Google Algorithm Updates
Google's ranking updates from 2003 to today, with Google's own dates, what each one targeted, and what site owners should do. Every entry says how Google confirmed it, or that it never did.
Rolling out now
Started 24 Sep 2026
Filter by update type
Italic names came from the SEO industry.
Timeline
2026
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 spam update | Spam | Dashboard | 24 Sep 2026 | Rolling out | - |
| August 2026 spam update | Spam | Dashboard | 18 Aug 2026 | 21 Aug 2026 | 2 days, 16 hours |
| June 2026 spam update | Spam | Dashboard | 24 Jun 2026 | 26 Jun 2026 | 2 days, 1 hour |
| May 2026 core update | Core | Dashboard | 21 May 2026 | 2 Jun 2026 | 11 days, 21 hours |
| March 2026 core update | Core | Dashboard | 27 Mar 2026 | 8 Apr 2026 | 12 days, 4 hours |
| March 2026 spam update | Spam | Dashboard | 24 Mar 2026 | 25 Mar 2026 | 19 hours, 30 minutes |
| February 2026 Discover update | Discover | Dashboard | 5 Feb 2026 | 27 Feb 2026 | 21 days, 17 hours |
2025
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2025 core update | Core | Dashboard | 11 Dec 2025 | 29 Dec 2025 | 18 days, 2 hours |
| August 2025 spam update | Spam | Dashboard | 26 Aug 2025 | 22 Sep 2025 | 26 days, 15 hours |
| June 2025 core update | Core | Dashboard | 30 Jun 2025 | 17 Jul 2025 | 16 days, 18 hours |
| March 2025 core update | Core | Dashboard | 13 Mar 2025 | 27 Mar 2025 | 13 days, 21 hours |
2024
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2024 spam update | Spam | Dashboard | 19 Dec 2024 | 26 Dec 2024 | 7 days, 2 hours |
| December 2024 core update | Core | Dashboard | 12 Dec 2024 | 18 Dec 2024 | 6 days, 4 hours |
| November 2024 core update | Core | Dashboard | 11 Nov 2024 | 5 Dec 2024 | 23 days, 13 hours |
| August 2024 core update | Core | Dashboard | 15 Aug 2024 | 3 Sep 2024 | 19 days, 4 hours |
| Deepfake ranking update | Spam | Announcement | 31 Jul 2024 | Not stated | - |
| June 2024 spam update | Spam | Dashboard | 20 Jun 2024 | 27 Jun 2024 | 7 days, 1 hour |
| Site reputation abuse policy · Parasite SEO | Spam | Announcement | 5 May 2024 | Not stated | - |
| March 2024 core update | Core | Dashboard | 5 Mar 2024 | 19 Apr 2024 | 45 days |
| March 2024 spam update | Spam | Dashboard | 5 Mar 2024 | 20 Mar 2024 | 14 days, 21 hours |
2023
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2023 reviews update | Reviews | Dashboard | 8 Nov 2023 | 7 Dec 2023 | 29 days |
| November 2023 core update | Core | Dashboard | 2 Nov 2023 | 28 Nov 2023 | 25 days, 21 hours |
| Openness local ranking change | Local | Statement | 1 Nov 2023 | Not stated | - |
| October 2023 core update | Core | Dashboard | 5 Oct 2023 | 19 Oct 2023 | 13 days, 23 hours |
| October 2023 spam update | Spam | Dashboard | 4 Oct 2023 | 19 Oct 2023 | 15 days, 12 hours |
| September 2023 helpful content update | Helpful content | Dashboard | 14 Sep 2023 | 28 Sep 2023 | 13 days, 11 hours |
| August 2023 core update | Core | Dashboard | 22 Aug 2023 | 7 Sep 2023 | 16 days, 3 hours |
| Topic authority system | Ranking system | Announcement | 23 May 2023 | Not stated | - |
| April 2023 reviews update | Reviews | Dashboard | 12 Apr 2023 | 25 Apr 2023 | 13 days, 2 hours |
| March 2023 core update | Core | Dashboard | 15 Mar 2023 | 28 Mar 2023 | 13 days, 7 hours |
| February 2023 product reviews update | Product reviews | Dashboard | 21 Feb 2023 | 7 Mar 2023 | 14 days |
2022
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2022 link spam update | Link spam | Dashboard | 14 Dec 2022 | 12 Jan 2023 | 29 days |
| December 2022 helpful content update | Helpful content | Dashboard | 5 Dec 2022 | 12 Jan 2023 | 38 days |
