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How to Remove URLs from the Google Index

Illustration of removing URLs from the Google search index

Indexing isn't only about adding pages. Sometimes you need Google to drop a URL. Do it cleanly.

Dead product pages, staging URLs that leaked, thin tag archives — they hang around in Search and make the site look messy. IndexMe isn't only for adding links. You can send removal-style notifications through the same Indexing API path we use to submit URLs. For temporary emergencies, Google also documents removals in Search Console.

Do the site-side work first

Delete the page (404/410) or noindex it. Take it out of the sitemap. Search Console's temporary removal tool is for emergencies, not a forever fix — if the page still returns 200 with indexable content, Google will bring it back. API notifications help, but they won't override a live public page forever.

Using IndexMe for removals

  1. Open the site in the dashboard.
  2. Pick the URLs that should leave.
  3. Submit the removal / update notification.
  4. Double-check the live response code yourself.
  5. If you meant to keep the page and it just never indexed, switch to the not-indexed guide instead.

Cleaning the index is unsexy SEO. It still matters. More on the product at indexme.in, or ask if you're unsure whether to remove or resubmit.

Add or remove URLs from one place

Open IndexMe