Googlebot
Google · reviewed 2026-11-05
About Googlebot
The main Google Search indexing crawler.
Operates Google Search, Gemini and agent products; publishes per-purpose crawlers verified by IP ranges and reverse DNS.
Usually means: A classic search crawler fetched this URL for its search index. This traffic is counted separately from AI arrivals.
Identity
User agent
Crawlers are matched by token, not the full browser string. Providers may add version or product text around it.
robots.txt token
Use this token in a User-agent line to allow or block the crawler.
Block this token
User-agent: Googlebot Disallow: /
A Disallow only stops crawlers that honor robots.txt. Classify the category before blocking; check the live file with the robots.txt checker.
Verify a hit
A matching user agent is not proof: any client can send the string. When the vendor publishes network data, compare the request against it before you trust the hit.
Match the user agent
Request UA contains Googlebot.
Check reverse DNS
Hostname ends with googlebot.com / google.com.
Check the IP range
Fetch the endpoint below and compare the request IP.
Reverse-DNS suffixes
googlebot.comgoogle.comRange endpoints
- developers.google.com/static/crawling/ipranges/common-crawlers.json
- developers.google.com/static/crawling/ipranges/special-crawlers.json
- developers.google.com/static/crawling/ipranges/user-triggered-fetchers.json
- developers.google.com/static/crawling/ipranges/user-triggered-fetchers-google.json
- developers.google.com/static/crawling/ipranges/user-triggered-agents.json
A verified hit proves the network path; it does not prove what the crawler will do with the page.
Googlebot: common questions
What is Googlebot?
Googlebot is a crawler from Google, filed under Search engines. The main Google Search indexing crawler. Requests advertise it in the User-Agent header as Googlebot.
Does Googlebot train AI models?
No. It feeds the classic search index, which is counted separately from AI training and AI traffic.
How do I block Googlebot in robots.txt?
Add a group with User-agent: Googlebot and Disallow: / to robots.txt, then re-test the live file. robots.txt matches the token, not the full User-Agent string, and blocking this token does not block the vendor's other crawlers.
How do I verify a Googlebot hit?
Match the user agent, then compare the request IP with the ranges or endpoints listed on this page and check that the hostname ends with googlebot.com or google.com. A matching user agent alone is not proof — any client can send the string.
Testing a block? Run the live file through the robots.txt tester or check the whole AI crawler access group.
See when Googlebot hits your site
Page scripts never see AI crawlers because they do not run JavaScript. Install the server probe and each hit lands in the Crawlers block with its path and status.