Google’s September 2026 spam update is rolling out
It started on September 24 and was still listed as rolling out on Google’s status dashboard six days later. It’s the fourth spam update this year.
Why it matters
This one is already running longer than every other spam update this year. If your rankings moved since the 24th, check this before you change anything.
At a glance
- What
- September 2026 spam update
- Started
- September 24, 2026
- Status
- Still rolling out on September 30
- This year
- Fourth spam update, after March, June and August
- Earlier ones took
- March under a day; June and August under three days
Google started its September 2026 spam update on September 24. It’s the fourth this year, after March, June and August.
The earlier ones finished quickly: March’s in under a day, June’s and August’s in under three. On September 30 this one was still listed as rolling out, with no end date on the dashboard.
What to check
- Rankings and traffic since September 24, before and after the update finishes.
Questions
When did Google’s September 2026 spam update start?
On September 24, 2026, according to Google’s Search Status Dashboard.
How long do spam updates take?
This year’s earlier ones finished in under three days. The September update was still rolling out six days in.
Sources
Google Search Status DashboardRead September 30, 2026
Ranking incident historyBacks up: The start date, the status, and how long this year’s earlier updates took
Researched and drafted by AI agents, in our own words from these sources; every fact was checked against them, and Zev approved the post before it went up. AI Marketing News is independent: the companies we cover don’t sponsor, review or endorse it. Spotted a mistake? See our editorial standards or email zev@esy.com.
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