Google Search Console shows you who links to your website. Free, straight from Google, no subscription required.
The catch: it’s a sample, not a complete list. And it won’t tell you whether links are dofollow or nofollow.
Why Use GSC for Backlinks
Free, actually free. Not freemium. Google provides this data at no cost.
Source data. Third-party tools crawl the web and estimate. GSC shows what Google has actually discovered and indexed.
You already have access. If your site is verified, the data is waiting.
Finding Your Backlinks
1. Log Into Search Console
Go to search.google.com/search-console and sign in.
Not verified yet? Google offers HTML file upload, DNS record, Google Analytics, or Tag Manager verification.
2. Select Your Property
If you have multiple sites, click the one you want. Domain properties include all subdomains and both HTTP/HTTPS versions.
3. Click Links in the Sidebar
Scroll down, click Links. Done.
4. Review External Links
Three reports matter:
Top linked pages - Which of your pages get the most backlinks. Shows what content attracts links naturally.
Top linking sites - Which domains link to you. Useful for understanding your backlink profile.
Top linking text - Anchor text others use when linking to you.
5. Drill Down
Click any item to see more detail:
- Click a linking site to see which pages they link to
- Click one of your pages to see all sites linking to it
- Click anchor text to see which sites use that phrase
Understanding the Data
Top Linked Pages
Sorted by number of linking domains, not total links. One domain with 50 links counts as 1.
Google values diversity. 10 links from 10 sites beats 50 links from one site.
Top Linking Sites
Common patterns:
- Social sites - Reddit, Twitter, Pinterest (usually nofollow)
- Aggregators - Sites that automatically pull content
- Legitimate mentions - News sites, industry blogs, directories
Top Linking Text
Watch for:
- Brand name anchors (normal)
- Naked URLs like
https://yoursite.com(normal) - Generic terms like
click hereorread more - Spammy or foreign language anchors you don’t recognize (potential negative SEO)
Exporting Your Data
On the Links page, click Export external links (top right). Choose Google Sheets or CSV.
The export includes:
- Top linked pages
- Top linking sites
- Top linking text
- Latest discovered links
Limit: 100,000 rows per sheet. For most sites, plenty.
GSC Limitations
Sample Only
Google shows “a sampling of the data.” High-link sites might see 10% or less of actual backlinks.
No Dofollow/Nofollow Info
GSC shows links exist. It doesn’t tell you if they pass SEO value.
A nofollow link looks identical to a dofollow link in Search Console. For SEO, they’re completely different.
No Quality Indicators
GSC doesn’t show:
- Linking page authority
- Whether the page is indexed
- Other rel attributes (sponsored, ugc)
- Link context on the page
A link from the New York Times looks the same as one from a spam blog.
Delayed Data
New backlinks take days to weeks to appear. Hard to correlate outreach with results.
No Historical Data
Current state only. No alerts when links disappear. No growth tracking.
Own Sites Only
Can’t check competitor backlinks. GSC requires site verification.
Verify What GSC Shows You
Google Search Console tells you links exist. Backlink Checker Pro tells you if they actually work.
Upload your GSC export and get:
- Link existence - is the link still on the page?
- Follow status - dofollow, nofollow, sponsored, or ugc
- Page accessibility - noindex, bot blocks, errors
Free to use. No account required.
Verify Your GSC Backlinks FreePractical Workflow
Weekly (5 minutes)
- Check GSC for new linking sites
- Scan for anything unusual
Monthly (30 minutes)
- Export full backlink data
- Compare to last month
- Verify your top 20 important backlinks still work
Quarterly (2 hours)
- Cross-reference GSC with third-party tools
- Update disavow file if needed
- Adjust link building strategy
Does Google Search Console show all my backlinks?
No. Google shows a sample, not the complete list. For sites with many backlinks, you might see only 10-20% of your total links.
Can I see if a backlink is dofollow or nofollow in GSC?
No. GSC shows that a link exists but doesn't indicate follow status. You need to check the page source or use a verification tool.
How long until a new backlink shows in GSC?
A few days to several weeks. Links from frequently-crawled sites appear faster. Low-authority sites might take a month or more.
Can I check competitor backlinks in GSC?
No. GSC only shows backlinks for verified sites you own. Use third-party tools for competitor research.
Why don't my GSC numbers match Ahrefs or Semrush?
Different crawlers, different coverage. Google shows a sample, third-party tools show what they've found. Expect differences.
Summary
Google Search Console is the best free backlink tool. Direct from Google, real data, no cost.
But it’s incomplete, doesn’t show link types, and only works for your own sites.
Use GSC as your foundation. Export regularly. For links that matter - high authority sites, paid placements - verify them properly.
Knowing a link exists is step one. Knowing it helps your rankings requires verification.