Are you frustrated seeing the dreaded ‘Crawled – currently not indexed’ issue in your Google Search Console reports? You’re not alone. Many website owners and SEOs are puzzled when freshly published or even established pages show up as crawled but are yet to be indexed by Google. This blog will unravel the mystery, showing you how to fix ‘Crawled – currently not indexed’ issue with actionable steps, answer your top questions, and share expert-backed solutions.
By the end of this guide, you’ll not only understand why Google might crawl but not index your pages, but you’ll also know exactly how to troubleshoot, prevent, and resolve this common SEO obstacle—ensuring your best content gets seen and ranked. Let’s dive in!
What is the ‘Crawled – Currently Not Indexed’ Issue?
When you submit a page to Google Search Console and see the status ‘Crawled – currently not indexed’, it means Googlebot has visited and crawled your page but decided not to add it to the index—at least for now.
Unlike clear errors like ‘discovered – currently not indexed’ or ‘excluded by noindex tag’, this status doesn’t always point to a technical problem. Instead, it signals Google’s algorithms have determined—for one reason or another—that your page isn’t worth adding to the search results at this time.
This can happen to both new and old pages, entire sections of your website, or just a handful of URLs. Commonly affected sites include large e-commerce stores, blogs with thin content, or rapidly updated news portals. Regardless, if important, high-value content remains unindexed, it’s a clear sign your SEO performance is being undermined.
Why Does the ‘Crawled – Currently Not Indexed’ Issue Matter?
Ignoring this ‘crawled, currently not indexed’ issue can have big consequences for your website’s SEO, visibility, and business growth. Here’s why you should take it seriously:
- Lost Rankings: Pages not indexed can’t rank—period. Even your best blog post is invisible if it’s excluded.
- Missed Organic Traffic: You lose valuable search engine visitors every day your content isn’t indexed.
- Wasted Effort: Time spent creating great content is wasted if Google never shows it to users.
- Brand Authority Drops: If key pages (like services, case studies, or landing pages) are missing from search, your expertise and authority plummet in the eyes of users and Google itself.
- Competitive Disadvantage: Competitors who resolve this issue faster will outrank you.
Tackling the ‘crawled but not indexed’ problem quickly ensures you get full ROI from your digital marketing efforts and don’t miss out on growth opportunities.
Key Benefits of Fixing Crawled – Currently Not Indexed Issues
- Boosts total indexed pages and keyword rankings
- Improves crawl budget efficiency—Google focuses on quality URLs
- Faster discovery of new or updated content
- Strengthens overall site SEO and trustworthiness
- Supports long-term content strategy success
Real-Life Use Cases & Examples of the Issue
The ‘Crawled – currently not indexed’ status can strike a variety of websites. Let’s look at a few typical cases and what you might spot in Search Console:
- Large News or Blog Websites: Google is picky about which daily news stories or minor blog updates deserve to be indexed. Low-importance pages often get crawled but held back.
- Online Stores: Product pages with duplicate or thin content, especially those created in bulk or variations, can frequently sit unindexed.
- Local Service Pages: Multiple city or service-area landing pages may be seen as similar, causing Google to index only the most valuable.
- New Domains or Recently Re-designed Sites: Sudden surges in new URLs (after a migration or launch) can overwhelm Google’s initial crawl and indexing efforts.
Across all cases, the pattern is the same: pages are discoverable and accessible, but Google isn’t convinced they deserve a place in its index.
How to Fix ‘Crawled – Currently Not Indexed’ Issue: The Step-by-Step Process
Now to the good part—how to fix ‘Crawled – currently not indexed’ issues systematically. Below, we’ll walk through proven steps based on expert recommendations, Google documentation, and results-driven SEO practices.
1. Run a Full Site Audit & Identify Affected URLs
Start by opening Google Search Console. Go to Coverage (or Pages in the new GSC) and filter by ‘Crawled – currently not indexed’. Export the list. Use Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, or Ahrefs to cross-check live pages for critical issues or mismatches.
2. Check for Quality and Uniqueness
Thin, duplicate, or lightly reworded content is a major indexed’ issue culprit. Review the affected page:
- Is the content substantially unique compared to other pages on your site and your competitors?
- Is it valuable, fresh, and well-structured?
- Does it answer real user queries?
If not, rewrite or expand the content. Consider adding new media, internal links, FAQs, or original research to boost page value.
3. Review Internal Linking and Orphaned Pages
Orphan pages—those without internal links—often get crawled less deeply and may not be indexed. Ensure every important page is linked from at least one other indexed, relevant page. Add contextual internal links from high-authority posts when possible.
