How to Fix Crawled Currently Not Indexed
By Daniel Foley Carter· December 2025
"Crawled - currently not indexed" is one of the most frustrating statuses you can encounter in Google Search Console. It means Google has visited your page, read its content, and decided not to include it in the search index. The good news is that this status is fixable. This guide walks you through the causes, diagnosis, and solutions.
What Does "Crawled - Currently Not Indexed" Mean?
This status indicates that Googlebot successfully crawled the page but chose not to add it to Google's search index. Unlike "Discovered - currently not indexed" (where Google knows the URL exists but has not yet crawled it), this status confirms that Google has seen the content and made a deliberate decision not to index it.
This is an important distinction. It means the issue is not about crawl accessibility; it is about content quality, relevance, or site-level signals that are causing Google to deem the page unworthy of indexation.
Common Causes
Understanding why Google is choosing not to index your pages is the first step toward fixing the problem. The most common causes include:
- Thin content: Pages with too little unique, valuable content. Google may view them as not adding enough value to justify inclusion in the index.
- Duplicate content: Pages that are substantially similar to other pages on your site or elsewhere on the web. Google will typically index only one version and skip the rest.
- Low overall site quality:If Google perceives your site's overall quality to be low, it may choose to index fewer pages, prioritising only those it deems most valuable.
- Crawl budget limitations: For large sites, Google allocates a finite crawl budget. If your site has thousands of low-value pages, Google may deprioritise indexing them.
- Poor internal linking: Pages that are buried deep within your site structure with few internal links pointing to them signal to Google that they are not important.
- Cannibalisation: Multiple pages targeting the same keyword or topic, causing Google to be unsure which page to index and rank.
How to Diagnose the Issue in Google Search Console
Start by navigating to the "Pages" report (formerly "Coverage") in Google Search Console. Filter by the "Crawled - currently not indexed" status to see the full list of affected URLs.
Review the affected pages and look for patterns. Are they mostly blog posts? Product pages? Category pages? Understanding which types of pages are affected will help you determine the root cause and prioritise your fixes.
Use the URL Inspection tool on a sample of affected pages to see exactly how Google is rendering them and whether there are any specific issues flagged.
Step-by-Step Fix Process
1. Improve Content Quality
The most effective fix is to make the page genuinely more valuable. Add original research, expert commentary, practical examples, or comprehensive detail that distinguishes it from competing pages. Ensure the content thoroughly answers the user's query and provides a satisfying experience.
2. Add Internal Links
Strengthen the page's position within your site by adding relevant internal links from other pages. This signals to Google that the page is important and helps it understand the page's topical context. Link from high-authority pages on your site where the link is contextually relevant.
3. Check Canonical Tags
Ensure the page's canonical tag points to itself and not to another URL. A misconfigured canonical tag can tell Google to index a different page instead. Also check that no other pages on your site have canonical tags pointing to this page incorrectly.
4. Remove or Consolidate Duplicates
If multiple pages on your site cover the same topic, consider consolidating them into a single, comprehensive page. Redirect the duplicate URLs to the canonical version using 301 redirects. This concentrates your ranking signals and gives Google a clear page to index.
When to Use the URL Inspection Tool
After making improvements to an affected page, use the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console to request indexing. This prompts Google to recrawl the page and reassess it for inclusion in the index. Note that this is not a guarantee of indexing; Google will still evaluate the page on its merits.
Be patient after requesting indexing. It can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks for Google to recrawl and reassess the page. Avoid repeatedly requesting indexing for the same URL, as this will not speed up the process.
Preventing Future Indexing Issues
To minimise the risk of pages falling into this status in the future, adopt these best practices:
- Only publish pages that provide genuine, unique value. If a page does not serve a clear purpose for users, reconsider whether it should exist.
- Maintain a strong internal linking structure that connects related content and signals page importance to search engines.
- Regularly audit your content and prune or improve pages that are underperforming or have become outdated.
- Avoid creating multiple pages that target the same keyword or topic. Plan your content strategy to prevent cannibalisation.
- Keep your XML sitemap clean by only including pages you genuinely want indexed. Remove URLs that return errors or are not indexable.
- Monitor the Pages report in Google Search Console regularly to catch indexing issues early before they affect a large number of URLs.
Struggling with Indexing Issues?
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