Google Algorithm Sensor

Rankings moving and wondering why? The Google Algorithm Sensor shows whether Google is rolling out an update right now, how long it has been since the last core and spam update, and every confirmed update since 2011. It updates itself from Google's own status dashboard.

Settling (4/10): The September 2026 spam update finished 14 days ago. Rankings often keep settling for a week or two after a rollout ends, so give your numbers a little time before you act.

Every confirmed Google update since 2011

How to read the Google Algorithm Sensor

When rankings move, the first question is simple: is it Google, or is it us? The sensor answers the first half in seconds.

1. Check the weather

   The sensor shows a level from 1 to 10, from Calm to Stormy. Stormy means a core update is rolling out now. Calm means no update is active and none has just finished.

2. See what is rolling out

   During a rollout you see the update's name, the day of the rollout and roughly how far along it is.

3. Line it up with your dates

   Use the full history to match a ranking change to the update that was live at the time.

4. Check your own risk

   Then run the Google Update Risk Checker on your site to see how exposed it is to each type of update and what to improve.

What each kind of Google update targets

• Core updates

  Broad reassessments of quality, several times a year. They reward pages that are helpful, original and trustworthy compared with others for the same searches.

• Spam updates

  Improvements to how Google detects pages that break its spam policies, such as scaled low-value content, keyword stuffing and cloaking.

• Link spam updates

  Neutralize unnatural links: paid or swapped links without rel="sponsored", link networks and manipulative anchor text.

• Helpful content

  Rewarded content made for people over content made for search clicks. Since March 2024 it is part of every core update.

• Reviews updates

  Reward reviews that show first-hand use, evidence and comparisons over summaries of other people's reviews.

• Page experience

  Mobile-friendliness, HTTPS, no intrusive pop-ups and Core Web Vitals, which measure loading, responsiveness and visual stability.

What to do during a Google update

• Wait until the rollout is complete before judging the result
• Give rankings a week or two to settle after it ends
• Compare the same days of the week, before and after
• Look at which pages moved, not only the total
• Avoid big site changes in the middle of a rollout
• Improve helpfulness and trust, not quick tricks

Google updates: common questions

How does the sensor know an update is happening?

It reads Google's own Search Status Dashboard, where Google announces each ranking update when it starts and marks it complete when it ends. The sensor checks it every few hours, so the status is always based on what Google has confirmed.

Why does it not track ranking volatility like other sensors?

Volatility sensors scrape Google's results every day, which breaks Google's terms of service. This sensor uses only confirmed information from Google, so it never shows a false alarm. Unconfirmed shifts happen too, and when you notice one, the Risk Checker can show whether your site has the patterns updates usually target.

What do the weather levels mean?

Stormy (9) means a core update is rolling out. Windy (6 to 7) means a spam, reviews or helpful content update is rolling out. Unsettled (5) means another kind of update is active. Settling (4 to 5) means an update finished in the last two weeks. Calm (2) means no update is active or recent.

How often does Google release core updates?

Several times a year. The sensor shows the exact number in the last 12 months and the average gap between core updates over the last three years.

How long does a Google update take to roll out?

Usually up to two weeks for a core update and a few days to two weeks for a spam update, although some take longer. The sensor shows the day of the rollout while it is live.

My rankings changed but the sensor is calm. Why?

Google makes thousands of smaller changes every year that it does not announce. Competitors, seasonality, your own site changes and tracking problems can also move numbers. When the sensor is calm, look closer to home first.

Which updates are included?

Every confirmed ranking update since 2011: from Google's dashboard since November 2021, and from Google's own announcements before that, including Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird, the mobile, speed and page experience updates, Medic and BERT.

Is this an official Google tool?

No. It is an independent tool that reads Google's public Search Status Dashboard. It is not made by or affiliated with Google.

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