IndexNow

IndexNow is an open protocol that lets websites tell participating search engines the moment a URL is added, updated or deleted. Instead of waiting for a crawler to find the change, the site sends a simple notification, which can help new content get discovered faster.

Written by Paul Hoda, SEO consultant since 2005. Last updated 8 November 2026.

How IndexNow works

IndexNow was launched in 2021 by Microsoft Bing and Yandex. The idea is simple: rather than search engines repeatedly crawling sites to look for changes, sites push a list of changed URLs to them.

  1. You generate an API key, a random string of characters.
  2. You host that key in a text file on your domain, which proves you own the site.
  3. When a page changes, your site sends a request containing the URL (or a batch of URLs) and the key to an IndexNow endpoint.
  4. Participating search engines share submissions with each other, so one notification reaches all of them.

Which search engines support it

Supporters include Bing, Yandex, Seznam, Naver and Yep. Google is not part of IndexNow. Google discovers changes through its own crawling, XML sitemaps and links.

Because Bing’s index also feeds other services, faster discovery in Bing can matter beyond Bing itself, including for some AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot that draw on it.

How to set it up

  • Plugins and platforms: many CMS tools and SEO plugins include IndexNow support that you switch on. Some CDNs, such as Cloudflare, offer it as a setting.
  • Manual integration: developers can call the API directly when content is published, updated or removed.
  • Checking: Bing Webmaster Tools has an IndexNow report showing submitted URLs.

What it can and cannot do

IndexNow speeds up discovery. It does not guarantee indexing or rankings. Search engines still decide whether a page is worth indexing based on quality, duplication and other signals.

It is most useful for sites where timing matters, such as news, ecommerce stock and price changes, job listings and events. For a small brochure site that rarely changes, the benefit is modest but there is little downside.

Think of it as a doorbell rather than a key. It tells search engines that something has changed and is worth a look. They still choose when to visit, what to render and whether the result earns a place in their index. A site with weak or duplicated content will not be helped much by faster notifications.

It can also help with removals. When you delete a page and return a 404 or 410 status, notifying search engines through IndexNow encourages them to recrawl the URL sooner and drop it from results. The same applies to pages that have been redirected after a restructure, where you want the new destination picked up quickly.

Common mistakes

  • Submitting every URL on the site repeatedly, rather than only changed URLs.
  • Submitting URLs that redirect, return errors or are set to noindex.
  • Removing or changing the key file, which breaks verification.
  • Assuming it replaces sitemaps. Keep your sitemap up to date as well.

Further reading: the IndexNow protocol site.

Key Takeaways

  • IndexNow lets sites notify search engines instantly when URLs change.
  • It is supported by Bing, Yandex and several others, but not Google.
  • Setup needs an API key hosted on your domain, often handled by a plugin.
  • It speeds up discovery but does not guarantee indexing or rankings.
  • Submit only changed, indexable URLs and keep your sitemap as well.

Related Terms

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