The url inspection tool is a feature in Google Search Console that shows how Google views a specific page on your website. It helps website owners check whether a page has been crawled, indexed, and is eligible to appear in Google Search results.
Unlike public SEO tools, it is available only to verified site owners through their Google Search Console account. You can also use it to troubleshoot indexing issues, view Google’s rendered version of a page, and request indexing after making updates.
The tool is located in the search bar at the top of Google Search Console. Simply paste your page URL and press Enter to view its report.
Why the URL Inspection Tool Matters
The url inspection tool gives bloggers, website owners, and SEO professionals valuable insights into how Google processes individual pages.
With it, you can:
- Check whether a page is indexed
- Find crawling and indexing issues
- See when Google last crawled the page
- Confirm whether Google can access and render the content
- Identify canonical URL problems
- Request indexing after updating content
These insights help ensure your important pages remain visible in Google Search and can be discovered by users.
How to Use the URL Inspection Tool
Using the tool is simple.
- Log in to Google Search Console.
- Paste the page URL into the search bar at the top.
- Press Enter.
- Wait for Google to generate the inspection report.
The report will display the page’s indexing status along with detailed crawl and indexing information.
Understanding URL Inspection Tool Reports
The url inspection tool provides several reports that help diagnose indexing and crawling problems.
1. URL Is on Google
This is the first status you’ll see.
There are two possible results:
- URL is on Google – The page has been indexed and is eligible to appear in search results.
- URL is not on Google – Google has not indexed the page, so it cannot appear in search results until the issue is resolved.
Remember that “URL is on Google” means the page is eligible to rank, not that it will always appear for searches.
2. Request Indexing
If you’ve updated a page or published new content, click Request Indexing to ask Google to recrawl it.
Only submit the request once. Multiple requests do not speed up the indexing process.
3. Test Live URL
The Test Live URL option checks the current version of the page instead of Google’s stored version.
Use this feature to:
- Verify recent fixes
- Check whether Google can access the page
- Confirm if crawling issues have been resolved
After the test completes, review the results to identify any remaining problems.
Page Indexing Report
The Page Indexing section explains how Google discovered and processed the page.
Ideally, it should display Page is indexed.
Expanding the report reveals additional details, including:
- Sitemap
- Referring page
- Last crawl
- Crawled as
- Crawl allowed
- Page fetch
- Indexing allowed
- User-declared canonical
- Google-selected canonical
Each section helps identify specific indexing issues.
Sitemap
This shows the sitemap containing the inspected URL.
Possible results include:
- Sitemap URL – Google found the page through your sitemap.
- No referring sitemap detected – Google couldn’t associate the page with any sitemap.
- Temporary processing error – Google temporarily couldn’t retrieve sitemap information.
Referring Page
This indicates where Google discovered the URL.
The referring page may be:
- Another page linking to it
- The page itself
- Empty if referral information isn’t available
Google may also indicate that it discovered the page from other unreported sources.
Last Crawl
This shows the date and time Google most recently crawled the page.
If a page hasn’t been crawled recently, new updates may not yet appear in search.
Crawled As
This identifies which crawler Google used.
Common options include:
- Googlebot Smartphone
- Googlebot Desktop
Since Google primarily uses mobile-first indexing, smartphone crawling is more common.
Crawl Allowed
This confirms whether Google is permitted to crawl the page.
A Yes means crawling is allowed.
If crawling is blocked, review your robots.txt file or page directives.
Page Fetch
This report shows whether Google successfully accessed the page.
Possible results include:
- Successful – Google fetched the page without issues.
- Failed – Google couldn’t access the page.
- N/A – Google couldn’t determine the fetch status.
If fetching fails, Google cannot properly index the page.
Indexing Allowed
This indicates whether Google is permitted to index the page.
If indexing is blocked using a noindex directive or another restriction, the page won’t appear in search results.
User-Declared Canonical
This displays the canonical URL you’ve specified.
Canonical tags tell Google which version of similar pages should be treated as the primary version.
Google-Selected Canonical
This shows which URL Google considers the canonical version.
Sometimes Google’s choice matches yours. Other times, Google may select a different URL if it believes another version better represents the content.
In rare cases, Google may even choose a page from another website if it determines the content originally appeared there.
Experience & Enhancements
The Experience & Enhancements section highlights page improvements detected by Google.
Depending on the page, you may see reports for:
- HTTPS
- Mobile usability
- Structured data
- Other supported enhancements
The available reports vary based on your page’s features.
Conclusion
The url inspection tool is one of the most valuable features in Google Search Console for diagnosing crawling and indexing issues. It helps you understand whether Google can access, render, and index your pages while providing detailed reports on crawl status, canonicals, sitemaps, and page accessibility. By regularly reviewing these reports and requesting indexing after important updates, you can improve your site’s visibility and ensure critical pages have the best chance of appearing in Google Search.
