# Google-Extended

> A robots.txt token, not a crawler. It controls whether content Google already crawls may be used to train future Gemini models and for grounding in Gemini Apps and Grounding with Google Search on Vertex AI. Google says it does not affect inclusion in Google Search and is not a ranking signal.

Canonical page: https://getrankroot.com/ai-bots/google-extended · Facts checked against Google docs on 2026-10-20

| Operator | Used for | Type | Obeys robots.txt |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Google | Gemini training and grounding | Control token (does not crawl) | Token only |

## Should you allow it?

Your choice. Blocking it does not remove you from Google Search.

**If you block it:** Google won't use your content to train future Gemini models or for grounding in Gemini Apps and Vertex AI. Google Search is unaffected.

Google crawls with its normal user agents; Google-Extended only governs how that content is used.

AI Overviews and AI Mode are part of Google Search. Google's controls for them are Googlebot's robots.txt rules and the nosnippet, data-nosnippet, max-snippet and noindex rules, not Google-Extended.

## robots.txt rules

Allow Google-Extended:

```
User-agent: Google-Extended
Allow: /
```

Block Google-Extended:

```
User-agent: Google-Extended
Disallow: /
```

Disallow Google-Extended from one folder only:

```
User-agent: Google-Extended
Disallow: /private/
Allow: /
```

A bot follows the most specific User-agent group that names it and ignores the generic `User-agent: *` group, so repeat any shared Disallow lines inside it.

## Same company, different bots: Google

| Bot | Type | Purpose | Obeys robots.txt | If you block it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Google-Extended](https://getrankroot.com/ai-bots/google-extended.md) | Control token (does not crawl) | Gemini training and grounding | Token only | Google won't use your content to train future Gemini models or for grounding in Gemini Apps and Vertex AI. Google Search is unaffected. |
| [Googlebot](https://getrankroot.com/ai-bots/googlebot.md) | AI search index | Google Search (incl. AI Overviews) | Yes | Google can't crawl your pages for Search, Discover, Images, Video or News, and they can't be shown with content in AI Overviews or AI Mode. A blocked URL can still be listed without a description if other sites link to it. |
| [Google-CloudVertexBot](https://getrankroot.com/ai-bots/google-cloudvertexbot.md) | User-triggered fetcher | Vertex AI Agents | Yes | Vertex AI agents that site owners request can't crawl your site. No effect on Google Search. |

## How to verify it's really Google-Extended

Google-Extended never sends requests, so it never appears in your server logs. The traffic it governs comes from [Googlebot](https://getrankroot.com/ai-bots/googlebot.md); verify that crawler instead.

## Common mistakes

- Creating a firewall or user agent rule for Google-Extended. Google says it has no separate user agent string, so no request will ever match it.
- Disallowing it to get out of AI Overviews. Google points to Googlebot's robots.txt rules and snippet controls for Search features; Google-Extended governs Gemini training and grounding.

## FAQ

### What is Google-Extended?

A robots.txt token, not a crawler. It controls whether content Google already crawls may be used to train future Gemini models and for grounding in Gemini Apps and Grounding with Google Search on Vertex AI. Google says it does not affect inclusion in Google Search and is not a ranking signal.

### Does Google-Extended respect robots.txt?

Google-Extended is a robots.txt token only; it never visits your site. A robots.txt token, not a crawler. It controls whether content Google already crawls may be used to train future Gemini models and for grounding in Gemini Apps and Grounding with Google Search on Vertex AI. Google says it does not affect inclusion in Google Search and is not a ranking signal.

### What happens if I block Google-Extended?

Google won't use your content to train future Gemini models or for grounding in Gemini Apps and Vertex AI. Google Search is unaffected.

### Should I block Google-Extended?

Your choice. Blocking it does not remove you from Google Search.

### Does Google-Extended have its own user agent?

No. Google says crawling is done with existing Google user agent strings; Google-Extended is only a robots.txt control token. It never appears in your server logs.

### Does blocking Google-Extended remove me from AI Overviews?

Google's documentation does not say so. AI Overviews and AI Mode are Search features; Google says Googlebot's robots.txt rules are the control for crawling for Search, and nosnippet, data-nosnippet, max-snippet or noindex limit what Search shows. Google-Extended covers Gemini training and grounding.

### Is Google-Extended a ranking signal?

No. Google says Google-Extended does not impact a site's inclusion in Google Search and is not used as a ranking signal.

## Sources

- [Official documentation from Google](https://developers.google.com/crawling/docs/crawlers-fetchers/google-common-crawlers)
- [Google: how to verify its crawlers](https://developers.google.com/crawling/docs/crawlers-fetchers/verify-google-requests)
- [Google: AI features and your website](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features)

Check whether Google-Extended can reach a site: https://getrankroot.com/tools/ai-crawler-checker or `GET https://getrankroot.com/api/bots?url=example.com`. Full list: https://getrankroot.com/ai-bots.md