What do the Page indexing statuses in Search Console mean?
The Page indexing report lists every page Google knows about as Indexed or Not indexed, with a reason for each page left out. Many reasons are normal, such as redirects and alternate pages with a proper canonical tag. Fix the ones that hit pages you want found: noindex, Not found (404), server errors and robots.txt blocks.
The short version
- Open Pages under Indexing in Search Console.
- Not indexed isn’t automatically bad. Google says many non-indexed pages are fine.
- Look at the reasons that affect pages you care about: your home page, service pages and contact page.
- Fix those, then select Validate fix. Validation usually takes up to about two weeks.
- Check one page in detail with the URL Inspection tool.
How do I open and read the report?
These steps follow Google’s Page indexing report page.
- In Search Console, under Indexing, select Pages.
- The chart at the top shows two counts: Indexed and Not indexed.
- Scroll to Why pages aren’t indexed. Each row is a reason, with how many pages it affects.
- Select a row to see example addresses and a chart of that reason over time.
- Select an address and the Inspect icon to check that one page. See inspecting a page.
Google says the report covers “all URLs that Google knows about in your property.” That includes old addresses, test pages and odd versions you’ve forgotten about, which is why the Not indexed number is often bigger than you expect.
What does each reason mean?
The labels below are as Google’s help page lists them. A few may be worded slightly differently on your screen.
Usually fine, no action needed
| Reason | What it means |
|---|---|
| Page with redirect | The address redirects elsewhere. Google may index the destination instead, if that page qualifies on its own |
| Alternate page with proper canonical tag | The page points to its main version, and Google agreed |
| URL marked ‘noindex’ (on pages you hid on purpose) | You told Google not to index it, such as a thank-you page |
| Not found (404) (on pages you deleted on purpose) | The page is gone and returns “not found” |
Worth a look
| Reason | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Crawled - currently not indexed | Google read the page and chose not to index it for now | Make the page more useful and distinct, and link to it from related pages |
| Discovered - currently not indexed | Google knows the address but hasn’t crawled it yet | Usually time. On a new site, add internal links and wait |
| Duplicate without user-selected canonical | The page looks like another page, and Google chose that one | Merge the pages, redirect one, or add a canonical tag |
| Duplicate, Google chose different canonical than user | You named a main version, and Google picked another | Decide which page you want indexed, then check the content, redirects, internal links and sitemap all point to it. Only switch your canonical to Google’s choice if that page really is the better main version |
| Soft 404 | The page looks like “not found” but tells Google it’s fine | Return a real 404 for missing pages, or add real content |
Fix if it hits a page you want found
| Reason | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| URL marked ‘noindex’ (on an important page) | Something tells Google to keep the page out | Find and remove the noindex setting |
| URL blocked by robots.txt | Your robots.txt file stops Google crawling the page | Edit the rule. See robots.txt |
| Not found (404) (on a page that moved) | A link or old address leads nowhere | Redirect the old address to the new page |
| Server error (5xx) | Your server failed when Google asked for the page | Ask your host to check errors and capacity |
| Redirect error | The redirect loops, chains too long or points to a bad address | Make each old address redirect once, straight to the final page |
| Blocked due to unauthorized request (401) or access forbidden (403) | Google was asked to log in, or was refused | If the page is meant to be public, check why it asks for a login or is refused, such as a security rule. If it’s private, leave the login in place; it’s working as intended |
Google’s report also lists a warning, Indexed, though blocked by robots.txt. The page is in Google, but Google couldn’t read it. If you want it out, use noindex instead of a robots.txt block, because Google can’t see a noindex on a page it isn’t allowed to crawl.
How do I fix an issue and tell Google?
- Check each page listed under that reason. Fix every page that should be indexed, and leave pages that are meant to be out, such as a noindexed thank-you page or a deleted page that should return 404.
- Open the reason’s details page and select Validate fix.
- Watch the status. It moves through Started and Looking good to Passed, or to Failed if Google still finds the problem.
- If it fails, open the failed example, fix it, and start validation again.
Google says validation “typically takes up to about two weeks,” sometimes longer. You don’t need to validate to get pages indexed. It’s a way to track the fix.
Why does this report matter?
It’s the early warning for the most damaging mistakes. A noindex setting left on after a rebuild, a robots.txt block or a run of server errors can quietly pull pages out of Google. The trend line makes them easy to spot: a sudden rise in one reason, right after a change to the site, is a strong clue to the cause.
What are the common mistakes?
- Trying to get everything indexed. Google’s page says “Don’t expect every URL on your site to be indexed.” Aim for your important pages.
- The WordPress “discourage search engines” box. Sites are often built with it ticked and launched without unticking it. It’s under Settings, then Reading, as WordPress’s Reading settings page describes. Left ticked, it can keep a whole site out of search results.
- Deleting pages without redirects during a redesign, which turns old rankings into 404s. Our answer on redesigning without losing rankings covers the full checklist.
- Using robots.txt to hide a page. It stops crawling, not indexing. Use noindex, or see removing a page from Google.
- Many near-identical pages, such as one page per town with the same text. Google often indexes one and skips the rest.
What if my pages still aren’t indexed after fixing them?
Inspect one affected page, run Test live URL, and confirm the live test passes. Request indexing for your most important pages, resubmit your sitemap, and give it two weeks. If pages stay Crawled - currently not indexed, the content is usually the issue rather than a setting. Our answer on why a site doesn’t show up on Google covers what makes pages worth indexing.
How much does it cost, and how long does it take?
The report is free. Reading it takes 10 minutes. Fixes range from a single checkbox to rewriting thin pages, and Google’s validation takes up to about two weeks.
How does E-3 handle this?
For the sites it manages, E-3 sets up Search Console and is added as a user, which means the Page indexing report can be checked after a launch or redesign. Redesigns themselves are tested on a staging copy first. Indexing checks belong to our SEO and AI search service.
Related questions
Next step
- Next: How do I read the Search Console Performance report?The next guide in Google Search Console.
- Free website checkPublic checks on your own site, then an action plan of what to fix first.
Still stuck? Ask E-3 for an answer from our help guides.
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