In short. Rank Math uses Noindex Subpages for paginated archive subpages and a separate setting for paginated posts and pages.
Definition: Rank Math's Noindex Subpages setting controls the indexing of subpages created when an archive is split across multiple pages. It is separate from Noindex Paginated Single Pages, which applies to posts and pages split into multiple URLs.
Key facts
- Rank Math places the controls in WordPress Dashboard → Rank Math SEO → Titles & Meta → Misc. Pages. Its dedicated walkthrough names this path before identifying the paginated-pages option. Rank Math's walkthrough
- Rank Math defines an archive page as a collection of posts or custom posts organized in pages. Its Titles and Meta documentation says archive pages can be paginated and that Noindex Subpages noindexes all archive subpages.
- Noindex Paginated Single Pages is the separate control for paginated single pages and posts. The same Titles and Meta documentation says related paginated content will not be displayed in search results when it is enabled.
- The Misc Pages controls are available in Rank Math's Advanced Mode. The Advanced Mode documentation lists both Noindex Subpages and NoIndex Paginated Single Pages among the additional options. Rank Math's Advanced Mode documentation
Which pages does the archive setting cover?
WordPress can divide an archive, such as a listing of posts for a taxonomy or another archive type, into subpages. Rank Math's documentation describes archive pages as collections of posts organized in pages, then states that the Noindex Subpages option controls the noindexing of those archive subpages. When enabled, the documentation says all the subpages are noindexed and will not show in search results.
The scope is therefore the paginated part of the archive. It is not the control Rank Math documents for a long post or page that has been split into individual URLs. That neighboring control is Noindex Paginated Single Pages.
Where do you enable it?
Open the Misc Pages section in Titles & Meta. Rank Math's dedicated guide gives this path and its Titles and Meta page identifies the archive control as Noindex Subpages. The two labels are easy to confuse because they sit next to each other in the same group.
WordPress Dashboard → Rank Math SEO → Titles & Meta → Misc. Pages
Noindex Subpages
Noindex Paginated Single Pages
If the controls are missing, check the Rank Math mode first. Rank Math states that Easy Mode's Misc Pages section holds only the Date Archives option, while Advanced Mode adds settings including Noindex Subpages and NoIndex Paginated Single Pages.
What happens when you enable the setting?
The documented result is a noindex instruction for the archive subpages covered by the option. Rank Math describes No Index as communicating that a page should not be indexed and says that the archive subpages will not appear in search results. The setting is an indexing control for the paginated archive URLs.
Keep the two settings separate when reviewing a site. Noindex Subpages is the archive control. Noindex Paginated Single Pages targets the paginated versions of single posts and pages, and Rank Math's dedicated article describes /page/2 and other archive URLs in its walkthrough. The interface label and the page type determine which control is relevant.
Related terms
- How do I set noindex on a page in Rank Math?
- How do I control author archive indexing in Rank Math?
- How do I edit robots.txt in Rank Math?
FAQ
Is Noindex Subpages the same as Noindex Paginated Single Pages?
No. Rank Math documents Noindex Subpages for paginated archive subpages and Noindex Paginated Single Pages for paginated posts and pages.
Where is Noindex Subpages in Rank Math?
You can find it at WordPress Dashboard → Rank Math SEO → Titles & Meta → Misc. Pages. Rank Math lists this option among the additional settings available in Advanced Mode.
Does the setting apply to the first archive page?
Rank Math documents the option as controlling archive subpages and says that enabling it noindexes all the subpages. The documentation does not specify a separate rule for the first archive page.
Sources
- Rank Math, "Rank Math 'Titles and Meta' Options and Settings", 30 December 2025
- Rank Math, "How to NoIndex Paginated Pages", 30 June 2023
- Rank Math, "Rank Math's Advanced Mode: Available Module, Options & More", 30 December 2025
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