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Google updates

Google algorithm updates.

Traffic dropped overnight? Before you change anything, check whether Google was rolling something out. I keep track of announced updates, loud volatility without an announcement and changes to how results look, with links to sources.

Data last updated:

core updates in 2026
2
spam updates in 2026
4
average core rollout
12 days
unconfirmed volatility periods
7

How to read this page

Google tweaks search almost every day, but only announces the bigger changes. That is why entries come in three kinds:

  • Confirmed updateGoogle announced that it is changing how it ranks pages and said when the rollout started and ended. The most common reason for sudden traffic changes.
  • Unannounced volatilityRankings clearly moved, but Google said nothing. It shows up in rank tracking tools and in reports from site owners.
  • Search changeA new feature or a different look of the results page, such as AI answers above the links. Rankings can stay the same while clicks still change.

2026 so far

In 2026 Google announced 2 core updates and 4 spam updates. The longest rollout was the February 2026 Discover core update, at 22 days.

It started on edge. From 6 January to early March results jumped around almost constantly, and Google said it had nothing to share. At the same time it shipped something new: the first core update just for Discover.

Classic core updates came in March and May. Both took about 12 days, noticeably shorter than a year or two earlier. Spam updates, on the other hand, sped up: March finished in 20 hours, June and August in 2-3 days. September was the odd one out, rolling out in phases over two weeks.

In October Google announced more links in AI Overviews and AI Mode. For sites AI already cites, that is a chance to win back some clicks.

Timeline.

The longer the segment, the longer the rollout. Click a month to see what happened in it.

  • Core updates
  • Discover core
  • Spam updates
  • Other confirmed
  • Unconfirmed volatility
  • Search change
2026
2025
2024
2023

Updates in 2026.

  4. Volatility Not confirmed by Google

    Volatility, 23-24 September

    A volatility spike a day before the September spam update was announced.

    Source: Search Engine Roundtable
  5. Volatility Not confirmed by Google

    4 September change reversed on 13 September

    Some large sites lost around 4 September. Many recovered on 13 September, as if someone had rolled the change back.

    Source: Search Engine Roundtable
  7. Volatility Not confirmed by Google

    Volatility, 12-13 August

    One of several August spikes, just before the spam update.

    Source: Search Engine Roundtable
  8. Volatility Not confirmed by Google

    Volatility around 11 July

    Volatility visible in trackers and reports from site owners.

    Source: Search Engine Roundtable
  10. Volatility Not confirmed by Google

    Volatility on 19 June

    According to industry observers, mostly sites using black hat tactics took the hit.

    Source: Search Engine Roundtable

Archive.

Older updates, year by year.

  2025 3 core · 1 spam · 5 volatility periods View 2025   2024 4 core · 3 spam · 5 volatility periods View 2024   2023 2 core · 1 spam View 2023

Types of Google updates.

The type of update tells you a lot about where to look for the cause of a drop.

Core update

A big change to the main ranking systems, usually a few times a year. It does not target specific sites, so a drop is not a penalty. Google simply judges differently what the better answer is.

Spam update

This one is more straightforward. If a site loses visibility right then, look at links, mass-produced content and anything that might break Google's spam policies.

Discover core update

Only affects Google Discover, the article feed in the Google app. The first one arrived in February 2026 and matters mostly to publishers.

System updates

Google used to announce systems like reviews or helpful content separately. Since 2024 helpful content is part of core, and the reviews system changes continuously without announcements.

Spam policies

New or clarified rules, like the one on site reputation abuse. Google usually starts with manual actions and only later adds algorithmic enforcement.

Ranking issues

Sometimes it is just a bug on Google's side. These show up on the Search Status Dashboard, usually last a few days and need no changes to your site.

Your site lost after an update. Now what?.

  1. Do not touch anything mid-rollout

    While an update rolls out, rankings jump around. Panic fixes usually just make the diagnosis harder later.

  2. Open Search Console

    Compare a few weeks before and after. What matters is not only how much traffic went, but which pages and queries lost it.

  3. Rule out other causes

    A site release, URL changes, seasonality or a technical bug can look exactly like an update hit.

  4. Fix content, not metrics

    Google advises looking at content through the user's eyes. Cosmetic tweaks aimed at the algorithm rarely do anything.

Get an audit after a drop Google's core updates guidance

Where to follow updates.

I always start with Google's own sources. I read industry sites to know what happens between official announcements.

Official Google sources

Industry sources

Where the data comes from

Confirmed

Dates and rollout length come straight from the Google Search Status Dashboard. It is the only place where Google gives them precisely.

Unconfirmed

I only include loud volatility periods covered by Search Engine Roundtable or Rank Math. There are many more smaller ones, but listing each would not help anyone.

Search changes

Things that are not ranking updates but still change traffic, such as AI Overviews launching in Poland or the end of the &num=100 parameter.

Google update questions.

What is a Google core update?

A big change to the main systems that rank search results. Google announces one a few times a year. It does not target specific sites, so rankings can drop even if nothing broke on your site. What changed is the judgement of which answer is better.

How is a spam update different from a core update?

A spam update improves detection of sites that break Google's rules, for example with bought links or mass-produced content. Core changes the overall quality assessment. If you lose during a spam update, the cause is usually more specific and easier to find.

Why does Google not confirm every change?

There are simply too many. Google tweaks Search almost every day and only announces the bigger updates. Volatility without an announcement is usually smaller changes or tests.

How long does a core update take?

Between 6 and 45 days, 19 on average, counting every core update in this timeline. Google usually announces up to two weeks, but rollouts often run longer.

Can you recover after a core update drop?

Yes, but rarely quickly. Google says plainly that after improving content, results can take several months, often until the next core update. That is why it pays to start fixing what matters to users right away instead of waiting.

How often is this page updated?

After every confirmed update and after bigger volatility periods. The date it was last checked is at the top of the page.

Traffic drop after an update?.

Give me access to Search Console. I will compare your data with update dates and tell you plainly what likely happened and where to start.

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