In short. Not linked removes a Squarespace page from navigation, while direct access and search visibility remain until separate settings change them.
Definition: A Squarespace page in Not linked is omitted from the site's navigation menu. It remains public by default, can be opened through its URL, and can appear in search results unless a separate access or search exclusion setting changes that behavior.
Key facts
- Squarespace's Not linked guide says these pages are public by default and can be accessed through direct URLs.
- The same guide says search engines can index Not linked pages, so they could appear in search results.
- A password or a disabled page changes access. Squarespace also documents a page-level option to hide a page from search while leaving the site available to visitors in its search exclusion guide.
- Squarespace automatically generates a sitemap. Its sitemap guide says the sitemap includes URLs for all pages on a site and excludes pages hidden from search, disabled pages, and password-protected pages.
What does Not linked change?
Not linked changes where a page appears in the Pages panel and in the site's navigation menu. It is a navigation setting, not an access restriction. Squarespace states that a public page in this section can be reached through a link or by entering its URL directly.
The page can therefore be shared in an email, on social media, or through a link on another page while remaining absent from the main menu. A page stored for a redesign or kept for internal reference needs to be disabled when visitors should not see it. Moving it into Not linked alone leaves the page public by default.
Can a Not linked page appear in search?
Yes. Squarespace explicitly says search engines can index Not linked pages. The absence of a navigation link reduces one normal path by which a crawler finds a URL, while the page can still be found through links, a sitemap, or another URL source. Google's sitemap documentation says a sitemap helps search engines find URLs, while its presence does not mean that every listed URL is crawled and indexed.
Squarespace's generated sitemap is available at the site's /sitemap.xml URL. The platform says it updates automatically after content is added or removed, usually within an hour and sometimes within 24 hours. Its sitemap table includes URLs for all pages and separately excludes pages hidden from search, disabled pages, and password-protected pages. The table does not name an active Not linked page as a separate category, so the live sitemap is the direct check for a particular URL.
How can access and search visibility be changed?
For restricted access, Squarespace documents passwords for pages intended for specific people and disabling for pages that contributors alone should access. Those settings address whether visitors can open the page.
For search exclusion with visitor access retained, Squarespace documents the Hide page from search results page setting and a noindex tag. The code injection form is:
<meta name="robots" content="noindex">
Squarespace says a page-level noindex setting removes the page from its sitemap. Google explains that noindex is read when Googlebot crawls the page, after which Google removes the page from Google Search results. A robots.txt rule that blocks the page prevents Googlebot from reading the tag, so the page must remain crawlable for this method to work.
How can a page be checked?
Open the page's direct URL in a private browser window to test visitor access. Then inspect the site's sitemap at:
https://www.yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
If the page should remain accessible while leaving search results, inspect the published HTML for the noindex tag and confirm that the page is absent from the sitemap. Google's noindex documentation says a crawler must fetch the page to see a meta tag or HTTP header, and that a robots.txt block hides the instruction from Googlebot. Search exclusion changes can take time to appear in Google because the page must be crawled again.
Related terms
- How do I hide a Squarespace page from search results?
- Where is a Squarespace sitemap and what does it contain?
- Can I directly edit a Squarespace sitemap?
FAQ
Does moving a page to Not linked hide it from visitors?
No. If the page remains public and enabled, visitors can open its URL. To restrict access, use a password or disable the page.
Does Not linked add noindex automatically?
No. Squarespace documents Not linked pages as indexable by search engines. Use the page's search exclusion setting or a noindex tag when search exclusion is required.
Does a sitemap entry ensure a search result?
No. Google says a sitemap helps crawlers find URLs, while every listed URL may still remain outside crawling and indexing.
Sources
- Squarespace, "The Not linked section", 7 January 2026
- Squarespace, "Hiding your site from search results", 22 May 2026
- Squarespace, "View your site map", 7 July 2026
- Google Search Central, "Block Search indexing with noindex", 10 December 2025
- Google Search Central, "Learn about sitemaps", 10 December 2025
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