Google Removes Indexing API Approval Form: What It Means for SEO

Google has updated its technical documentation, removing the approval form and instructions for requesting additional access to the Google Indexing API. The documentation change was recorded on October 16, 2026.

The update matters to SEO professionals, developers, and job board operators who rely on the API to notify Google when eligible pages are published, updated, or removed.

However, there is an important distinction: removing an approval form from documentation does not automatically mean that Google has eliminated its approval requirements. Here is what website owners need to know.

What Changed in Google's Indexing API Documentation?

According to Search Engine Journal, Google removed the approval form and the instructions for requesting additional quota from its Indexing API documentation.

Previously, Google's documentation explained that the API offered an initial default quota for testing, while additional approval was required for further usage and resource provisioning. Developers were directed to a form to request approval and additional quota.

Following the October 16 update, those instructions and the associated form were no longer present in the documentation sections discussed in the report. Google's changelog described the change as the removal of an outdated form.

What remains unclear is whether Google's underlying approval requirements have changed. The documentation update does not, by itself, confirm that every API project can now access full functionality without additional approval.

What Are the Default Google Indexing API Quotas?

The reported documentation still lists these default limits for each project:

Quota type	Default limit
Publish requests per day	200 requests
Metadata requests per minute	180 requests
All endpoints per minute	380 requests

The daily publish quota includes both URL update and URL removal notifications. It resets at midnight Pacific Time. Developers should check the Google API Console to see the current quota assigned to their projects.

These limits are not a guarantee that a submitted page will immediately appear in Google Search. The API sends notifications that can prompt Google to recrawl eligible URLs; crawling and indexing remain separate processes.

Can Every Website Now Use the Indexing API?

There is not enough evidence to reach that conclusion based solely on the removal of the form. Google's documented Indexing API use cases are restricted to pages containing JobPosting structured data or BroadcastEvent embedded in a VideoObject.

This means the API is intended for specific types of content, particularly eligible job postings and livestreaming event pages. It is not a general-purpose indexing shortcut for blog posts, product pages, or ordinary news articles.

Google's spam policies also continue to apply to API submissions. Trying to bypass request limits by using multiple accounts or other workarounds can put access at risk.

If you run a regular blog, including a Blogger website, do not interpret this documentation change as permission to submit every article URL through the Indexing API.

What Does This Mean for Bloggers and Website Owners?

For most website owners, the immediate impact is limited because the Indexing API was never intended for every type of page. Traditional technical SEO practices remain important for helping Google discover and crawl content.

• Check your sitemap. Make sure it is accessible and includes the important URLs you want Google to discover.
• Improve internal linking. Connect relevant articles so Googlebot can discover new pages through your website structure.
• Check crawlability. Review robots.txt, robots meta tags, canonical URLs, and HTTP status codes when pages are difficult to discover.
• Use URL Inspection appropriately. Search Console lets eligible users request crawling of individual URLs, but a request does not guarantee indexing.

If you manage a Blogger website, explore these Blogger guides and additional SEO guides on Fairus Majid to strengthen your site's technical foundations.

What About Existing Approval Requests?

The documentation change also leaves questions for developers who have already submitted approval requests. The removal of a form does not explain whether pending applications will be reviewed, how previously unapproved projects will be treated, or what process developers should follow to request higher quotas.

Operators who depend on the API should check their current project quotas in the Google API Console and monitor official Google Search Central documentation updates.

It would be premature to assume that a project has been approved simply because the form disappeared. It would also be premature to conclude that Google has permanently ended the approval process without a clearer official statement.

What Should SEO Professionals Watch Next?

The most useful signals will be further changes to Google's official documentation, quota information, and any new instructions for developers. These sources can clarify whether the change is limited to outdated documentation or reflects a broader adjustment to the access process.

For general websites, there is no reason to abandon established crawling practices while waiting for clarification. A well-organized site, useful content, accessible pages, and clear internal links remain important parts of technical SEO.

Final Takeaway

Google removed the Indexing API approval form and its accompanying instructions from the relevant documentation updated on October 16, 2026. However, that change does not yet establish that approval requirements for broader API usage have been eliminated.

For ordinary bloggers, including Blogger users, the practical priority remains the same: publish useful content, maintain a clear site structure, provide a valid sitemap, and make important pages easy for Googlebot to discover.

For further developments, follow the official Google Search Central documentation changelog. Developers already using the API should also review their current project quotas in the Google API Console.