How To Remove Your Website From Google Search Without Search Console Verification

Sometimes, you might need to remove an old or deleted website from Google Search, but you don't have access to Google Search Console or haven't verified ownership. Recently, Google’s John Mueller shared an easy solution for such cases. In this article, we will walk you through how to properly remove your website from Google’s index, even if you are not tech-savvy.

The Problem:

A user on Reddit asked how to remove an old Canva website from Google Search completely. Although the website was already deleted from Canva, it was still appearing in Google's search results. The user didn't have technical knowledge or access to Google Search Console to verify the site.

The Solution:

John Mueller explained that even if you don't own or verify the website in Search Console, you can still remove it from Google. Here's how:

1. Ensure the Website is Deleted: First, make sure that the website or web pages are completely removed from the hosting platform (like Canva). They must no longer be accessible on the internet.
   

2. Use the "Remove Outdated Content" Tool: Google provides a tool called "Remove Outdated Content" that allows anyone to request the removal of pages that no longer exist or have significantly changed.
   

   • Go to the Remove Outdated Content Tool.

   • Submit the URL of the page you want removed.

   • Google will review the request and, once approved, remove the page from search results.
     

3. Important Notes:
   

   • This method is slower compared to removal through a verified Search Console account.
     

   • If your website is still live, this tool will not work. Deletion from the hosting server is necessary.

Optional (Recommended for SEO):

If you have a new website and you want to preserve the SEO value (backlinks, authority) from the old website, you should ideally set up 301 redirects from the old pages to the new site. This way, Google will transfer the "signals" to your new website. John also pointed to Google’s site move guide for detailed help. However, platforms like Canva may not support redirects.

Conclusion:

If you have an old or deleted website still appearing on Google, don't worry. Even without Search Console verification, you can request removal using Google's "Remove Outdated Content" tool. Make sure your site is completely offline first. For better SEO practices, if possible, try redirecting old pages to new ones to retain your site's strength.