Google’s John Mueller Clarifies How To Remove Pages From Search

Google’s John Mueller recently shed light on a frequently asked SEO question: How can you remove specific pages from Google Search results? In a July 2025 episode of SEO Office Hours, Mueller explained the steps required to successfully deindex content, the limitations around sitelinks, and the best practices for quick content removal.

Whether you’re trying to clean up outdated URLs or manage your site’s visibility more effectively, here’s what you need to know.

You Can’t Control Sitelinks — Here’s Why

Sitelinks are the sub-links that sometimes appear beneath a main listing in Google’s search results. These are automatically generated by Google’s algorithm, based on site structure and internal linking.

Mueller was clear:

“There’s no way for you to manually say I want this page indexed. I just don’t want it shown as a sitelink.”

Translation: If a page is indexed, you can’t prevent it from showing as a sitelink. The only way to ensure a page doesn’t show up in any form is to fully deindex it.

How To Deindex A Page From Google Search

Mueller recommends a straightforward two-step process:

1. Ensure the page is crawlable
   If the page is blocked by robots.txt, Google won’t see your noindex tag — which means it might still appear in search.
2. Add a noindex meta tag
   Once crawlable, include a <meta name=”robots” content=”noindex”> tag in the page’s HTML. This instructs Google to remove the page from its index, regardless of whether other websites link to it.

Need It Gone Fast? Use Google’s Removal Tool

For urgent removals, Mueller recommends the URL Removal Tool in Google Search Console. This allows verified site owners to temporarily remove pages from search results within hours.

There’s also a public version of the tool for content on sites you don’t control — though it may take longer, as Google must confirm the content is no longer accessible.

Key Takeaways

If you’re managing website content and want to control what appears in search:

• You can’t manually remove sitelinks. They’re algorithmically generated.
• Use noindex to remove a page from Google — but make sure it’s not blocked from crawling.
• Use the URL Removal Tool for fast, temporary takedowns.

Choosing the right strategy will help you clean up your site’s appearance in search and manage outdated or unwanted content with confidence.

If you’re looking to improve your website’s search visibility and manage your online presence effectively, Earn SEO is here to help. As a trusted SEO services provider in NYC, we specialize in optimizing your site’s technical health, managing content indexing, and ensuring your brand appears exactly where it should—on top of search results. Don’t let unwanted pages or confusing sitelinks hold you back. Reach out to us today and take control of your search presence with expert guidance tailored to your business goals.