URL Inspection: live test or indexed version?

Useful context

• Copy the exact public address within your verified property.
• Record when the website was changed and what was corrected.

How it works

1. Read the existing indexed information

   Paste the URL into the inspection field and note the status and last-crawl details. This is historical evidence, not necessarily what the page serves today. Save a brief note before running another test so you can compare the two views accurately.

2. Use a live test for a recent correction

   If you have just removed an accidental noindex setting or repaired a page error, run Test live URL where available. Inspect whether the intended content is fetchable now. A recent live pass can coexist with an older indexed result reporting the previous problem.

3. Respect what each view cannot prove

   The live test does not predict Google’s selected canonical or guarantee indexing. The indexed result does not prove the current page still works. For a redirect, inspect the final intended page as well rather than assuming one URL’s result covers every destination.

4. Keep a short evidence record

   Write down the inspected address, date, live outcome and earlier crawl date. If a technical problem is resolved, request indexing where appropriate and review later. This makes a support conversation more useful than a screenshot of a green panel without its context.

What to check

• You can say whether the evidence is current or from Google's stored version.
• The last-crawl and change dates are recorded separately.
• The intended final address has been checked when redirects are involved.

Sources and further reading

Platform features can change. Check the provider’s current guidance before changing a live service.

• Search Console URL Inspection