How to Use the Removals Tool in Search Console
Short answer
The Removals tool in Search Console blocks a URL from Google results for about 6 months, or clears a page's snippet until the page is reindexed. A permanent removal needs a 404, 410, a password, or noindex.
In this article
The Removals tool in Search Console is the tool for blocking a site's own URLs from Google results for a while, and for seeing removal requests made by others. The tool sits under Removals in the left navigation.
The removals tool is usually needed when a page with personal data or a staging page ends up in Google. This guide covers the request types, what each status means, how to make a removal permanent, and how to report it to a client.
What is in the Search Console Removals report?
The Removals report has 3 tabs: Temporary removals, Outdated content, and SafeSearch filtering. Only the Temporary removals tab is used for requests from the site owner.
| Tab | Contents | Who makes the request |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary removals | Requests to block URLs and clear snippets | The Search Console property owner |
| Outdated content | Requests to update results that no longer match the page | Anyone, through the Remove Outdated Content tool |
| SafeSearch filtering | Site pages reported as adult content | Google users |
The history in each tab lists active and expired requests from the last 6 months.
How do you remove a URL from Google temporarily?
To remove a URL temporarily, open the Temporary removals tab, click New request, then choose Temporarily remove URL. An approved URL stays out of Google results for about 6 months, or 180 days.
- Open Removals, then the Temporary removals tab.
- Click New request.
- Choose Temporarily remove URL, then paste the full URL.
- Choose Remove this URL only, or Remove all URLs with this prefix.
- Click Next, then submit the request.
The prefix option blocks every URL starting with that prefix, with or without www, on http or https. Subdomains are not blocked, so staging.example.com needs its own request.
Clear snippet in search
Clear snippet removes the page's description text in Google results until the page is crawled and indexed again. The page URL still appears in search results.
How do you make a removal permanent?
A removal becomes permanent when the page returns 404 or 410, sits behind a password, or uses a noindex meta tag before the 6 months end. A temporary removal is only the first step.
Check the page's status after the fix with URL Inspection. A page that returns 404 or uses noindex leaves the index once it is crawled again.
What do the removal request statuses mean?
Removal request statuses show the stage of each request: processing, denied, canceled, temporarily removed, expired, or cleared. Temporarily removed means the URL is not showing in Google.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Processing request | Google is reviewing the request |
| Request denied | The request doesn't meet the requirements |
| Request canceled | The owner canceled the request |
| Temporarily removed | The URL is blocked from Google results |
| Removal expired | The block of about 6 months has ended |
| Cleared | The snippet has been cleared |
A request is canceled from the menu on its row in the history table, then Cancel request.
When do removals belong in a client report?
Removals belong in a client report when the team made a new request, when someone else filed an Outdated content request, or when a page appears in the SafeSearch filtering tab. A month without requests needs one sentence.
Write the URL, the request date, the reason, and the permanent step already taken. A temporarily blocked page can lower clicks and impressions in the Performance report, so mention both in the same section. Other reasons pages leave the index are covered in the pages not indexed guide.
Recalytics checks the index status of each client's key pages every month through the URL Inspection API, so a key page that drops out of the index shows in the report.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a temporary removal last?
About 6 months, or 180 days. After that the URL can show again if it is still indexable.
Can the Removals tool remove another site's pages?
No. Another site's pages go through the Remove Outdated Content tool or Google's removal forms.
Does a temporary removal affect subdomains?
No. Each subdomain needs its own request.
Sources
The Recalytics Team writes guides on SEO and analytics reporting for digital agencies and website owners, based on Google's official documentation and Search Console and GA4 data.