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Is it appropriate to noindex AMP pages whose desktop canonicals are noindexed?

Currently, my valid but low-quality pages are noindexed. They point to an amphtml version, and that AMP page is noindexed as well.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by bradvictor1

Dani AI

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Short answer for : yes — if the desktop canonical is deliberately set to noindex and your intent is to keep that content out of Google, it’s reasonable to noindex the AMP counterpart too. But be explicit about intent: noindex removes pages from Search, while rel="canonical" is the mechanism for consolidating duplicates; mixing signals can be confusing and Google warns against relying on noindex to force canonical selection. (developers.google.com)

Practical trade-offs (what to do next):

  • If you want to remove only the AMP variant but keep the desktop pages in search, remove the rel="amphtml" link from the canonical page (or redirect the AMP) — Google documents the correct removal steps.
  • If you want both versions out of Search, applying noindex to both is fine but ensure the pages remain crawlable so Google can see the tag.
  • Trying to keep the AMP indexed while the desktop canonical is noindexed sends contradictory signals; crawlers/tools often flag “AMP canonical points to a noindex” and Google may ignore the setup or exclude the AMP. ’s pointer to the community and ’s suggestion to noindex low-quality AMP are reasonable starting points, but treat mixed signals cautiously. (developers.google.com)

Quick checklist to act safely: make sure neither URL is blocked by robots.txt (the crawler must be able to see the noindex), choose meta noindex or X‑Robots‑Tag consistently, remove rel="amphtml" if you want to unpair AMP, and verify with URL Inspection / Index Coverage and the AMP report in Search Console. Expect de-indexing to take time. (developers.google.com)

Bottom line: keep signals simple. For low-quality content either unpair AMP (remove rel="amphtml") or set both versions to noindex. Consistency gives the most predictable outcome. (developers.google.com)

Member Avatar for jhakasseo

Few days ago I have raised this concern on Google webmaster Community.
You should check the comment here -

Member Avatar for bradvictor1

I think we should make it simple that if AMP pages are not useful for dektop version, and creating low quality for website. We should noindex them id more good option for us.

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