The Tool Desk
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Choose a Domain or URL-prefix property
The property type determines which URLs Search Console includes. Choose based on the coverage you need and the access you have.
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| Property type | What it covers | Verification | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domain | All protocols and subdomains for the domain, including common www and non-www variants. | DNS verification is required for ordinary Domain properties, with exceptions for certain Google-hosted properties. | You want a domain-wide view and can edit the domain’s DNS records. |
| URL-prefix | Only URLs beginning with the exact protocol and prefix entered. For example, an https property does not include http, and a host prefix does not automatically include another subdomain. | Supports several eligible methods, including DNS, HTML file upload, HTML tag, Google Analytics, and Google Tag Manager. | You need a narrower scope, or you cannot edit DNS but can use another eligible verification method. |
Google explains the coverage differences in its URL-prefix property guide and property setup instructions. A Domain property is entered without a protocol or path. A URL-prefix property includes the protocol and can include a path.
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Add and verify the property
- Open Search Console and add a property. Select Domain or URL-prefix, then enter the domain or full prefix that matches the coverage you want.
- Complete the verification method offered. For a Domain property, add the DNS record Google supplies through your DNS manager, then return to Search Console and verify. DNS changes may take time to propagate, so an immediate unsuccessful check does not necessarily mean the record is wrong.
- For a URL-prefix property, use an eligible method. Google may offer HTML file upload, HTML tag, Google Analytics, or Google Tag Manager, subject to the requirements for each method. Follow the instructions shown in the verification flow.
- Confirm the property scope. After verification, check the property selector for the correct host, protocol, and path. A separate www, non-www, HTTP, HTTPS, or subdomain URL-prefix property may be needed to see that distinct scope.
For HTML file verification, the supplied file must remain unmodified and publicly accessible at the specified address and root location; Google does not follow redirects to find it. For HTML tag verification, the homepage must be public and the tag must be in its <head>. Analytics verification also has account-permission and tag-placement requirements. These methods are for URL-prefix properties. Google’s ownership verification guide describes the requirements.
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If your site is on a managed platform, check its instructions because the access you need depends on the platform. Do not remove a verification file or tag after verification unless another valid owner method remains: Google periodically checks for verification, and removing a file can cause ownership to be lost.
Run the first checks in Search Console
Inspect the homepage and important pages
Use URL Inspection on the homepage and a few pages that matter most. Check whether Google has recorded a crawl, whether fetching succeeded, whether indexing is allowed, and which canonical URL Google selected. A canonical is the URL Google considers representative when similar pages exist; it may differ from the URL you inspected.
Test a page’s current version when needed
If a page is new or you have just fixed an issue, run the live URL test. The live test examines the current page; the inspection report reflects what Google previously knew. If the page is accessible and the issue is fixed, you can request indexing. That asks Google to try again but does not guarantee when, or whether, the page will be indexed. See Google’s URL Inspection troubleshooting guide.
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Review the Page Indexing report for patterns
The Page Indexing report is an aggregate view, not a list of every URL Google knows. Some URLs Google does not know may not appear in its totals, and a URL not being indexed is not automatically a fault. Focus on important pages, sudden changes, and signs of accidental crawl blocking. Google describes how to read the report in Has Google found all your pages?.
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Check sitemap and internal discovery
Make sure your sitemap is current and submit it in Search Console if useful. Also make important pages reachable through ordinary links on your site. A sitemap can help Google discover URLs, but submission does not guarantee indexing; new pages can take days or longer to surface. Google advises allowing at least a week after a sitemap submission or indexing request before treating a missing page as a problem. These are guidance intervals, not promises. See Why is my page missing from Google Search?.
Review Performance once data is available
After Search Console has collected data, review clicks and impressions and compare like periods. Account for ordinary weekly or holiday variation before concluding that a change is unusual. Revisit the reports after meaningful site changes; Google recommends periodic checks in its basic usage guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot missing pages and missing data
- No data appears: Confirm that the selected property matches the site’s protocol, host, and path. A URL-prefix property for HTTPS will not show the HTTP version, for example. New properties may not show data immediately. Google’s getting-started guide covers data availability.
- A page seems absent from Google: First check whether it is actually missing from the index; it may simply rank too low to appear for the search you tried. A site query can be a quick indication, but use URL Inspection for the page’s specific status.
- The URL is indexed but does not appear for a search: Indexing does not guarantee a page will rank or appear for every query. Google states that “URL is on Google” isn’t a guarantee of appearing in Search.
- A recent request has not worked yet: Allow time before treating the delay as a fault. A sitemap submission or indexing request is not a guarantee of inclusion or timing.
- Validation is already running: Fix all instances of the issue first, then let validation proceed rather than repeatedly restarting it. Validation applies to the report’s scope and can be filtered to a sitemap subset. See Google’s validation details.
Keep the property useful after setup
Use Search Console as a monitoring tool rather than a one-time setup task. After publishing or changing important pages, inspect their URLs and check for access or indexing issues. Check messages and the overview for security, manual-action, crawl, or indexing alerts, then review Performance when enough data is available. Google’s website-owner guidance recommends periodic dashboard reviews and checks after important site changes.
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