Google's main search crawler; controls Google Search, including AI features built on the Search index. Almost never block.
Almost never block
Googlebot builds the Google Search index, and Google states that crawl preferences addressed to it affect Google Search — including AI features built on the Search index. Blocking it removes you from normal Search results as well as those AI surfaces.
If you want to control snippet or AI usage without leaving Search, use nosnippet or noindex at page level instead.
User-agent: Googlebot Allow: /
User-agent: Googlebot Disallow: /
Official source Operator documentation — last verified against operator docs 2026-09-12
https://developers.google.com/crawling/docs/crawlers-fetchers/google-common-crawlers
"Should you block it?" below is our own interpretation, not the operator's recommendation.
See whether Googlebot — and 39 other AI crawlers — can reach your site today.