| October 2022 spam update | Spam | Dashboard | 19 Oct 2022 | 21 Oct 2022 | 2 days |
| September 2022 product reviews update | Product reviews | Dashboard | 20 Sep 2022 | 26 Sep 2022 | 6 days |
| September 2022 core update | Core | Dashboard | 12 Sep 2022 | 26 Sep 2022 | 14 days |
| August 2022 helpful content update | Helpful content | Dashboard | 25 Aug 2022 | 9 Sep 2022 | 15 days |
| July 2022 product reviews update | Product reviews | Dashboard | 27 Jul 2022 | 2 Aug 2022 | 6 days |
| May 2022 core update | Core | Dashboard | 25 May 2022 | 9 Jun 2022 | 15 days |
| March 2022 product reviews update | Product reviews | Dashboard | 23 Mar 2022 | 6 Apr 2022 | 14 days |
| Page experience update for desktop | Page experience | Dashboard | 22 Feb 2022 | 3 Mar 2022 | 9 days |
2021
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2021 product reviews update | Product reviews | Dashboard | 1 Dec 2021 | 21 Dec 2021 | 20 days |
| November 2021 local search update · Vicinity | Local | Statement | 30 Nov 2021 | 8 Dec 2021 | - |
| November 2021 core update | Core | Dashboard | 17 Nov 2021 | 30 Nov 2021 | 13 days |
| November 2021 spam update | Spam | Dashboard | 3 Nov 2021 | 11 Nov 2021 | 8 days, 1 hour |
| July 2021 link spam update | Link spam | Announcement | 26 Jul 2021 | 24 Aug 2021 | - |
| July 2021 core update | Core | Statement | 1 Jul 2021 | 12 Jul 2021 | - |
| June 2021 spam update | Spam | Statement | 23 Jun 2021 | 28 Jun 2021 | - |
| Page experience update | Page experience | Announcement | 15 Jun 2021 | 2 Sep 2021 | - |
| June 2021 core update | Core | Statement | 2 Jun 2021 | 12 Jun 2021 | - |
| Multitask Unified Model (MUM) | Ranking system | Announcement | 18 May 2021 | Not stated | - |
| April 2021 product reviews update | Product reviews | Announcement | 8 Apr 2021 | 22 Apr 2021 | - |
| Passage ranking | Ranking system | Announcement | 10 Feb 2021 | Not stated | - |
2020
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2020 core update | Core | Statement | 3 Dec 2020 | 16 Dec 2020 | - |
| May 2020 core update | Core | Statement | 4 May 2020 | 18 May 2020 | - |
| Featured snippet deduplication | Other | Statement | 22 Jan 2020 | Not stated | - |
| January 2020 core update | Core | Statement | 13 Jan 2020 | Not stated | - |
2019
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BERT update | Ranking system | Announcement | 25 Oct 2019 | Not stated | - |
| September 2019 core update | Core | Statement | 24 Sep 2019 | Not stated | - |
| June 2019 core update | Core | Statement | 3 Jun 2019 | 8 Jun 2019 | - |
| March 2019 core update · Florida 2 | Core | Statement | 12 Mar 2019 | Not stated | - |
2018
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2018 core update · Medic | Core | Statement | 1 Aug 2018 | 8 Aug 2018 | - |
| Speed update | Page experience | Announcement | 9 Jul 2018 | Not stated | - |
| April 2018 core update | Core | Statement | 16 Apr 2018 | Not stated | - |
| March 2018 core update | Core | Statement | 9 Mar 2018 | Not stated | - |
2017
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2017 updates · Maccabees | Other | Statement | 12 Dec 2017 | Not stated | - |
| Hawk update | Local | Unconfirmed | 22 Aug 2017 | Not stated | - |
| Fred update | Content quality | Statement | 7 Mar 2017 | Not stated | - |
| Intrusive interstitials update | Page experience | Announcement | 10 Jan 2017 | Not stated | - |
2016
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penguin 4.0 | Link spam | Announcement | 23 Sep 2016 | 13 Oct 2016 | - |
| Possum update | Local | Unconfirmed | 1 Sep 2016 | Not stated | - |
| Mobile-friendly signal boost · Mobilegeddon 2 | Page experience | Announcement | 1 May 2016 | 12 May 2016 | - |