4. Examine Crawl Accessibility
Double-check robots.txt, meta robots tags, and canonical tags. Even subtle errors (like conflicting canonicals or accidental noindex directives) may prevent indexing even if Googlebot can access the page.
5. Improve Page Speed & Technical SEO
Slow-loading or poorly coded pages don’t inspire confidence. Use tools like PageSpeed Insights or Lighthouse. Fix large images, unused scripts, and ensure mobile-friendliness.
6. Ensure Proper Sitemap Submission
Your XML sitemap should only contain canonical, indexable URLs. Outdated or error-prone sitemaps make Googlebot waste crawl budget.
7. Build External Backlinks and Social Shares
Authority matters. Building links—through guest posts, digital PR, or social sharing—can give your pages the edge they need to merit indexing.
8. Request Manual Indexing (Sparingly)
After improvements, you can use the ‘Request Indexing’ tool in Search Console. But don’t abuse this; it works best for truly valuable, improved content.
9. Monitor & Iterate
Allow a few days or weeks—Google’s indexing can be slow. Periodically check Search Console to see if the issue resolves. Rinse and repeat with other pages.
Common Challenges, Myths, & Objections
A major frustration with the ‘currently not indexed’ status is uncertainty. Let’s bust some myths and address challenges:
- Myth: All quality content gets indexed. In reality, Google’s algorithms may see overlap, lack of demand, or insufficient signals—indexing is never guaranteed.
- Objection: I followed all best practices and it’s still not indexed. Sometimes, patience is needed. But also, off-page and sitewide signals often play a role. Keep optimizing and wait up to a few weeks.
- Myth: Building more backlinks solves everything. Backlinks can help, but content quality, crawlability, and keyword targeting are equally crucial.
- Challenge: Knowing which URLs to prioritize. Always focus first on your highest-value/traffic pages, not every last tag or archive.
The key is to think like Google: value, uniqueness, user demand, and technical soundness all matter.
For deeper strategies, check out Google’s own advice on their support forums and insightful case studies from Onely and AIOSEO.
FAQs on How to Fix ‘Crawled – Currently Not Indexed’ Issue
1. What does ‘Crawled – currently not indexed’ mean?
It means Googlebot has accessed your page but hasn’t added it to the search index yet. This can be temporary or permanent, depending on content quality and other factors.
2. How long does it take for a page to be indexed after being crawled?
It varies. Some pages are indexed within hours, others take weeks. If a page remains in this state for more than 2-3 weeks, review SEO best practices.
3. Does resubmitting a sitemap or URL help?
Resubmitting sitemaps or requesting indexing can help if you’ve made substantial improvements. Don’t overuse manual index requests; it’s best used sparingly.
4. Could technical issues cause this problem?
Yes. Robots.txt, noindex meta tags, broken redirects, canonical conflicts, and schema errors can all prevent indexing.
5. Is content quality the main reason?
Absolutely. Thin, duplicate, or low-value content is often overlooked by Google, leading to this issue.
6. Will building backlinks get my page indexed?
Backlinks help, especially from relevant, authoritative sites. But they alone may not guarantee indexing if content quality or crawlability is poor.
7. Should I remove unindexed pages from my sitemap?
Yes. Only include canonical, valuable, indexable URLs in your XML sitemap for best SEO results.
8. Can large websites have more ‘currently not indexed’ issues?
Big sites often face this due to crawl budget limitations, duplicate content, or low-value sections. Prioritize main content and use smart internal linking.
9. What’s the difference between ‘Discovered – currently not indexed’ and ‘Crawled – currently not indexed’?
‘Discovered’ means Google knows the URL exists but hasn’t crawled it. ‘Crawled’ means it was crawled but left out of the index. The latter is more about content or site quality than technical barriers.
10. Should I worry if a few pages are ‘Crawled – currently not indexed’?
Some exclusions are normal. Focus on major pages, high-value content, or sudden spikes in excluded URLs as warning signs.
Conclusion: Take Action to Fix ‘Crawled – Currently Not Indexed’ Issues & Elevate Your SEO
Navigating the ‘Crawled – currently not indexed’ issue is an essential skill for modern SEOs and website owners. The process isn’t always quick, but by focusing on high-quality, unique content, robust internal linking, technical perfection, and authority building, you’ll maximize the odds of your best URLs earning a place in Google’s index.
Don’t just wait and hope for indexing to happen—be proactive! Audit your site, fix weak pages, monitor progress in Search Console, and stay on top of Google’s evolving standards. Your organic growth depends on it, and every indexed page is an opportunity for rankings, traffic, and business wins.
Ready to go deeper or need hands-on help? Browse expert resources on Google Search Central or get personalized tips from professional SEOs. Ensure your site is performing at its best, and never let the ‘currently not indexed’ issue hold your growth back.
