Request indexing

How does requesting indexing work?

You inspect the URL in Search Console and choose the request option. For this you must be an owner or full user of the property. The option only appears if the indexed version or a passing live test shows that the URL could be indexed.

Google applies a quota to individual requests, and asking again for the same URL does not speed up crawling. For many URLs, Google recommends a sitemap instead, for example on a new site or after a migration.

The Search Console help says processing usually takes a day or so but can take much longer. Google’s Search Central guidance says crawling can take from a few days to a few weeks, and that a request does not guarantee inclusion in search results, even eventually.

Example

A new article goes live. You inspect its URL, request indexing, and check the page indexing report or the inspection result a few days later to see whether it was added.

Checklist

• You are an owner or full user of the Search Console property.
• For a single URL you use the URL Inspection tool, and for many URLs a submitted sitemap is enough.
• The same URL is not requested repeatedly, because a quota applies and repeated requests do not speed up crawling.
• You allow a few days to several weeks for the URL to be crawled.
• You track progress in the page indexing report or the URL Inspection tool.
• The content is high quality and useful, because according to Google its systems prioritize fast inclusion of such content.
• Beforehand you check whether noindex, a robots.txt block or a different canonical excludes the page (practical experience).

Last updated: October 8, 2026