Diagnostics
Pages not indexed by Google: causes and fixes.
A page that isn't indexed can't rank. It doesn't exist as far as search is concerned. Google Search Console tells you which pages aren't indexed and gives a reason, but the reasons are terse. Here's what the common ones actually mean and how to fix each.
In short
Start in Search Console's Pages report. It names the reason. 'Blocked' means remove a noindex or robots rule; 'crawled/discovered, not indexed' means the page isn't yet worth indexing or crawl budget is stretched. The fix follows the reason, so get the reason first.
First, confirm it in Search Console
The Pages report (formerly Coverage) in Google Search Console lists your URLs as indexed or not, with a reason for each exclusion. Use the URL Inspection tool on a specific page to see its exact status and request indexing. This is the source of truth. Don't guess from site: searches alone.
Blocked, or told not to index
The bluntest causes: a noindex meta tag or header telling Google explicitly not to index the page, or a robots.txt rule blocking the crawler from reaching it. Both are often accidental. Left over from development, or applied site-wide when meant for one section. Removing the block and requesting reindexing usually resolves it.
Crawled, but not indexed
Google reached the page and chose not to index it. That's usually a quality or duplication signal: the content is thin, near-identical to another page, or doesn't add enough to be worth including. The fix isn't technical. It's making the page genuinely worth indexing, or consolidating it into one that is.
Discovered but not crawled, and 'alternate' pages
'Discovered. Currently not indexed' means Google knows the URL but hasn't prioritised crawling it. Common on large or low-authority sites where crawl budget is spread thin. 'Alternate page with proper canonical tag' means the page correctly points to another as canonical, which is intended behaviour, not a problem. Knowing which is which saves you fixing something that isn't broken.
Related questions
Quick answers.
How do I get a page indexed faster?
Submit it via URL Inspection in Search Console and request indexing, make sure it's in your sitemap, and link to it from pages that are already indexed. You can't force it, but you can make it easy to find and worth prioritising.
Why are only some of my pages indexed?
Usually quality or crawl-budget related. Google indexes what it judges worth including and can reach efficiently. Thin, duplicate or orphaned pages (no internal links) are the usual exclusions. Strengthen or consolidate them, and link to the ones that matter.
Is 'crawled - currently not indexed' bad?
It's a signal the page didn't earn its place: too thin, too similar to others, or not useful enough yet. A few are normal on any site; a lot of them across important pages is a content-quality problem worth fixing.
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