In short. Google Search no longer displays FAQ rich results from 7 May 2026, according to its documentation updates log.
Definition: FAQ rich results are enhanced Google Search listings associated with FAQPage structured data, which describes frequently asked questions on a web page. Google Search Central records their retirement from Search starting 7 May 2026.
Key facts
- Google's documentation updates log records the retirement in its 8 May 2026 entry and the removal of the feature's documentation on 15 June 2026.
- Google's August 2023 announcement restricts FAQ rich results to well-known, authoritative government and health websites.
- The Schema.org FAQPage definition describes a web page presenting one or more frequently asked questions.
What dates document the retirement?
The Search Central updates log separates the announcement date from the effective date: the deprecation notice appears under 8 May, while the stated end of display is 7 May 2026.
Its 15 June entry records the removal of the FAQ rich result documentation and confirms that the feature is no longer shown in Google Search. Together, these entries establish the end of the search feature, including the previously eligible site categories.
What restrictions apply in the earlier documentation?
Google's 8 August 2023 announcement describes reduced FAQ visibility. It reserves the feature for well-known, authoritative government and health websites and says other sites will no longer receive it regularly. Eligible sites can be considered automatically.
The announcement describes a global rollout across languages and countries. Google explicitly characterizes that update as a search presentation change rather than a ranking change. These statements describe the earlier eligibility policy; the later retirement closes the feature.
How can existing FAQ markup be identified?
Structured data is a standardized format for describing and classifying page content. Google's introduction to structured data explains JSON-LD as JavaScript notation embedded in an HTML script element. It also documents Microdata and RDFa, which use HTML attributes.
For a JSON-LD implementation, a page-source search can look for this type declaration:
"@type": "FAQPage"
This fragment identifies the markup type. Schema.org's definition identifies FAQPage as a subtype of WebPage. The vocabulary definition remains available separately from Google's retired display feature.
When reviewing an implementation, the useful distinction is between the page's visible questions and the structured data describing them. Google's introduction explains that JSON-LD markup is separate from user-visible text and can also be injected through JavaScript or embedded widgets. A source-code review therefore needs to account for how the markup is added.
Related terms
FAQ
Can a government or health website still qualify?
The retirement log states that the feature no longer appears in Search. The earlier restriction to government and health websites no longer provides an active eligibility route.
Should I remove existing FAQPage markup?
Google's 2023 advice says proactive removal is unnecessary: unused structured data causes no Search problems and has no visible Search effects. That guidance concerns the markup, so it supplies no reason to delete the visible questions and answers.
Sources
- Google Search Central, "Latest documentation updates", 8 May and 15 June 2026
- Google Search Central, "Changes to HowTo and FAQ rich results", 8 August 2023, updated 14 September 2023
- Schema.org, "FAQPage", accessed 17 October 2026
- Google Search Central, "Introduction to structured data markup in Google Search", 10 December 2025
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