Google has removed its mobile usability report within Google Search Console and has dropped the mobile-friendly test and API. This was expected, Google told us this would happen back in April and now it happened.
Google posted on X, "Today we're sunsetting Search Console's Mobile Usability report, Mobile-Friendly Test tool and Mobile-Friendly Test API. We believe these tools helped website owners make the web a better place - thank you for working with us on this journey!"
Google also removed all mentions of the mobile-friendly test and the mobile usability report throughout its search help documentation on December 1st.
The mobile friendly test URL, which is search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly now redirects to its Lighthouse documentation.
While if you try to access the mobile usability reports in Search Console, you are just redirected to the overview page of Search Console.
Here is a screenshot of the mobile friendly testing tool from when it worked:
And here is the mobile usability report:
Here is some of the industry reaction to this happening:
Reactions to the news after 1 minute of posting it to telegram. Google always recommends to do everything with users in mind first, but often fails to do that themselves when it comes to SEO industry. https://t.co/dKbUViUNMl pic.twitter.com/Ns7djUUesV
— 🐝 Olesia Korobka 💙💛🐝 (@Giridja) December 4, 2023
Poof, it's gone. https://t.co/wNEOb5vof7
— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) December 4, 2023
https://t.co/TCGqsye4wC pic.twitter.com/onSpwqga8J
— Patrick Stox (@patrickstox) December 4, 2023
The end of year sprint for them is insane - lots of changes https://t.co/QTW9YDwA6t
— John Murch (@johnmurch) December 4, 2023
End of an era! 🤖
— Josh Brown (@joshBrownie13) December 4, 2023
The Search Console Live Test screenshot can offer you a preview of how Google perceives your site. And, of course, browser DevTools offers a mobile emulator to ensure your website is mobile-friendly! #SEO #SmallBusiness #MobileFirst https://t.co/4w8kqzbIf1
https://t.co/ZUlpTsVe62 pic.twitter.com/XLN2oPmk08
— Dan Nutter (@VeryDanNutter) December 4, 2023
Forum discussion at X.
