Indexed, though blocked by robots.txt: How to resolve it safely (GSC)

This status means Google has an indexed representation of the URL (often from the past), but your current robots.txt prevents crawling.

Important nuance: robots blocks crawling, not indexing.

So this status is often a sign of an unclear strategy.

Start with the map:

• GSC Indexing Statuses Explained (guide)

Why this happens

Common causes:

• you changed robots.txt after the URL was already indexed
• you blocked an entire path (e.g. /tag/, /topics/, /socials/) without deciding what should stay indexed
• you blocked assets (CSS/JS) which can break rendering signals

Pick a strategy (this decides the fix)

Strategy A: you want the URL indexed

Do this:

1. Remove the blocking rule from robots.txt (at least for that path).
2. Ensure there is no noindex on the page.
3. Request indexing for the URL (only if it's core).

Strategy B: you do NOT want the URL indexed

Robots is not enough. The safest pattern is:

1. Allow crawling (remove the disallow for that URL/path).
2. Add noindex (meta or header) so Google can see the directive.
3. Keep internal links pointing to the canonical pages.

If you block crawling, Google can't see noindex, and the URL can stay indexed longer.

How this connects to "not indexed" statuses

Over-blocking can create crawl debt and confused signals.

If you also have many "discovered/crawled not indexed", focus on clarity and hierarchy:

• Discovered - currently not indexed: why it happens
• Crawled - currently not indexed: what actually fixes it

Validation checklist

In GSC URL Inspection:

• check if crawling is allowed
• check the rendered page
• confirm the indexing verdict matches your strategy

FAQ

Should I keep sensitive pages blocked in robots?

Yes for truly sensitive/private paths, but do not rely on robots for deindexing. Use auth or proper status codes.

Can I just add noindex while keeping robots blocked?

No. If robots blocks crawling, Google may never see the noindex.