| January 2016 core update | Core | Statement | 8 Jan 2016 | Not stated | - |
2015
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RankBrain | Ranking system | Statement | 26 Oct 2015 | Not stated | - |
| Panda 4.2 | Content quality | Statement | 18 Jul 2015 | Not stated | - |
| May 2015 quality update · Phantom | Content quality | Statement | 29 Apr 2015 | Not stated | - |
| Mobile-friendly update · Mobilegeddon | Page experience | Announcement | 21 Apr 2015 | Not stated | - |
2014
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penguin 3.0 | Link spam | Statement | 17 Oct 2014 | Not stated | - |
| Panda 4.1 | Content quality | Statement | 25 Sep 2014 | Not stated | - |
| HTTPS ranking signal | Page experience | Announcement | 7 Aug 2014 | Not stated | - |
| Pigeon update | Local | Statement | 24 Jul 2014 | Not stated | - |
| Panda 4.0 | Content quality | Statement | 20 May 2014 | Not stated | - |
2013
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hummingbird | Ranking system | Statement | 1 Aug 2013 | Not stated | - |
| Payday loan update | Spam | Statement | 11 Jun 2013 | Not stated | - |
| Penguin 2.0 | Link spam | Statement | 22 May 2013 | 22 May 2013 | - |
2012
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exact match domain update | Spam | Statement | 28 Sep 2012 | Not stated | - |
| Pirate update | Spam | Announcement | 13 Aug 2012 | Not stated | - |
| Penguin update | Link spam | Announcement | 24 Apr 2012 | Not stated | - |
| Venice update | Local | Announcement | 27 Feb 2012 | Not stated | - |
| Page layout algorithm · Top Heavy | Content quality | Announcement | 19 Jan 2012 | Not stated | - |
2011
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshness update | Ranking system | Announcement | 3 Nov 2011 | Not stated | - |
| Panda 2.0 | Content quality | Announcement | 11 Apr 2011 | Not stated | - |
| Panda update · Farmer | Content quality | Announcement | 24 Feb 2011 | Not stated | - |
| Scraper filter | Spam | Statement | 28 Jan 2011 | Not stated | - |
2010
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merchant reviews update | Other | Announcement | 1 Dec 2010 | Not stated | - |
| Domain diversity update · Brand update | Other | Announcement | 20 Aug 2010 | Not stated | - |
| Caffeine indexing system | Other | Announcement | 8 Jun 2010 | Not stated | - |
| Mayday update | Content quality | Statement | 3 May 2010 | Not stated | - |
2009
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vince update | Other | Statement | 20 Feb 2009 | Not stated | - |
2008
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dewey update | Other | Unconfirmed | 31 Mar 2008 | Not stated | - |
2007
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PageRank paid links update | Link spam | Announcement | 7 Oct 2007 | Not stated | - |
2005
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Daddy update | Other | Statement | 14 Dec 2005 | 29 Mar 2006 | - |
| Jagger update | Link spam | Statement | 16 Oct 2005 | Not stated | - |
| Bourbon update | Other | Statement | 20 May 2005 | Not stated | - |
2004
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin update | Spam | Unconfirmed | 24 Jan 2004 | Not stated | - |
2003
| Update | Type | Confirmed by | Started | Completed | Rollout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida update | Spam | Unconfirmed | 14 Nov 2003 | Not stated | - |
If your traffic dropped
Use the data
The same record is published as CSV andJSON, free to reuse with a link back. Each row links to the Google page that confirms it. To see these dates against your own clicks, upload a Search Console export to the Google algorithm update checker.