Google September 2026 Spam Update: What Changed and What to Check
Google Search Algorithm Rolling out Announced Rollout: 24 September 2026 to end not stated Last verified
Quick answer
Google released the September 2026 spam update on 24 September 2026, with worldwide scope across every language. The Search Status Dashboard does not yet record a completion date. Google's guidance says a site that sees movement after a spam update should check itself against the spam policies.
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What changed
- Google released the September 2026 spam update on 24 September 2026.
- The update applies globally and to all languages.
- Google said the rollout could take up to two weeks.
Who is affected
- Google says a site that breaks its spam policies can rank lower, or be left out of results entirely.
What to check this week
- If your traffic changed after the update, review Google's spam policies against your site. Recommended in the platform documentation: read the official page
- Compare Search Console clicks and impressions for 24 September 2026 onwards against the previous period of the same length.
Official sources
- September 2026 spam update (incident)Google Search Status Dashboard · checked 7 October 2026
- Google Search spam updates and your siteGoogle Search Central · checked 7 October 2026
Related
How it works
Glossary
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- Updated on 7 October 2026: Published automatically after verification against the official source.