How to Check What Websites Link to Yours Using Google Tools

Google Search Console shows you which sites link to yours, and it's free

Google Search Console is the main tool Google offers to see backlinks — the links from other websites pointing to yours. It's built into Google's own systems, so the data comes directly from what Google's crawlers have found. You don't need to pay for it, and you don't need special technical knowledge to read the report.

The backlinks report in Search Console shows you the domains linking to you, which of your pages they link to, and what text they used for the link. This matters because links from established, relevant websites signal to Google that your content is worth ranking higher in search results. Seeing which sites link to you also helps you spot problems — like links from spam sites that might hurt your ranking, or broken links you should fix.

Key Takeaways

Google Search Console is Google's free tool for seeing backlinks, and you must own the website to access the data.
The Links report shows which domains link to you, which of your pages they point to, and what anchor text they used.
You can filter the report by top linking sites, top linked pages, or search for specific domains.
Google only shows links it has actually found and indexed, so the total is always lower than what third-party tools report.
Checking backlinks regularly helps you spot spam links, broken links, and opportunities to reach out to sites that mention you.

Setting up Google Search Console for your website

Before you can see backlinks, you need to add your website to Google Search Console and verify that you own it. Go to search.google.com/search-console and sign in with the Google account you use for your website. Click the blue button to add a property, then enter your website's URL.

Google will ask you to verify ownership. The most common method is to upload an HTML file to your website's root folder, but you can also verify through your domain registrar (like GoDaddy or Namecheap), your hosting provider, or by adding a meta tag to your homepage. Pick whichever method matches how you manage your site. Verification usually takes a few minutes to a few hours.

Once verified, Google Search Console starts collecting data about your site — including backlinks, search performance, and crawl errors. You don't have to do anything else; the data builds automatically as Google's crawlers find and index your pages.

Finding the Links report in Search Console

After verification, log into Search Console and select your website from the property list. On the left sidebar, click Links under the "Growth" section. This opens the main backlinks dashboard, which shows four reports: Top linking sites, Top linked pages, Top linking text, and Sitemaps.

The Top linking sites report lists the domains that link to you most often, ranked by number of links. Click any domain to see which of your pages it links to. The Top linked pages report shows which of your own pages receive the most backlinks — useful for understanding which content Google thinks is most valuable. The Top linking text report shows the anchor text (the clickable words in a link) that other sites use when linking to you.

Each report is sortable and filterable. You can read the data as a spreadsheet by clicking the read icon, which is helpful if you want to track changes over time or share the information with a team member.

What the backlinks data actually means

Google Search Console only shows backlinks that Google has found and indexed. This means the total is always lower than what you'll see in third-party tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush, which use their own crawlers and may count links Google hasn't discovered yet. Don't be alarmed if the number seems small — it's accurate for what Google itself has found.

A link from a high-authority site (like a news outlet or established industry publication) typically helps your ranking more than a link from a brand-new or low-traffic site. Google Search Console doesn't label links by authority, but you can check a linking site's traffic and reputation yourself by visiting it or searching for it in Google.

Links with relevant anchor text — words that describe what they're linking to — are more valuable than generic text like "click here." If you see many links with anchor text that matches your target keywords, that's a positive signal. If you see links with unrelated or spammy anchor text, that's worth investigating.

Spotting spam links and taking action

Occasionally you'll find backlinks from low-quality or spam sites. These links can hurt your ranking if Google thinks you're trying to game the system by paying for them or building them artificially. Common spam patterns include links from link farms, private blog networks, or sites in unrelated languages or industries.

If you find a few spam links, you can ignore them — Google's algorithm is designed to filter out low-quality links automatically. If you find many spam links pointing to your site, or if your search traffic suddenly drops after noticing new spam links, you can use Google Search Console's Disavow Links tool to tell Google to ignore them. Go to Settings in Search Console, click Security & Manual Actions, then Disavow Links. Upload a text file listing the domains or URLs you want Google to ignore.

Use the disavow tool carefully — it's a last resort, not a routine maintenance step. Most spam links don't need to be disavowed. Only disavow if you believe the links are harming your site and you can't contact the linking site to remove them.

Using backlink data to improve your content strategy

The backlinks report tells you which of your pages are attracting the most attention from other websites. If one page has far more backlinks than others, that's a signal that the topic resonates with your audience and with other site owners. You might expand on that topic, create related content, or promote similar pages more actively.

You can also use the report to find linking opportunities. If a site links to a competitor but not to you, that's a potential outreach target. Search for sites in your industry, visit them, and see if they link to similar content. If they do, you might reach out and ask if they'd consider linking to your relevant page as well.

Check your backlinks report monthly or quarterly, depending on how active your site is. Trends matter more than individual links — if your backlink count is growing steadily, that's a good sign. If it drops suddenly, investigate whether you've lost a major linking site or whether Google has straightforward re-indexed and found fewer links than before.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Google Search Console show fewer backlinks than other tools?

Google Search Console only reports links that Google's crawlers have found and indexed. Third-party tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush use their own crawlers and may discover links Google hasn't found yet, or links on pages Google doesn't index. The Search Console number is accurate for what Google itself sees, which is what matters for your ranking.

Can I see backlinks to my website without Google Search Console?

Google Search Console is free and built into Google's systems, so it's the most direct source. Third-party tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, and Ubersuggest also show backlinks and sometimes offer more filtering options, but they charge a subscription fee. For basic backlink monitoring, Search Console is sufficient.

What should I do if I see a backlink from a site I don't recognize?

Visit the linking site and see what it is. If it's a legitimate site in your industry or a news mention, that's good — you've found a valuable link. If it's spam or unrelated, you can usually ignore it. Only use the disavow tool if you have many spam links and believe they're hurting your ranking.

How often should I check my backlinks?

Monthly or quarterly checks are typical for most websites. If you're actively building links or promoting content, check more often. If your site is stable and you're not doing outreach, quarterly is fine. Trends matter more than the exact number — watch for steady growth or sudden drops.

Do all backlinks help my ranking equally?

No. Links from high-authority, relevant sites help more than links from new or unrelated sites. Links with descriptive anchor text help more than generic text. Links from sites in your industry help more than random links. Google's algorithm weighs these factors, but Search Console doesn't label links by quality — you have to assess them yourself.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.