees it as a vote of confidence — a signal that your content is valuable. However, when those links come from questionable sources (such as link farms, private blog networks, or sites known for manipulative SEO practices), they can do more harm than good.
Disavowing a link is a way of telling Google:
“I don’t endorse this backlink, and I’d prefer that you don’t associate it with my site.”
By submitting a disavow file to Google, you request the search engine to ignore certain inbound links when assessing your site’s ranking signals. This doesn’t remove the links themselves from the internet; it simply tells Google not to count them toward your authority.
When Should You Consider Disavowing Links?
The disavow tool is not something every site owner needs. Google has evolved to automatically detect and disregard many low-quality backlinks, meaning most websites never need to use the tool at all.
However, you should strongly consider disavowing links if:
You have a large number of spammy or manipulative backlinks pointing to your site.
You’ve received a manual action notification in Google Search Console related to “unnatural links.”
You suspect your site could face a manual penalty soon due to past link-building tactics, such as paid links, link exchanges, or automated backlink software.
If you fall into one of these categories, acting quickly can prevent long-term SEO damage.
Step 1: Assess Whether Disavowal Is Really Necessary
Before jumping into the technical process, it’s important to determine whether disavowing links is warranted.
Start by reviewing your backlink profile using tools such as Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or SEMrush. Identify links that appear suspicious — for example, from irrelevant foreign domains, adult or gambling sites, or pages with no contextual relevance to your niche.
If these links are few and far between, Google’s algorithm will likely ignore them automatically. But if you see hundreds or thousands of these spammy backlinks, that’s when you may need to step in manually.
Google’s own guidance is clear:
Use the disavow tool only if you believe unnatural links are actively harming your site — or if you’ve already been penalized.
Incorrectly disavowing legitimate backlinks can hurt your rankings more than the bad links themselves. Proceed cautiously.
Step 2: Remove What You Can First
Before using the disavow tool, it’s best practice to try to remove harmful links manually.
Contact the webmasters of the sites linking to you. Politely request the removal of the unwanted links, providing specific URLs if needed. Many will ignore your request, but it’s worth the effort because Google appreciates visible cleanup attempts.
You can document your outreach as evidence if you ever need to appeal a manual penalty. Think of disavowal as the last line of defense, not the first.
Step 3: Prepare a Disavow File
If removal isn’t possible, the next step is to create a disavow file — a simple text document (.txt) containing the URLs or domains you want Google to disregard.
Follow these key formatting rules:
Each line should contain one URL or one domain only.
To disavow an entire domain or subdomain, prefix it with
domain:— e.g.You can include comments in your file by starting a line with
#. Google will ignore these lines.The file must be saved in UTF-8 or 7-bit ASCII encoding, and its name should end with
.txt.Keep the file under 100,000 lines and 2MB in size.
Here’s a basic example of what a disavow file looks like:
If you’ve downloaded backlinks from Google Search Console’s “Links” report, you can clean the list and use it as your starting point. Just make sure you’re not disavowing legitimate, high-quality websites.
Step 4: Upload Your Disavow File to Google
Once your file is ready, head to the Google Disavow Links Tool (available through Search Console).
Select the property (website) you want the list to apply to. Remember that:
The disavow file applies only to that specific property, including its child properties.
If you manage both
http://andhttps://versions of a site, you’ll need to upload the file to each.Uploading a new list will replace any existing list — Google doesn’t merge them.
Click the upload button, choose your .txt file, and confirm. If your file contains formatting errors, Google will notify you immediately so you can fix them and re-upload.
Once accepted, it may take a few weeks for Google to recrawl and process the changes across the web. Be patient — you won’t see instant results, but your efforts will gradually reflect in improved search health.
Step 5: Understand How Google Processes a Disavow File
After you’ve submitted your disavow file, Google doesn’t immediately remove or disregard those backlinks. Instead, it gradually processes the data as its crawlers revisit and re-index the affected pages across the web.
This process can take a few weeks to several months, depending on how frequently those pages are crawled. Once processed, Google will ignore the disavowed links in its ranking algorithms.
It’s important to note that disavowing a link does not remove it from the internet. The link will still exist on the referring site — it simply won’t influence your domain’s SEO performance.
You may continue to see disavowed backlinks in your Search Console reports because the tool still displays all links pointing to your site. However, internally, Google has flagged them as ignored for ranking purposes.
