Search Console Links Report: How to Read It
The Links report shows who links to your site and how your own pages link to each other. This guide explains each table, how links are counted, the 1,000-row and sampling limits, how to export, and what to do about unfamiliar or spammy linking sites.
- External and internal links
- 3 external tables
- Export up to 100,000 rows
- Sample, not complete
External: top linked pages
top linking sites
top linking text
Internal: top linked pagesThe Links report has External links (top linked pages, top linking sites, top linking text) and Internal links (your top linked pages). Each table shows up to 1,000 rows, and the report is a sample, not every link. It does not show whether a link is nofollow. Use it to check your most-linked pages, spot unfamiliar or spammy sites, and confirm key pages are well linked internally.
Where to find it
Open the Links report in Search Console. It has an External links section and an Internal links section, and each table has a MORE link to the full list. Related: Search Console setup.
The three external tables
| Table | What it shows | Use it to |
|---|---|---|
| Top linked pages | Your pages with the most backlinks; select one to see its top linking sites | Check your most-linked pages are the ones you expect |
| Top linking sites | Root domains linking most, by count; select one to see your most-linked pages from it | Spot unfamiliar or spammy sites, or relevant mentions |
| Top linking text | Most common anchor text, case-insensitive exact match; no text shows as (empty) | Check others describe you accurately |
Filtered views include top linking sites for a given page, and backlinks from a given site to a given page. The Top linking pages table has a Target URL column, shown when the link URL differs from the target, usually because of a redirect or canonical decision. See anchor text.
Internal links
- Top linked pages: which of your pages receive the most internal links. Select a URL to see which of your pages link to it.
- Use it to confirm key pages, such as home or contact, are well linked.
- It also helps check whether users can reach one page from another in few clicks.
More in internal linking and orphan pages.
How links are counted
Exporting
- From the landing page, export up to 100,000 rows as CSV or Google Sheets, as Latest links (most recently discovered) or More sample links (a sample of the full known set).
- On single-table pages, the download button exports up to 1,000 rows.
- Values shown as ~ or – export as zero.
Review your links step by step
Open the Links report
Start with External links.
Check top linked pages
Are these your expected pages?
Scan top linking sites
Look for unfamiliar or odd domains.
Read the anchor text
Is it accurate and natural?
Check internal links
Are key pages well linked?
Export for deeper review
Use Latest links and sample links.
Unknown or spammy linking sites
Google advises checking for unknown or spammy sites. You might ask for removal or, as a last resort, disavow them to avoid ranking harm. For known spam sites, Google typically ignores the links, though you may still remove or disavow. Google’s page links to a disavow article but does not explain the process. See Google spam policies.
Notes for WordPress sites
- Internal links are in your control. Make sure money pages receive links from related posts (my own note).
- Link plugins can help; see your internal-linking setup.
- Redirected or changed URLs may show a Target URL, so check redirects. See 301 vs 302.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Links missing | Report is a sample (Google) | Do not treat as complete |
| Old links listed | May include links since removed (Google) | Verify on the page |
| Row counts capped | 1,000-row limit (Google) | Export |
| Cannot see nofollow | Report does not show it (Google) | Check the linking page |
Checklist
External
- Top pages as expected
- No odd linking sites
- Anchor text natural
- Redirect targets checked
Internal
- Home well linked
- Key pages well linked
- Few clicks away
- No orphans
Data
- Remember it is a sample
- Export as needed
- Verify removed links
- Compare over time
Action
- Review spam concerns
- Fix internal gaps
- Document findings
- Recheck monthly
What Google’s page does not say
It does not say how often the data refreshes, how the sample is selected, what time range “latest” covers, how nofollow affects counts, how to request link removal, how to create a disavow file, or how backlinks affect rankings beyond the disavow advice.
Key terms
- Backlink
- A link from another site to yours.
- Anchor text
- The clickable text of a link.
- Root domain
- The base domain without subdomain.
- Disavow
- Asking Google to ignore certain links.
Common mistakes
Treating it as complete
It is a sample.
Panic over odd domains
Google typically ignores known spam.
Ignoring internal links
You control them.
Assuming nofollow shown
Not displayed.
Over-using disavow
Last resort.
Trusting stale links
May be removed.
Related guides
Links report questions
What does the Links report show?
External backlinks and internal links to your pages.
Is it a complete list?
No, it is a sample.
How many rows?
Tables show up to 1,000 rows; exports up to 100,000.
Does it show nofollow?
No.
What is (empty) anchor text?
Links without text.
Can it include removed links?
Yes, links found in the past may be listed.
Should I disavow spammy sites?
Google says typically it ignores known spam; disavow is a last resort.
Why is there a Target URL column?
The link URL differs from the target, usually due to a redirect or canonical choice.
Tables, counting rules, export options, limits and spam advice come from Google’s help page. The step routine, WordPress notes, troubleshooting and checklists are my own.