Index checker FAQ

These answers are short by design. Each links to a fuller page in the handbook. Start with how to check if a URL is indexed for the full decision path between methods, or bulk index checking when the list runs into the hundreds or thousands.

For the tool made by this site's publisher, see the IndexChex index checker page. Accuracy questions are covered in more depth on index checker accuracy and why index checks disagree, and timing on how often to re-check indexation.

Owner and non-owner methods at a glance

The split that decides most answers is access. With Search Console access, Google's own data is available and explains causes. Without it, only public search results are available, which show presence but not reasons. Most link builders live in the second situation for nearly every URL they track.

How the answers are sourced

Statements about Search Console, the site: operator and Google's limits are taken from Google's own documentation, listed under sources below. Where Google is silent, as it is on the exact behaviour of inurl:, the answer says so rather than guessing. The one measured figure on this page is an IndexChex weekly average and is labelled as such.

Where to go next

Owners of a site should read the URL Inspection guide and the Page indexing report guide before reaching for third-party tools, since Google's own data explains why a page is missing as well as whether it is. People checking links on other domains should go to checking backlink indexation, then interpreting not-indexed results and from check to resubmit for what to do with the misses.