What a disavow file does
A disavow file is a plain text list you give Google that says: when you assess my site, ignore the links that come from these domains or pages. Google calls it an advanced feature. Most sites never need one, because Google already ignores most spammy links by itself.
When it is worth doing
- You have a manual action in Search Console for unnatural links.
- You bought or arranged links in the past, now regret it, and could not get them removed.
- A campaign by you, an agency or a previous owner left a pile of links you would not stand behind.
If none of these fits, a disavow file is more likely to do harm than good, because it is easy to tell Google to ignore a link that was helping you. The usual order is to ask the site to remove the link first, and disavow only what is left.
What this tool does to your list
- Writes domains the way Google reads them. A bare domain becomes
domain:example.com. Thewww.is dropped, since the entry covers it. - Turns page addresses into domains. Whole domains are the usual choice, and they keep the file short. If you want exact pages, switch that option off.
- Removes what adds nothing. Duplicates, and pages or subdomains under a domain you already listed.
- Reports what it cannot use. IP addresses, other kinds of address and anything that is not a domain are listed with the reason, not dropped silently.
- Protects your own site. Enter it and it can never end up in the file.
- Warns about shared hosts. A domain entry for a host like
blogspot.comwould cover every site on it, so it is flagged, while a single subdomain of it is fine. - Watches Google's limits. A file may hold at most 100,000 lines and 2 MB.
If you already have a file
This is the step most generators skip. A disavow file you upload replaces the previous one. If you build a new file from only the new links and upload it, everything you disavowed before stops being disavowed. Open the section "I already have a disavow file", paste or choose the one you downloaded from Search Console, and the result keeps every line of it exactly as it was and adds only what is new, under a dated comment. New lines are highlighted in the preview.
Uploading it
- Download the file here.
- Open Google's disavow links tool and choose your property.
- Choose Upload and select the file. Google may take weeks to apply it.
It is not instant, and it does not remove the links. It only asks Google to leave them out of how it assesses your site.
Before you disavow a domain
Check it first. Disavowing a strong, relevant site because its link looked odd is a common mistake. The Domain Rating Checker shows how strong each domain is, and the Backlink Checker shows whether a link is even followed. A link marked nofollow does not need disavowing.
Frequently asked
Is my list uploaded anywhere?
No. The file is built in your browser as you type. The text you enter is kept in your own browser so it is there next time, and never sent to us.
Should I disavow at domain level or page level?
Domain level in almost every case. It catches every page on the site and keeps the file short. Use page level only when most of a site is fine and a single page is the problem.
Will it help my rankings?
Only if bad links were holding you back. Google applies it over time and gives no promise of a change. It is a cleanup, not a boost.