Google algorithm updates: 2016–2026
A chronological reference to Google's announced ranking updates and related search changes. Browse by year or type, then consult the official source for the rollout details.
This archive records publicly documented changes. Google makes many changes that are not individually announced. Earlier records are selective; indexing and search appearance changes are labeled separately from ranking updates. Announcement dates are distinguished from rollout starts.
69 records shown
2026
- Rollout beganSpam
September 2026 spam update
Google's September spam update began on September 24 and finished on October 8, 2026. It applied globally and to all languages. The official record describes one rollout; it does not identify numbered phases or establish why an individual website gained or lost traffic.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganSpam
August 2026 spam update
Google released this update to its search spam detection systems. It is recorded separately from broad core updates. The official announcement identifies the rollout; it does not establish why an individual website gained or lost traffic.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganSpam
June 2026 spam update
Google released this update to its search spam detection systems. It is recorded separately from broad core updates. The official announcement identifies the rollout; it does not establish why an individual website gained or lost traffic.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
May 2026 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
March 2026 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganSpam
March 2026 spam update
Google released this update to its search spam detection systems. It is recorded separately from broad core updates. The official announcement identifies the rollout; it does not establish why an individual website gained or lost traffic.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganDiscover
February 2026 Discover update
Google released this update for Discover, its content recommendation feed. It is distinguished here from a broad web search core update. Check the official notice for the documented rollout and scope.
Official source ↗
2025
- Rollout beganCore
December 2025 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganSpam
August 2025 spam update
Google released this update to its search spam detection systems. It is recorded separately from broad core updates. The official announcement identifies the rollout; it does not establish why an individual website gained or lost traffic.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
June 2025 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
March 2025 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗
2024
- Rollout beganSpam
December 2024 spam update
Google released this update to its search spam detection systems. It is recorded separately from broad core updates. The official announcement identifies the rollout; it does not establish why an individual website gained or lost traffic.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
December 2024 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
November 2024 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
August 2024 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganSpam
June 2024 spam update
Google released this update to its search spam detection systems. It is recorded separately from broad core updates. The official announcement identifies the rollout; it does not establish why an individual website gained or lost traffic.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
March 2024 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganSpam
March 2024 spam update
Google released this update to its search spam detection systems. It is recorded separately from broad core updates. The official announcement identifies the rollout; it does not establish why an individual website gained or lost traffic.
Official source ↗
2023
- Rollout beganReviews
November 2023 reviews update
Google released this update to the reviews system, which evaluates review content. Its rollout is recorded separately from broad core updates. Consult the official notice for the release details and any stated language scope.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
November 2023 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
October 2023 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganSpam
October 2023 spam update
Google released this update to its search spam detection systems. It is recorded separately from broad core updates. The official announcement identifies the rollout; it does not establish why an individual website gained or lost traffic.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganContent
September 2023 helpful content update
Google released this helpful content update to the system used to assess the usefulness of content. The official record documents its rollout. A matching traffic-change date alone does not establish that this update affected a website.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
August 2023 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganReviews
April 2023 reviews update
Google released this update to the reviews system, which evaluates review content. Its rollout is recorded separately from broad core updates. Consult the official notice for the release details and any stated language scope.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
March 2023 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganReviews
February 2023 product reviews update
Google released this update to the reviews system, which evaluates review content. Its rollout is recorded separately from broad core updates. Consult the official notice for the release details and any stated language scope.
Official source ↗
2022
- Rollout beganSpam
December 2022 link spam update
Google released this update to its search spam detection systems. It is recorded separately from broad core updates. The official announcement identifies the rollout; it does not establish why an individual website gained or lost traffic.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganContent
December 2022 helpful content update
Google released this helpful content update to the system used to assess the usefulness of content. The official record documents its rollout. A matching traffic-change date alone does not establish that this update affected a website.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganSpam
October 2022 spam update
Google released this update to its search spam detection systems. It is recorded separately from broad core updates. The official announcement identifies the rollout; it does not establish why an individual website gained or lost traffic.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganReviews
September 2022 product reviews update
Google released this update to the reviews system, which evaluates review content. Its rollout is recorded separately from broad core updates. Consult the official notice for the release details and any stated language scope.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
September 2022 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganContent
August 2022 helpful content update
Google released this helpful content update to the system used to assess the usefulness of content. The official record documents its rollout. A matching traffic-change date alone does not establish that this update affected a website.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganReviews
July 2022 product reviews update
Google released this update to the reviews system, which evaluates review content. Its rollout is recorded separately from broad core updates. Consult the official notice for the release details and any stated language scope.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
May 2022 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganReviews
March 2022 product reviews update
Google released this update to the reviews system, which evaluates review content. Its rollout is recorded separately from broad core updates. Consult the official notice for the release details and any stated language scope.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganPage experience
Page experience update for desktop
Google released this page experience update. It concerns signals associated with the experience of using a page and is recorded separately from broad core changes. The official notice identifies the rollout.
