How to deindex a page that stays on your site
- Add a noindex rulePut <meta name="robots" content="noindex"> in the page's head, or send an X-Robots-Tag: noindex header; most SEO plugins have a per-page setting.
- Leave robots.txt openGoogle has to crawl the page to see the tag, so don't block it.
- Drop it from the sitemapRemove it from your XML sitemap, and internal links to it where you can, so the signals don't conflict.
- Request a recrawlInspect the URL in Search Console and request indexing; without this, Google says a revisit can take months.
- Hide it if urgentSubmit a temporary removal under Removals in Search Console while the noindex takes effect.
- Confirm, and keep the tagURL Inspection should report the page excluded by noindex; leave the tag in place permanently.
What deindexing means
A deindexed page is out of Google's index, so it can't appear in Google Search for any query. It stays online: anyone with the link can visit, and other search engines decide for themselves.
Ranking lower is different: a page on page five is still indexed. To tell which, use URL Inspection in Search Console or search for the exact URL.
Ways to deindex your own pages, compared
| Method | What it does | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
noindex robots meta tag |
Google drops the page on its next crawl. Visitors still see it. | It stays on the site but out of search: thank-you pages, internal search, thin tag archives |
X-Robots-Tag: noindex header |
Same, sent by the server. | PDFs, images and other non-HTML files, or many URLs at once |
| Delete the page (404 or 410) | Google removes indexed URLs returning a 4xx, treating 404 and 410 alike. | The page shouldn't exist |
| Password or login wall | Googlebot can't see it, so can't index it. | Private or members-only content |
| Search Console Removals tool | Hides the URL, often within a day, for about six months. Doesn't stop crawling or deindex on its own. | You need it gone now, alongside a permanent method |
| 301 redirect or canonical tag | Points to the URL to show instead. Strong signals, not commands. | Duplicates or merged pages |
robots.txt disallow |
Stops crawling, not indexing. | Crawl load. Not for deindexing |
Sources: Google Search Central on noindex, HTTP status codes and the Removals tool. If the page shouldn't exist, skip the steps above and delete it. For a whole site, see how to remove a website from Google search results.
Why robots.txt doesn't deindex a page
The most common mistake. Google's robots.txt documentation says it is "not a mechanism for keeping a web page out of Google".
robots.txt disallow
- Stops crawling, not indexing.
- A linked URL can still be listed, without a description.
- Hides a
noindexfrom Googlebot, so an indexed URL can stay. - Google doesn't support
noindexinside robots.txt.
noindex tag or header
- Drops the page once Google recrawls it.
- The page stays live for visitors.
- Needs the page to be crawlable.
- Use it first; add a robots.txt block later only for crawl load.
Other mistakes that keep a page indexed
- Only using the Removals tool. After about six months, a live, indexable page can come back.
- Only dropping it from the sitemap. A sitemap says what to crawl; leaving a URL out doesn't deindex it.
- Confusing
nofollowwithnoindex.nofollowis about the page's links, not the page. - Returning 200 for deleted pages. Google may report a soft 404. A real 404 or 410 is unambiguous.
- Tagging one URL of several.
www, trailing slashes and tracking parameters can make separate URLs. Redirect or tag every version. - Removing the tag later. The
noindexis what keeps the page out.
Deindexing pages you don't control
You can't noindex someone else's site. Google removes other people's pages only through these routes.
Report toGoogle's Refresh Outdated Content tool
- Result
- Google updates or drops the stale result.
- Won’t
- Remove a page that still has the material.
- Good to know
- The page must already have changed or gone.
Report toA copyright removal request to Google
- Result
- The named URLs are delisted, if Google accepts.
- Won’t
- Take the page offline.
- Good to know
- Google publishes the request, naming you as the filer.
Report toGoogle's personal-information removal process
- Result
- Removal of things like contact details and ID numbers.
- Won’t
- Remove pages that are merely critical or unflattering.
- Good to know
- The page itself stays online.
Report toGoogle's legal troubleshooter
- Result
- Routes you to the right form.
- Won’t
- Remove pages that are merely critical or unflattering.
- Good to know
- Also where to start if you're unsure which Google product it's on.
Why a site gets deindexed when you didn't ask
Causes from most to least common:
| Cause | Where to check |
|---|---|
An accidental noindex: a CMS "discourage search engines" setting, a staging config pushed live, a plugin change |
View source, response headers, URL Inspection |
| Server errors, broken redirects or 404s | Search Console's Page indexing report |
| A canonical pointing to another URL or domain | URL Inspection shows the canonical Google chose |
| Manual action: a reviewer found a breach of Google's spam policies. Some or all of the site can disappear. | The Manual Actions report; fix, then request review |
| Security issues: hacked content, malware or social engineering | The Security Issues report; pages can carry warnings until every issue is fixed |
| Copyright delisting: Google accepted a request naming specific URLs | Not in Search Console. Check Google's public removal records |
FAQs
What does deindex mean?
Removing a page from a search engine's index so it can no longer appear in results. The page stays online and reachable by its link.
How long does it take Google to deindex a page?
It depends on when Google next crawls the page. Requesting a recrawl through URL Inspection helps, and the Removals tool can hide the URL within about a day while the noindex takes effect.
Does robots.txt deindex a page?
No. robots.txt stops crawling, not indexing, and it stops Google seeing a noindex tag. The URL can still appear in results without a description.
Is a 410 better than a 404 for deindexing?
Not for Google. Its documentation says all 4xx errors except 429 are treated the same, and indexed URLs returning them are removed from the index.
Can Google deindex my site without telling me?
Manual actions and security issues are reported in Search Console. Copyright delistings of individual URLs often are not, so check the public removal records for your domain.
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