Technical SEO
Search Console’s HTTPS Report, Insights and Recommendations Explained
Three Search Console features many owners skip, and what each is actually telling you.
Beyond Performance and Page indexing, Search Console has an HTTPS report that flags pages Google indexes over HTTP, an Insights report that summarizes performance in plain language, and experimental recommendations.
This guide explains each, plus mixed content problems and what to use now that the old International Targeting setting is gone.
Short answer: The HTTPS report counts indexed HTTP and HTTPS URLs and explains why some pages aren’t served over HTTPS: the HTTP page is canonical, the certificate is invalid, the sitemap lists HTTP, HTTPS redirects to HTTP, HTTPS is blocked by robots.txt, or HTTPS hasn’t been evaluated. Insights, now built into Search Console, shows clicks, impressions and trending pages and queries. Recommendations are experimental suggestions about indexing, crawling and serving.
Key Takeaways
- Make every page available over HTTPS and canonical on HTTPS.
- Fix mixed content so pages load fully secure.
- Insights is a quick summary; Performance has the detail.
- Recommendations are optional and change over time.
- Use hreflang and localized content for country targeting.
The HTTPS report
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| HTTP URL marked as canonical | Point canonicals at the HTTPS version |
| Invalid certificate | Renew or reinstall the certificate (often sitewide) |
| Sitemap points to HTTP | List only HTTPS URLs in sitemaps |
| HTTPS has redirect (to HTTP) | Reverse the redirect: HTTP should 301 to HTTPS |
| HTTPS URL is roboted | Remove the robots.txt block |
| HTTPS not evaluated | Fix other errors first; Google may not have crawled it or chose HTTP |
Google says it prefers to index the HTTPS version when both exist, and recommends creating an HTTPS version and marking it canonical. The report shows a sample of URLs and is available for Domain properties and HTTPS URL-prefix properties.
Mixed content
Mixed content happens when an HTTPS page loads images, scripts or styles over HTTP. Browsers may block those resources or show the page as not fully secure. Update hard-coded http:// URLs in the database, theme and plugins (a search-and-replace on staging, then production), and set your CMS site URL to HTTPS.
For a full move, follow the migration checklist; the Change of Address tool isn’t used for HTTP to HTTPS moves.
Search Console Insights
Google moved Insights into the main Search Console interface in mid-2025, replacing the standalone beta. It shows total clicks and impressions with trends, your top pages and queries, and pages and queries that are trending up or down, plus achievement milestones. Query groups were added later in 2025. Use it for a quick health check and content ideas; use the Performance report for analysis.
Recommendations
Search Console’s recommendations are experimental suggestions based on data it already has, covering indexing, crawling and serving. They appear only when Google has something to suggest and can expire. Treat them as prompts to check, not as a to-do list that must be cleared.
What replaced geotargeting
Search Console’s old International Targeting setting has been retired. Google now relies on signals like hreflang, local addresses and phone numbers, currency and language, local links and Business Profile, along with ccTLDs where used (hreflang, international checklist).
Frequently asked questions
Why does Google still index my HTTP pages?
Usually because HTTP isn’t redirected, canonicals or sitemaps point to HTTP, or the HTTPS version errors.
Does Insights need Google Analytics?
Google describes the integrated report in terms of Search Console data: clicks, impressions, pages and queries.
Should I act on every recommendation?
No. Check whether each one applies to your goals and site.
Want a second pair of eyes on your technical SEO?
We review crawling, indexing, rendering and speed issues by hand and give you a prioritized list of fixes, starting with a free manual audit.
Sources
- Search Console Help: HTTPS report
- Google Search Central Blog: The new Search Console Insights report is here
- Google Search Central: Get started with Search Console
- Google Search Central: Managing multi-regional and multilingual sites
- Google Search Central: Site moves with URL changes
Last reviewed October 14, 2026.
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