Google’s Disavow Tool:
What Every Website Owner Needs to Know in 2025

If you’ve ever worried about “toxic backlinks” hurting your website’s Google rankings, you’re not alone. Many SEO agencies and tools promote the idea that bad links can drag your site down, and that using Google’s Disavow Tool is a necessary part of regular site maintenance. But is that really true? Let’s break down what the Disavow Tool is, when you should use it, and what Google actually recommends, so you can make the right decisions for your website, even if you’re not an SEO expert.

What Is the
Google Disavow Tool?

The Disavow Tool is a feature in Google Search Console that allows website owners to ask Google to ignore specific backlinks when evaluating their site for search rankings. This tool was introduced after Google’s 2012 Penguin update, which penalized sites for manipulative link-building practices like buying links. The Disavow Tool was created mainly to help sites recover from those penalties, especially when they couldn’t get harmful links removed manually.

Do You Need to Use the
Disavow Tool Regularly?

Short answer: No.
Google’s John Mueller has made it clear that using the Disavow Tool is not a normal part of site maintenance. Most websites never need to use it at all. In fact, Google’s algorithms are very good at ignoring spammy or irrelevant links on their own.

“The disavow tool is not something that you need to do on a regular basis. It’s not a part of normal site maintenance. I would really only use that if you have a manual spam action.”
— John Mueller, Google

What Are “Toxic Backlinks”—
And Should You Worry?

The term “toxic backlinks” is mostly marketing language used by SEO tools and services. Google doesn’t use this term internally. Most random, irrelevant, or foreign links pointing to your site are simply ignored by Google and won’t hurt your rankings.

However, there are two main situations where you should consider using the Disavow Tool:

•   You’ve received a Manual action from Google for unnatural links.
  This is a penalty that appears in your Google Search Console. If you see this, you need to take action to remove or disavow the bad links.
•   You have a large number of manipulative or spammy links you know were created to game Google’s rankings.
  For example, if you or a previous SEO built links through shady methods, and you’re worried about a potential penalty, disavowing those links can help.

For everyone else, Google’s advice is simple: Don’t worry about random bad links. Focus on creating great content and earning natural, high-quality backlinks instead.

What If the
Disavow Tool Disappears?

If Google were to remove the Disavow Tool in the future, most website owners wouldn’t need to do anything differently. Google’s systems are designed to ignore bad links automatically, so unless you’re dealing with a manual penalty, you don’t need to take extra steps.

If you do have a manual action and the tool is unavailable, your best option would be to contact Google support or seek help from an experienced SEO professional.

How to Disavow Links
(If You Really Need To)

If you’re sure you need to disavow links (for example, after a manual action), here’s a simple step-by-step process:

•   Identify the bad links.
  Use Google Search Console and reputable SEO tools (like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Majestic) to audit your backlink profile.
•   Try to remove links manually.
  Reach out to website owners and request link removal. Only move to disavow if this isn’t possible.
•   Create a disavow file.
  List each link or domain you want to disavow in a plain text (.txt) file, one per line. Use domain:example.com to disavow all links from a domain.
•   Submit the file in Google Search Console.
  Go to the Disavow Tool, select your property, and upload your file. Google will process your request, but it may take some time to see results.

Key Takeaways

•  You don’t need to use the Disavow Tool as part of regular site maintenance.
•  Google ignores most bad links automatically.
•  Only use the Disavow Tool if you have a manual action or know you have a large number of manipulative links.
•  Focus on building high-quality content and natural backlinks for long-term SEO success.
•  Strengthen your SEO by improving your Internal linking strategy to help Google better understand and rank your content.

Final Thought:
Think Before You Disavow

At the end of the day, the Disavow Tool is there if you really need it, but chances are, you probably don’t. Unless you’ve been hit with a manual action or know for sure that shady link-building happened in the past, there’s no need to stress over random backlinks or run regular disavow campaigns.

Google’s gotten a lot smarter over the years. Its systems are built to ignore low-quality or irrelevant links automatically. So instead of chasing “toxic backlinks,” focus on what actually matters: creating helpful content, building real authority, and giving users a great experience on your site.

If you ever do need to use the Disavow Tool, now you know exactly how to do it, and when not to.