Noindexed homepages that still get Chrome traffic, by site popularity and platform
| Group | Noindexed homepages | Share with CrUX traffic | Noindex rate (all homepages) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top 10K | 66 | 59.1% | 0.88% |
| Top 100K | 1,103 | 52.9% | 1.64% |
| Below top 100K | 11,008 | 42.3% | 1.55% |
| Shopify | 175 | 80.6% | 0.37% |
| WordPress | 376 | 60.6% | 0.33% |
| Other and custom | 11,606 | 42.2% | 1.88% |
| All top 1M | 12,177 | 43.4% | 1.56% |
Source: PageSpeed Matters, HTTP Archive and CrUX, Sept 2026.
Summary
A noindex directive tells search engines to keep a page out of their results. It is the right setting for a staging site, and the wrong one for a live homepage that people are actually visiting. A noindex left over from a staging build or a theme setting can keep a busy homepage out of Google without anyone noticing.
We looked for homepages that block indexing but still get real visitors. Of the 12,177 top 1M homepages that carry a rendered noindex, 43.4% (5,282 homepages) get enough Chrome traffic to appear in the Chrome UX Report. Not every one of those is a mistake, but each is a homepage worth checking.
What we measured
We used HTTP Archive's September 2026 mobile crawl of the top 1M sites, homepages only. A homepage counts as noindexed when the rendered page, after JavaScript runs, carries a noindex directive in a robots meta tag or an X-Robots-Tag header.
We then checked whether each noindexed homepage appears in the Chrome UX Report (CrUX). CrUX only includes pages with enough real Chrome traffic, so presence shows a site has meaningful traffic, not how much. Platform is the one identified on each homepage in the crawl.
Some sites block indexing on purpose, for example login portals, private apps or regional sites that should not appear in search. So these results do not mean every noindex is a leftover from staging. They show how many blocked homepages have real visitors and deserve a second look.
Noindex is rare, but many blocked homepages have real traffic
Rendered noindex is uncommon on popular sites. 1.56% of 782,850 top 1M homepages carry it, and 0.88% of the 600,507 homepages with CrUX data.
But when it does appear, it often sits on a homepage people visit. 5,282 of the 12,177 noindexed homepages (43.4%) have enough real Chrome traffic to appear in CrUX. These sites are asking search engines to leave out a homepage that real visitors keep reaching, likely through direct visits, links or ads.
43.4%
Share of top 1M homepages with a rendered noindex that get enough Chrome traffic to appear in the Chrome UX Report.
Popular sites that block indexing are busier
The more popular the site, the more likely a noindexed homepage has real traffic. 59.1% of 66 noindexed Top 10K homepages appear in CrUX, along with 52.9% of 1,103 noindexed Top 100K homepages. Below the top 100K, 42.3% of 11,008 noindexed homepages do.
The noindex rate itself is lowest at the top. 0.88% of Top 10K homepages carry a noindex, against 1.64% in the Top 100K and 1.55% below it. The Top 10K group has only 66 noindexed homepages, so read its share with care.
Shopify and WordPress homepages are rarely blocked
Platform sites rarely block their homepage, but they are usually busy when they do. 0.33% of WordPress homepages are noindexed (376 homepages), and 60.6% of those have CrUX traffic. For Shopify the rate is 0.37% (175 homepages), and 80.6% of those appear in CrUX.
Custom builds and other platforms make up most of the problem. They account for 4,903 of the 5,282 noindexed homepages with traffic, and 1.88% of their homepages carry a noindex. A likely reason is that hosted and plugin-based platforms usually manage indexing through a few visible settings, while a custom build can carry a noindex from a staging environment variable or template that nobody checks after launch.
The block is often not in the HTML
Viewing the page source does not always reveal the problem. Of the 5,282 noindexed homepages with traffic, 1,376 send noindex in an X-Robots-Tag HTTP header. Another 819 look indexable in the raw HTML but turn noindex after JavaScript runs.
Both are easy to miss in a quick check. A header only shows in the network panel or a header checker, and a JavaScript-added tag only shows in the rendered page. A check that only reads the raw HTML source can miss both.
What this means for your site
Check indexing on the live site after every launch, migration or major template change, and check it the way a search engine sees it.
- Use the URL Inspection tool in Search Console on your homepage and key templates; it reports whether the page is indexable and why.
- Check the response headers for X-Robots-Tag, not just the HTML source.
- Check the rendered page, since a script or framework setting can add a robots meta tag after load.
- Make sure the setting that blocks indexing on staging is tied to the staging environment, so it cannot ship to production.
If a noindex is intentional, document it, so the next team does not remove it by mistake or wonder why the site is missing from search.
Sources
- HTTP Archive crawl, September 2026, mobile, top 1M homepages
- Chrome UX Report (CrUX), September 2026
- Google Search Central, block search indexing with noindex: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/block-indexing
Embed this research
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<p style="font:14px/1.5 system-ui,sans-serif">Source: <a href="https://www.pagespeedmatters.com/resources/data-studies/accidental-noindex">43% of Homepages Hidden From Google Still Get Real Traffic - PageSpeed Matters</a></p>
Frequently asked questions
How common is an accidental noindex on a homepage?
Rendered noindex is rare: 1.56% of 782,850 top 1M homepages carry it. But 43.4% of those noindexed homepages (5,282) have enough real Chrome traffic to appear in the Chrome UX Report.
Can a noindex be hidden from the page source?
Yes. Of the 5,282 noindexed homepages with traffic, 1,376 send noindex in an X-Robots-Tag header and 819 look indexable in the raw HTML but turn noindex after JavaScript runs.
How do I check if my homepage is noindexed?
Use the URL Inspection tool in Search Console, which reports whether a page is indexable. Also check the response headers for X-Robots-Tag and the rendered page, not just the HTML source.
An accidental noindex is one setting to change, and checking for it after every launch keeps a busy homepage in search results. Need help with this? See our SEO migration services.