Google has officially sunset the Mobile Usability report, the Mobile-Friendly Test tool, and the Mobile-Friendly Test API on December 4th, 2023, as previously announced in April of the same year. In a tweet, Google thanked website owners for their collaboration in improving the web through these tools. Google stated that while mobile usability continues to be a crucial factor for success in Google Search, it believes that there are now various other resources available for evaluating mobile usability, such as Lighthouse from Chrome, which have emerged over the nearly ten years since the initial launch of these tools.
The access to these tools has been removed, and users attempting to find the Search Console mobile usability report within Search Console will no longer be able to do so. The mobile-friendly testing tool has been redirected to Lighthouse, and the API will no longer be providing results.
This announcement is significant for website owners and SEO professionals who have been utilizing these tools for client work or internal SEO purposes, as they will now need to find alternative tools to ensure the mobile-friendliness of their sites and webpages. Lighthouse is suggested as one of the alternative tools to replace the now-sunsetted Mobile-Friendly Test tool. Google has emphasized the continued importance of mobile usability for users, especially as mobile device usage has been increasing substantially.
In conclusion, the Google Search Console Mobile Usability report, the Mobile-Friendly Test tool, and the Mobile-Friendly Test API have been officially sunsetted, and users are encouraged to explore other resources such as Lighthouse to address mobile usability concerns. This marks a significant shift for website owners and SEO professionals who will need to adapt to these changes and find alternative ways to ensure the mobile-friendliness of their websites.
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