Google to Remove Some Structured Data Types from Search Console by January 2026
Google’s New Focus: Simpler, Faster, and More Useful Search Results
Google has officially announced a new update aimed at simplifying the Search results page to make it faster, cleaner, and easier for users to find the information they need.
In a blog post authored by John Mueller, Search Advocate at Google, the company explained that this initiative is part of their ongoing efforts to improve user experience and streamline search features that no longer add significant value.
As part of this process, Google regularly evaluates all of its Search features to determine which ones are still beneficial for users and website owners. Based on recent evaluations, the company has identified certain features that are rarely used or don’t significantly impact user behavior. These features will gradually be phased out over the coming months.
Why Google Is Simplifying the Search Results Page
Google says the goal is to keep Search efficient and relevant. Over time, the Search results page has accumulated a wide range of features — some experimental, some highly successful, and others that have faded in usage.
According to the official post, removing lesser-used features helps improve the overall speed and clarity of results. Many of these features “didn’t trigger often and weren’t interacted with much by users,” so their removal won’t cause major disruptions for most searches.
“This update will simplify the page and improve the speed of search results,” John Mueller wrote.
“We’ll continue to look for ways to make Search work better for you.”
This shift highlights Google’s continued effort to make its Search interface more intuitive, reducing clutter and focusing on elements that drive meaningful engagement.
Impact on Webmasters and Structured Data
While Google says that most users won’t notice significant changes, website owners and developers may see some impact — especially those who rely on structured data for enhanced search features.
Google confirmed that starting January 2026, certain structured data types will no longer be supported in both Google Search Console and its API.
That means if a website relies on deprecated structured data for rich results (for example, older or less common schema types), those enhancements will gradually stop appearing in Search results once support is removed.
To help site owners stay informed, Google will continue updating affected documentation via its official changelog.
📘 Official changelog link: Google Search Updates
What Website Owners Should Do
While the update is mostly user-facing, website owners can take a few steps to stay ahead:
- Review existing structured data:
Check your site for outdated or rarely supported structured data types using the Rich Results Test or Search Console. - Monitor the changelog:
Follow Google’s documentation changelog for announcements on which features are being retired or updated. - Focus on essential structured data:
Keep using structured data that enhances important elements such as articles, products, breadcrumbs, FAQs, and videos — these are still supported and widely used. - Track Search Console insights:
Watch for any changes in rich result visibility or impressions as older data types are phased out.
Key Takeaway
This update is not about removing core ranking features — it’s about decluttering the Search results page to make it more efficient.
Google will continue to refine Search by removing low-impact features while enhancing the overall experience for both users and publishers.
For most users, Search will look cleaner and load faster. For SEOs and developers, it’s a reminder to focus on modern structured data and follow Google’s updates closely.
Starting January 2026, support for select structured data types will officially be removed from Search Console and its API.
FAQ
Google confirmed that it will remove support for some structured data types in Search Console and the Search Console API. These removals will focus on structured data features that are rarely used or no longer relevant to modern search results.
The update is part of Google’s broader effort to simplify the search results page. Over time, certain features became outdated or underused. Removing them helps streamline search data processing, improve load speed, and make reporting clearer.
No, the removal of older structured data types does not directly impact rankings. It only affects reporting and tracking within Search Console and API. However, if your site relies on deprecated structured data for rich results, those enhancements might stop showing.
Google has not listed every type yet, but according to their documentation, only lesser-used schema types that add limited value to search results will be phased out. Updates about affected schema will appear in the official documentation changelog.
Check your site’s structured data using the Rich Results Test and Search Console. Remove or replace outdated schema types and focus on supported formats like Article, Product, Breadcrumb, FAQ, and VideoObject that continue to drive visibility.
Author
Harshit Kumar is an AI SEO Specialist with over 7 years of experience in technical SEO, AI-integrated search optimization, and data-driven content strategy. He decodes complex Google updates into clear, actionable insights for businesses and marketers. Follow his SEO research and Google update coverage at KumarHarshit.in.
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