Pages not indexed in Search Console: fix the reason, not the number

robots.txt controls crawling, not indexing. A disallowed URL can still appear in results if other pages link to it, because Google can use link information without fetching the page. If you want a page out of the index, remove the robots.txt block and use a noindex meta tag or X-Robots-Tag header. A noindex rule only works when Google can crawl the page and see it.

Two statuses look similar but mean different things. Blocked by robots.txt means Google did not crawl the URL because of a rule. Excluded by noindex tag means Google crawled the page and found a noindex directive. If the page is blocked, Search Console may still report indexing allowed as yes, because Google cannot see the noindex while crawling is blocked.

This status means the URL is in the index even though robots.txt blocks crawling. Google can index a blocked URL when other pages link to it with enough information, but it will not fetch the page, and any snippet is likely to be limited. It is not proof that Google ignored robots.txt.

If you want the page indexed, remove the blocking rule. If you want it out of the index, remove the block and add noindex; leaving both in place keeps the conflict. Blocked URLs are not crawled, so this is less a crawl-budget problem than a signal that robots.txt is the wrong tool for the job.

Discovered, currently not indexed means Google knows the URL but has not crawled it yet. Crawled, currently not indexed means Google fetched the page and chose not to index it. Neither is a technical error by itself. Google makes crawl and indexing decisions based on quality, duplication and demand; a new or thin page can sit in either group for a long time.

Improve the page before requesting anything: unique content, clear internal links, a canonical URL, and a sitemap entry that matches the address. Request indexing for a handful of important URLs, not the whole site. There is no guaranteed timeline, and repeated requests do not create one.

Duplicate and alternate pages should usually point to a canonical version; if Google selected a different canonical than you declared, check the signals. Alternate page with proper canonical tag means Google followed your declared canonical and consolidated the flagged URL into it — usually the intended outcome, and the content can still be indexed under the canonical. It is not the same as Duplicate, Google chose different canonical, which means Google ignored your declaration and picked another URL. Page with redirect is normal when one URL permanently redirects to another, but a redirect that lands on a 404 or a chain of hops needs attention. Soft 404 means a page returns 200 but looks empty or not found; Not found (404) means the server returned a 404. Both have their own fixes in the redirect and 404 guide.

URL is unknown to Google means Google has not seen the URL yet. Request indexing once, add internal links, and give it time.

After fixing a group of URLs, use Validate fix on the issue details page. Validation can take about two weeks or longer, and it stops if Google finds a remaining instance. The Source column tells you whether the issue is on your side or Google's; prioritize Website issues. You can filter the report by a sitemap before validating to check a smaller, important set of URLs first.