--- title: "January 2020 core update: dates, what changed and what to do" url: https://seomadman.com/updates/january-2020-core-update section: updates language: en published: 2026-09-26T00:00:00.000Z modified: 2026-09-26T00:00:00.000Z author: Adam Hafez topics: ["Core updates"] --- # January 2020 core update: dates, what changed and what to do ## The short answer Google's January 2020 core update went live on 13 January 2020, confirmed on Google's SearchLiaison account on X. On 16 January Google said the update was mostly done, though a core update could take up to two weeks to fully complete. Google never posted a final completion date for this one. ## Key takeaways - Google SearchLiaison said the update went live on 13 January 2020. - On 16 January 2020 Google said it was mostly done but could take two weeks to fully complete. - Google never posted a final completion date, so the end date is not stated by Google. - Featured snippet deduplication launched nine days after it began, inside the same window. ## What Google changed Google SearchLiaison posted on 13 January 2020 that "the January 2020 Core Update is now live and will be rolling out to our various data centers over the coming days." It was the first core update since September 2019. Google gave no detail on what changed and repeated its standing guidance on core updates. Search Engine Roundtable reported that Brett Tabke of WebmasterWorld suggested calling it Update Picard. The nickname did not stick; the industry used Google's name. ## When it rolled out The update went live on 13 January 2020, around noon New York time according to Search Engine Roundtable. On 16 January 2020 Google SearchLiaison posted that "the update is mostly done, though as with any core update, it may take to two weeks to fully complete." Google did not post again to say it had finished, so no completion date is stated by Google. ## What is known about its impact Google published no impact figures for this update. Its core update guidance says these updates "don't target specific sites or individual web pages," and that pages which move down are not necessarily bad. Treat any winner or loser percentage attributed to this update as a third-party estimate. ## What site owners should do Google's core ranking systems are still in use today, and its current core update guidance applies to this update as much as to recent ones: - Wait until a core update has finished, then at least one more full week, before judging. - Compare a week after the update with a week before it began. - Take no drastic action for small drops; for a large, sustained drop, assess the whole site against Google's helpful content self-assessment questions. - Expect recovery, if it comes, to take time and often a later core update. ## How to check whether it affected you Search Console keeps only 16 months of data, so its reports no longer cover January 2020. Use archived analytics exports from December 2019 to February 2020 and compare the week before 13 January with a week in early February. Featured snippet deduplication landed on 22 January, so check featured snippet pages separately. The [Google Algorithm Updates timeline](/updates) lists both. ## Related updates - The [September 2019 core update](/updates/september-2019-core-update) was the previous core update. - The [May 2020 core update](/updates/may-2020-core-update) was the next one. - [Featured snippet deduplication](/updates/featured-snippet-deduplication-2020) launched inside its rollout window. ## Frequently asked questions ### When did the January 2020 core update start? Google SearchLiaison posted on 13 January 2020 that it was live and rolling out to Google's data centers over the coming days. Search Engine Roundtable put the start at around noon New York time. ### When did the January 2020 core update finish? Google did not give a final date. On 16 January 2020 it said the update was mostly done, though as with any core update it could take up to two weeks to fully complete. ### Was the January 2020 core update global? Yes. Google's Danny Sullivan said on 16 January 2020 that it was a global update, and that updates always roll out globally unless Google says otherwise. ### What should I do if the January 2020 core update hurt my site? Google's guidance is that a core update drop does not mean a page broke a rule. Compare traffic before and after, and if the drop is large and sustained, assess the site against Google's helpful content questions. ## Sources 1. [The January 2020 Core Update is now live](https://x.com/searchliaison/status/1216766991882567680) - Google SearchLiaison on X (primary) 2. [For those who have asked, the update is mostly done](https://x.com/searchliaison/status/1217813393689673728) - Google SearchLiaison on X (primary) 3. [Google January 2020 core update is live and it feels big](https://www.seroundtable.com/google-january-2020-core-update-28832.html) - Search Engine Roundtable 4. [Google says the January 2020 core update mostly done rolling out, but is it?](https://www.seroundtable.com/google-january-2020-core-update-mostly-done-rolling-28851.html) - Search Engine Roundtable 5. [It's a global update](https://x.com/dannysullivan/status/1217603045191798786) - Danny Sullivan on X (primary) 6. [Google Search's core updates and your website](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/core-updates) - Google Search Central (primary)