# Meta robots tag

Category: [Crawling & Indexing](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/category/crawling-indexing/) › [robots.txt & robots directives](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/category/crawling-indexing/robots-txt-directives/) · Also known as: robots meta tag, meta robots, robots tag

The **meta robots tag** is an HTML element in the `<head>` of a page that tells search engines how to handle that page. It has no connection to the company Meta or to physical robots. The most common rule is `noindex`, which keeps a page out of search results. The tag sits next to the robots.txt file in the toolbox, with a different job, because robots.txt controls whether a URL is crawled and the meta robots tag controls indexing and display.

## Which values does Google support?

- `noindex` excludes the page from results.
- `nofollow` asks Google not to follow the links on the page.
- `none` equals `noindex, nofollow`.
- `nosnippet` shows no text or video preview.
- `max-snippet:[number]`, `max-image-preview:[none|standard|large]` and `max-video-preview:[number]` limit the preview.
- `indexifembedded` lets a noindex page be indexed when it is embedded in another page.
- `notranslate` and `noimageindex` switch off translation and image indexing.
- `unavailable_after:[date]` removes the page after a date.

`all` is the default and needs no tag. Google states that `noarchive` is no longer used. Rules can be combined in one tag with commas or placed in several tags. If rules conflict, the more restrictive one applies, so `nosnippet` beats `max-snippet:50`.

## Example

```html
<meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow">
<meta name="googlebot" content="max-snippet:160">
```

The `robots` name addresses all crawlers. The `googlebot` name addresses Google's web crawler only. Files that have no HTML head, such as PDFs, take the same rules in an `X-Robots-Tag` HTTP header instead.

## Common mistakes

- **Blocking the page in robots.txt.** Google never fetches the page, so it does not see the tag.
- **Relying on noarchive.** Google no longer uses it.
- **Using nofollow on important pages by accident.** The page-level value covers every link on the page.

## Controlling crawling and indexing: the options compared

| Method | Prevents crawling? | Keeps the URL out of Search? | What Google says | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| robots.txt Disallow | yes | no, the URL can be indexed without its content if other pages link to it | used mainly to avoid overloading the server with requests; not a mechanism for keeping a page out of Google | Limiting crawler load, excluding areas from being fetched |
| noindex in the robots meta tag | no, Google has to be able to fetch the page | yes | only works if the page isn't blocked by robots.txt; Google then drops the page even if other sites link to it | HTML pages that stay reachable but shouldn't show up in search results |
| noindex in the X-Robots-Tag HTTP header | no, Google has to be able to fetch the URL | yes | any robots meta tag rule can also be sent as a header; same prerequisite as the meta tag | Files without an HTML head, such as PDFs, images or videos |
| rel="canonical" | no | not directly; a strong signal for which of several duplicate URLs becomes canonical | helps consolidate signals such as links into the preferred URL; don't use robots.txt or noindex for canonicalization | Duplicate and very similar pages, for example from parameters |
| Status code 410 (or 404) | no, but Google gradually fetches the URL less often | yes, a previously indexed URL is removed | treats 404 and 410 the same way | Page permanently removed with no replacement |
| Password protection (login) | yes, crawlers can't reach the content | yes | one of the ways Google lists for permanent removal; authorised users see the page, crawlers don't | Private or confidential content |
| Search Console: Removals | no, Google can keep crawling the URL | hides the URL from search results for about six months | temporary only; 404/410, password protection or noindex make it permanent | Urgent cases, until a permanent measure takes effect |

Sources: [Google Search Central: Introduction to robots.txt (last updated 2025-12-10)](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/robots/intro); [Google Search Central: Block Search indexing with noindex (last updated 2025-12-10)](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/block-indexing); [Google Search Central: Robots meta tag, data-nosnippet, and X-Robots-Tag specifications (last updated 2026-03-24)](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/robots-meta-tag); [Google Search Central: How to specify a canonical URL (last updated 2026-07-10)](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/consolidate-duplicate-urls); [Google Crawling Infrastructure: How HTTP status codes affect Google's crawlers (last updated 2026-02-04)](https://developers.google.com/crawling/docs/troubleshooting/http-status-codes); [Google Search Central: Remove information from Google (last updated 2025-12-10)](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/remove-information); [Search Console Help: Removals and SafeSearch reports tool](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9689846). Last checked: October 8, 2026

## Not to be confused with

- [X-Robots-Tag](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/x-robots-tag/index.md): passes the same rules as an HTTP response header and therefore also works for PDFs, images and videos. The meta robots tag needs the head of an HTML page.

## Related terms

- [noindex](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/noindex/index.md)
- [X-Robots-Tag](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/x-robots-tag/index.md)
- [robots.txt](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/robots-txt/index.md)
- [nofollow](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/nofollow/index.md)
- [Robots Exclusion Protocol](https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/robots-exclusion-protocol/index.md)

## Sources

- [Robots meta tag, data-nosnippet, and X-Robots-Tag specifications – Google Search Central](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/robots-meta-tag)
- [<meta name="robots"> – MDN Web Docs](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Reference/Elements/meta/name/robots)

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Last updated: October 8, 2026
URL: https://seo-geo-glossary.com/en/glossary/meta-robots-tag/