The Removals section in Google Search Console is a powerful feature that allows website owners to temporarily or permanently remove specific content from Google’s search results. It provides a way to manage and control the visibility of your site’s content in search results. Here’s a detailed explanation of how the Removals section works:

What is the Removals Section?

The Removals section in Google Search Console lets you request the temporary removal of URLs from Google Search results, see which content Google has filtered out for SafeSearch, and manage outdated content that has been removed from the search results.

Accessing the Removals Section

1. Sign in to Google Search Console:
   Go to Google Search Console and sign in with your Google account.
2. Select Your Property:
   In the property selector, choose the website for which you want to manage removals.
3. Navigate to the Removals Section:
   In the left-hand menu, click on “Removals” under the “Index” section.

Types of Removal Requests

1. Temporary Removals:

• Remove URL Temporarily: This option hides a specific URL from Google Search results for about six months. It also clears the cached copy of the page.
• Clear Cached URL: This option removes the cached page and the page description snippet in search results until the page is crawled again.

1. Outdated Content:

• This section lists content that users have requested to be removed from Google’s index because the content no longer exists on the page or has been significantly changed.

1. SafeSearch Filtering:

• This section shows URLs that Google has filtered out from SafeSearch results. SafeSearch is a feature that helps filter out explicit content from search results.

How to Submit a Temporary Removal Request

1. Go to the Removals Section:
   In Google Search Console, navigate to the Removals section.
2. Start a New Request:
   Click the “New Request” button.
3. Choose the Type of Removal:
   Select either “Remove URL temporarily” or “Clear cached URL.”
4. Enter the URL:
   Provide the URL of the page you want to remove or clear from the cache. Make sure to enter the exact URL, including the protocol (http or https).
5. Submit the Request:
   Click the “Submit Request” button. Google will process the request, and the URL will be removed temporarily from the search results or the cached copy will be cleared.

Monitoring and Managing Requests

• Check the Status:
  In the Removals section, you can see the status of your removal requests. It shows whether the request is pending, approved, or denied.
• Cancel a Request:
  If you change your mind, you can cancel a removal request by selecting the request and clicking the “Cancel” button.
• View Removal History:
  The Removals section also provides a history of all your removal requests, including temporary removals, outdated content requests, and SafeSearch filtering.

Important Considerations

• Temporary Nature:
  Temporary removals are not permanent. They hide the URL for about six months, after which the URL may reappear in search results if it still exists and is crawlable.
• Content Removal:
  For permanent removal, you need to ensure the content is no longer accessible on your site (e.g., remove the page or block it using robots.txt or a noindex meta tag).
• Regular Monitoring:
  Regularly monitor your removal requests and the content of your site to ensure that unwanted URLs do not appear in search results.

By using the Removals section in Google Search Console, you can effectively manage the visibility of your site’s content in Google Search results, ensuring that sensitive or outdated information is appropriately handled.