Official source ↗
2021
- Rollout beganReviews
December 2021 product reviews update
Google released this update to the reviews system, which evaluates review content. Its rollout is recorded separately from broad core updates. Consult the official notice for the release details and any stated language scope.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganLocal search
November 2021 local search update
Google confirmed on December 16 that rollout began November 30 and ended December 8. The announcement described rebalancing factors used in local search results.
Original Google announcement ↗ · Preserved announcement - Rollout beganCore
November 2021 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganSpam
November 2021 spam update
Google released this update to its search spam detection systems. It is recorded separately from broad core updates. The official announcement identifies the rollout; it does not establish why an individual website gained or lost traffic.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganSpam
July 2021 link spam update
Google released this update to its search spam detection systems. It is recorded separately from broad core updates. The official announcement identifies the rollout; it does not establish why an individual website gained or lost traffic.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
July 2021 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganSpam
June 2021 spam update, second part
Google released this update to its search spam detection systems. It is recorded separately from broad core updates. The official announcement identifies the rollout; it does not establish why an individual website gained or lost traffic.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganSpam
June 2021 spam update
Google released this update to its search spam detection systems. It is recorded separately from broad core updates. The official announcement identifies the rollout; it does not establish why an individual website gained or lost traffic.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganPage experience
Mobile page experience rollout begins
Google updated its announcement to record the gradual rollout beginning June 15.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
June 2021 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganReviews
April 2021 product reviews update
Initial product review update for English-language content.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganLanguage understanding
Passage ranking launches in US English results
Google announced on February 11 that passage ranking had launched the previous afternoon for English queries in the United States.
Original Google announcement ↗ · Preserved announcement
2020
- Rollout beganCore
December 2020 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - AnnouncedLanguage understanding
BERT expansion and passage understanding announcement
Google described expanded BERT use and forthcoming passage understanding. This announcement is not the passage ranking rollout date.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
May 2020 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
January 2020 core update
Google released this broad core update to its search ranking systems. Core updates reassess search results across many topics; the official record documents the rollout rather than a list of affected websites.
Official source ↗
2019
- AnnouncedLocal search
November 2019 local search update confirmed
Google confirmed neural matching had been introduced to local results in early November. December 2 is the public confirmation date, not an exact rollout start.
Original Google announcement ↗ · Preserved announcement - AnnouncedLanguage understanding
BERT language understanding update
Google announced the application of BERT to improve understanding of searches, initially for English in the United States.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
September 2019 core update
Google confirmed the update was live on September 24.
Original Google announcement ↗ · Preserved announcement - AnnouncedSearch appearance
Review rich result eligibility changes
Changes to eligible review markup and self-serving reviews; a search appearance change rather than a broad core update.
Official source ↗ - AnnouncedSearch appearance
Site diversity change
Google announced a change to reduce repeated listings from the same site, with exceptions where relevant. This was separate from the June core update.
Original Google announcement ↗ · Preserved announcement - Rollout beganCore
June 2019 core update
Google announced on June 3 that the update was live and rolling out across data centers.
Original Google announcement ↗ · Preserved announcement - AnnouncedCore
March 2019 core update
Google confirmed the release on March 13. Its liaison separately stated that rollout began the day before.
Original Google announcement ↗ · Preserved announcement
2018
- AnnouncedCore
August 2018 broad core update
Google confirmed a broad core release during the week. August 1 is the confirmation date; Medic is an industry nickname, not Google’s update name.
Original Google announcement ↗ · Preserved announcement - Rollout beganPage experience
Mobile page speed update
The January announcement was updated on July 9 to confirm rollout.
Official source ↗ - Rollout beganCore
April 2018 broad core update
Google confirmed on April 20 that the update had been released on Monday, April 16.
Original Google announcement ↗ · Preserved announcement - AnnouncedIndexing
Mobile-first indexing migration begins
An indexing change, not a separate ranking boost. Google announced that migration had begun for eligible sites.
Official source ↗ - AnnouncedCore
March 2018 broad core update
Google confirmed on March 12 that a broad core update had been released the previous week. The confirmation date is shown here.
Original Google announcement ↗ · Preserved announcement
2017
- Rollout beganPage experience
Intrusive mobile interstitial change
Google’s August 2016 announcement was updated to confirm the January 10 rollout.
Official source ↗
2016
- Rollout beganSpam
Penguin becomes part of the core algorithm
Penguin began working in real time as part of the core algorithm.
Official source ↗ - AnnouncedPage experience
Mobile-friendly ranking signal strengthened
Google announced a stronger mobile-friendly signal for May 2016; the source gives a month rather than an exact rollout day.
Official source ↗
Using this history
A traffic change near an update does not establish its cause. Compare affected pages, queries, devices, and dates in Search Console. Check indexing, website changes, and seasonal demand before deciding what to revise.
The recent ranking record is drawn from the Google Search Status Dashboard, with earlier incident records and Google announcements linked individually. Dashboard dates follow the source's US/Pacific calendar. Use Google's guidance on Search updates when interpreting a change.