SEOs Noticing Google Search Console Crawled, Not Indexed Errors Even When Indexed

Lily Ray posted on Twitter that many SEOs are noticing this and posting about it on Twitter with “many examples of URLs in GSC’s “Crawled, Not Indexed” report (with recent crawl dates) that are, in fact, indexed URLs.” There are lots and many of me toos on this and it seems Google is investigating the possible issue.

Here is Lily’s tweet with Daniel Waisberg of Google’s response where he said “Can you send me some examples via DM?”

Just to make sure I get it right… in the coverage report sample URLs you see them classified as “crawled not indexed” and in URL inspection they’re “submitted and indexed”?

Can you send me some examples via DM?

— Daniel Waisberg (@danielwaisberg) September 28, 2021

This can be an issue with timing, where the Search Console report is delayed from what it the reality of the live index. So maybe when the error came up in Google Search Console, the page was not indexed but two days later when your test that specific URL, it is in the index. But with the number of complaints, it is hard to believe there isn’t some sort of bug with the Google Search Console report.

Maybe it is an issue with quality or maybe other issues or maybe it is a Google bug. Maybe it is related to the ongoing issue of pages dropping in and out of the index that I do not think is resolved?

Anyway, here are some of the complaints with a hat tip to Sajio.

Also seeing this behaviour, @danielwaisberg happy to send specific examples by DM (I can’t now probably because of your DM conf on twitter)

— Christian Oliveira (@christian_wilde) September 28, 2021

Been about two weeks, however, it can also be a time-out situation.

— Tammy Wood (@crazywoody) September 28, 2021

same for me. if you find something interesting, please dont forget to let us know 🙂

— Mary (@marylarious) September 29, 2021

Yes, experienced the same thing and thought maybe they got indexed in the mean time?

— Jambalaya Harms 🍄 (@Rock_Chinchilla) September 28, 2021

And so many more – just click through to the Twitter thread.

Forum discussion at Twitter.