**What does this mean for website owners?**
On December 1, 2023, Google will remove the Mobile Usability Reports, the Mobile-Friendly Test tool, and the Mobile-Friendly Test API from Search Console. This doesn't mean mobile usability isn't important for success with Google Search. It remains critical for users who are using mobile devices more than ever, and as such, it remains a part of Google's page experience guidance. But in the nearly ten years since Google launched this report, many other robust resources for evaluating mobile usability have emerged, including Lighthouse from Chrome.
**What were the Mobile Usability Reports?**
The Mobile Usability Reports were a tool in Search Console that helped website owners identify and fix mobile usability issues. These issues could include text that was too small to read, buttons that were too close together, and content that wasn't positioned correctly on the screen.
**What was the Mobile-Friendly Test tool?**
The Mobile-Friendly Test tool was a simple tool that website owners could use to test whether their website was mobile-friendly. It would return a pass or fail result; if the website failed, it would provide a list of the issues that needed fixing.
**What was the Mobile-Friendly Test API?**
The Mobile-Friendly Test API was a tool developers could use to integrate it into their own applications. This allowed developers to build tools that could help website owners identify and fix mobile usability issues.
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**Why are the Mobile Usability Reports, Mobile-Friendly Test tool, and Mobile-Friendly Test API being removed?**
Google is removing these tools because they are no longer necessary. In recent years, Google has significantly improved its mobile-first indexing algorithm. This means that Google can now identify and index mobile-friendly websites more effectively.
Additionally, Google has launched several other tools that help website owners assess and improve their mobile usability. These tools include the Mobile-Friendly Test and the PageSpeed Insights tool.
**What do I need to do to ensure that my website remains mobile-friendly?**
Even though the Mobile Usability Reports, Mobile-Friendly Test tool, and Mobile-Friendly Test API are being removed, it's still important to ensure your website is mobile-friendly. Google continues to prioritize mobile-friendly websites in its search results.
Here are a few tips for ensuring that your website is mobile-friendly:
* Make sure your text is large enough to read, and your buttons are spaced far apart.
* Use a responsive design so your website looks good and functions well on all devices.
* Avoid using Flash or other technologies not supported by mobile devices.
* Test your website on various mobile devices to ensure it looks good and functions well.
**What are some other resources for evaluating mobile usability?**
In addition to the tips above, you can use several other resources to evaluate your website's mobile usability. These include:
* **Google Lighthouse:** Lighthouse is a free tool that you can use to audit the performance, accessibility, and SEO of your web pages. It also provides some tips for improving the mobile usability of your website.
* **Google Mobile-Friendly Test:** The Mobile-Friendly Test is a simple tool that you can use to test whether your website is mobile-friendly. It will return a pass or fail result; if the website fails, it will provide a list of the issues that need fixing.
* **Google PageSpeed Insights:** PageSpeed Insights is a free tool to measure your web pages' loading speed. It also provides several tips for improving the loading speed of your website, which can also improve the mobile usability of your website.
**Conclusion**
Removing the Mobile Usability Reports, Mobile-Friendly Test tool, and Mobile-Friendly Test API from Search Console may seem like a significant change. Still, it's part of Google's ongoing efforts to simplify and streamline the Search Console interface.
By following the tips above, you can ensure that your website remains mobile-friendly and continues to rank well in Google's search results.
**Additional information:**
* The Core Web Vitals and HTTPS reports will remain in Search Console.
* The Mobile-Friendly Test and PageSpeed Insights tool will continue to be available.
* Google will continue to prioritize mobile-friendly websites in its search results.
* If you have questions about removing the Mobile Usability Reports, please visit the Google Search Console Help Center.
