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The current Core Web Vitals are LCP, INP, and CLS. Their “good” thresholds are LCP at 2.5 seconds or less, INP at 200 milliseconds or less, and CLS at 0.1 or less. Google says its ranking systems use Core Web Vitals, but passing the thresholds does not guarantee a top search position.
What are the current Core Web Vitals thresholds?
Google uses three metrics to assess loading, responsiveness, and visual stability. A page’s result is rated good, needs improvement, or poor according to the metric’s value.
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| Metric | What it measures | Good | Needs improvement | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) | Loading performance | 2.5 seconds or less | More than 2.5 and up to 4 seconds | More than 4 seconds |
| Interaction to Next Paint (INP) | Responsiveness to user interactions | 200 milliseconds or less | More than 200 and up to 500 milliseconds | More than 500 milliseconds |
| Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) | Visual stability | 0.1 or less | More than 0.1 and up to 0.25 | More than 0.25 |
These are Google’s thresholds for good user experience, not a promise about ranking outcomes. The official definitions and current values are in Google’s Core Web Vitals guidance.
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- LCP: how quickly the main content appears to load.
- INP: how responsive the page is across user interactions.
- CLS: how much visible content shifts unexpectedly as the page loads or changes.
Is INP still the current responsiveness metric?
Yes. Interaction to Next Paint (INP) replaced First Input Delay (FID) as a Core Web Vital on March 12, 2024. FID appears in older articles and documentation, but it is not the current responsiveness metric. Google announced the transition in its INP announcement, updated with the effective date.
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What is the difference between field data and lab data?
Field data records experiences from real Chrome users. Lab data comes from an automated Lighthouse test in a simulated environment. They answer different questions: field data shows what visitors experienced, while lab data helps investigate potential causes under a controlled test.
| Evidence | What it represents | Best use | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field data (CrUX) | Observed experiences from real Chrome users | Assessing real-world results and monitoring changes over time | May be unavailable for a URL or its origin when there are not enough samples |
| Lab data (Lighthouse) | An automated diagnostic run in a simulated test environment | Investigating potential performance issues on a page | Test conditions differ from real visits, and results may vary with the environment |
PageSpeed Insights (PSI) brings these views together: it can show CrUX field data when available and Lighthouse lab diagnostics. In PSI, field data is updated daily and summarizes a trailing 28-day period at the 75th percentile. The CrUX BigQuery dataset is updated monthly, also represents a trailing 28-day period, and reports origin-level data. Google explains the distinction in its PageSpeed Insights documentation.
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Why does PageSpeed Insights use the 75th percentile?
The percentile summarizes the distribution of real-user experiences rather than reporting only an average. Google uses the 75th percentile so that the assessment reflects less favorable experiences as well as faster ones; a good result means at least 75% of measured experiences are at or better than the threshold.
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Why does PageSpeed Insights show no field data?
A URL may not have enough Chrome-user samples to appear in CrUX. In that case, PSI may show origin-level data for the site instead. If the origin also lacks sufficient data, PSI cannot show a real-user field result. Missing data is not the same as a poor score: it means there is no reportable field result at that level.
Check whether PSI is displaying URL-level or origin-level data before drawing conclusions. Origin-level data describes the site’s broader experience, not necessarily that specific page. PSI and Search Console can also separate mobile and desktop experiences, so inspect the device segment that matches the question you are trying to answer.
How does Google assess Core Web Vitals?
Google’s documented assessment looks for good 75th-percentile values for LCP, INP, and CLS when there is enough data for all three. If INP data is insufficient, the assessment can still pass when LCP and CLS are both good. If LCP or CLS data is insufficient, Google cannot determine the assessment under the documented rule.
This assessment is distinct from a Lighthouse lab score. Lab diagnostics help identify issues; the Core Web Vitals assessment is based on field data when it is available.
Are Core Web Vitals a Google ranking factor?
Google says Core Web Vitals are used by its ranking systems, but they are only part of a broader evaluation. Google says, “There is no single signal” for page experience. Its systems aim to show relevant content even when page experience is subpar, while a strong page experience may help when there are many helpful results. Good results in Search Console or third-party reports do not guarantee top rankings. See Google’s page-experience guidance.
There is no documented fixed ranking boost or standalone pass/fail switch tied to these thresholds. Treat them as measurable user-experience goals, not a shortcut to outranking more relevant pages.
How should you use the tools?
- Monitor groups of pages: open the Core Web Vitals report in Google Search Console to see how page groups perform in field data.
- Check a specific page: enter its URL in PageSpeed Insights and note whether the field result is URL-level, origin-level, or unavailable, as well as which device segment is shown.
- Diagnose potential causes: use the Lighthouse lab diagnostics in PSI to investigate issues on the page under test conditions.
- Compare evidence over time: use field data to judge visitors’ observed experience and lab runs to explore changes; do not treat one synthetic run as proof of real-user outcomes.
Google points site owners to these tools in its Core Web Vitals documentation. For accurate interpretation, keep the evidence type, aggregation level, and device segment in view.
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