diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index bb6a15806..3375808a2 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ Bugs fixed
 * #7715: LaTeX: ``numfig_secnum_depth > 1`` leads to wrong figure links
 * #7846: html theme: XML-invalid files were generated
 * #7894: gettext: Wrong source info is shown when using rst_epilog
+* #7691: linkcheck: HEAD requests are not used for checking
 * #7869: :rst:role:`abbr` role without an explanation will show the explanation
   from the previous abbr role
 * C and C++, removed ``noindex`` directive option as it did
diff --git a/sphinx/util/requests.py b/sphinx/util/requests.py
index d9d1d1b2c..b3fc8bc35 100644
--- a/sphinx/util/requests.py
+++ b/sphinx/util/requests.py
@@ -124,4 +124,4 @@ def head(url: str, **kwargs: Any) -> requests.Response:
         headers.setdefault('User-Agent', useragent_header[0][1])
 
     with ignore_insecure_warning(**kwargs):
-        return requests.get(url, **kwargs)
+        return requests.head(url, **kwargs)