Step 6: Modifying or Removing Disavowals
There may come a time when you need to update or remove your disavow file — for example, if:
You discover that you mistakenly disavowed good backlinks.
You want to consolidate domains under a new property.
You’ve re-evaluated your link profile and want to start fresh.
To update your list, simply upload a new disavow file to the same property. The new file automatically replaces the old one — there’s no need to delete it manually.
However, if you want to completely remove all disavowals from a property, you can:
Visit the Disavow Links Tool (accessible via Google Search Console).
Select the relevant property from your list.
Click “Cancel Disavowals.”
Google will then treat all previously ignored backlinks as active once again. Just like the initial process, this change may take several weeks to reflect in your rankings as the web is recrawled and reprocessed.
Step 7: Avoid Common Disavow Mistakes
Because the disavow tool is powerful, using it incorrectly can unintentionally harm your site’s visibility. Here are some of the most frequent mistakes that site owners and inexperienced SEOs make — and how to avoid them:
1. Disavowing Quality Links
Not all low-Domain-Authority (DA) links are bad. Some may come from smaller niche blogs, directories, or forums that are perfectly legitimate. If they’re contextually relevant and natural, keep them. Over-disavowing can make your backlink profile appear unnaturally clean, which may raise its own red flags.
2. Ignoring Manual Removals
Disavowal should always come after you’ve tried manual removal. Document your outreach — Google values effort. It also helps prove you weren’t complicit in manipulative link-building.
3. Using the Wrong Format
Even a single syntax error (like a missing “domain:” prefix or a stray space) can cause upload failures. Always double-check your file for accuracy and encoding before submission.
4. Relying on the Tool as a Fix-All
The disavow tool won’t save a site from poor content, bad UX, or thin on-page SEO. Think of it as part of your broader link-hygiene strategy, not a cure-all for ranking drops.
Step 8: Monitor Your Progress
After you’ve disavowed harmful backlinks, the next phase is ongoing observation.
Keep an eye on the following key indicators in Google Search Console and your SEO tools:
Manual action status: Confirm that any existing penalty has been revoked.
Search visibility: Watch for gradual improvements in rankings for your key pages.
Backlink profile trends: Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to ensure new toxic links aren’t emerging.
Organic traffic: Expect recovery to be steady, not instant — Google needs time to reassess your authority.
If your site’s visibility doesn’t improve after several months, consider conducting a broader technical and content audit. Sometimes, ranking issues are caused by multiple overlapping factors beyond backlinks.
Expert Tips: Maintaining a Healthy Backlink Profile
A disavow is reactive — the real power lies in proactive link management. Here’s how to prevent toxic backlinks from threatening your SEO again:
1. Focus on Earning, Not Building, Links
Modern SEO is about earning backlinks through value, not manipulation. Publish authoritative guides, data-driven insights, and case studies that naturally attract citations.
2. Vet All Future Partnerships
If you hire an SEO agency or freelancer, always ask about their link-building methods. Avoid anyone who promises “1,000 backlinks in 30 days.” Sustainable link growth takes time and credibility.
3. Regularly Audit Your Backlink Profile
Schedule quarterly backlink reviews using tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or Moz. Identify sudden spikes in referring domains — these may signal negative SEO attacks or spam injections.
4. Diversify Your Link Sources
Aim for backlinks from a mix of domains — media outlets, industry directories, blogs, and partner websites. A diversified link portfolio looks more natural to search engines.
5. Build a Strong Brand Presence
A recognized brand naturally earns trust signals — both online and off. When people search for your business by name or mention it organically, it helps Google understand you’re credible, making toxic links less influential.
Final Thoughts
Disavowing links is one of the most delicate SEO actions a site owner can take. Done correctly, it can safeguard your site’s authority and reputation. Done carelessly, it can set your rankings back months.
At EDM33, we’ve helped numerous clients recover from link penalties and rebuild healthy, future-proof backlink strategies. Our approach combines data-driven audits, manual outreach, and Google-compliant cleanup, ensuring that your SEO foundation remains strong and penalty-free.
If your site has been hit by suspicious backlinks or a manual penalty, don’t panic — we can guide you through the full recovery process.
Contact us today to audit your backlink profile and regain your organic search momentum.