The Google September 2026 spam update is now done rolling out. It started on Thursday, September 24, 2026 at about 12:00 pm ET and completed on October 8, 2026 at 4:37 am ET. This was distinct from the former few spam updates in that this one took two weeks to rotate out whereas the others took lone two days to rotate out.
Google initially announced, "Released the September 2026 spam update, which applies globally and to all languages. The rollout may obtain up to two weeks to complete." Google stated this morning, "The rollout was complete as of October 8, 2026.."
As I said, this was a two-week rollout, not a two-day rollout- so that was different. But Google stated on LinkedIn, "This is a normal spam update, and it volition rotate out for all languages and locations." "The rollout may obtain up to two weeks to complete," Google added. I am not certain why this is "normal" whenever it took two weeks to rotate out alternatively of two days but what do I know.
The Impact
It seemed this spam update was beautiful impactful, several are saying additional center update akin of an impact. I am not certain concerning that but I did document the effect dates of this spam update - that assumes Google didn't do any another updates complete this spam update rollout duration - which I do not cognize for sure.
Google Tracking Tools
Here is a diagram showing the tools aggregated volatility (I'll update these afterward on today to get the additional latest scores for you all to see):
Google Volatility Chart
Here are all the tools individually:
AWR: 
Wireboard - this study shows the total of the tools complete and parcels them on one chart: 
September 2026 Google Spam Update Quick Facts
Here are the most crucial things that we cognize correct now in abbreviated form:
- Name: Google September 2026 Spam Update
- Launched: September 24, 2026 at concerning 12:00 pm ET
- Rollout: Will obtain concerning a brace of weeks to completely rotate out but the volatility you saw previous to the notice was not it.
- Completed: October 8, 2026 at 4:37 am ET
- Targets: Sites violating several of the Google search spam policies.
- Does Not Target: This update does not mark nexus spam, it does not mark all sole spam guideline but Google did not citation any changes alongside this update.
- Penalty: It penalizes several of spam techniques that are against Google's spam policies.
- Global: This is a earth update impacting all regions and languages.
- Impact: Google would not inform me what percent of queries or searches were affected by this update.
- Recover: If you were hit by this, Google stated you should assessment its spam policies to justify they are complying alongside those.
- Refreshes: Google volition do periodic refreshes to the spam update. It can obtain many months to recover, Google said.
Here are the tweets:
The rollout was complete as of October 8, 2026.
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) October 8, 2026
More On Google Spam Updates
Google's spam update documentation says:
While Google's automated systems to detect hunt spam are continually operating, we occasionally create notable improvements to how they work. When we do, we mention to this as a spam update and portion whenever they happen on our list of Google Search ranking updates.For example, SpamBrain is our AI-based spam-prevention system. From time-to-time, we enhance that scheme to create it improved at spotting spam and to assistance justify it catches new types of spam.
Sites that see a alter following a spam update should assessment our spam policies to justify they are complying alongside those. Sites that breach our policies may position lesser in results or not appear in results at all. Making changes may assistance a location enhance if our automated systems study complete a duration of months that the location complies alongside our spam policies.
In the case of a nexus spam update (an update that specifically deals alongside nexus spam), making changes power not create an improvement. This is since whenever our systems eliminate the effects spammy links may have, any ranking advantage the links may have earlier generated for your location is lost. Any possible ranking benefits generated by those links cannot be regained.
Previous Google Spam Updates
Here are the documented former spam updates:
- June 2021 spam update on June 23, 2021 - one day rollout
- June 2021 spam update on June 28, 2021 - one day rollout
- July 2021 nexus spam update started on July 26, 2021 and completed 29 days afterward on August 24, 2021
- November 2021 spam update started on November 3, 2021 and completed 8 days afterward on November 11, 2021
- October 2022 spam update started on October 19, 2022 and completed 48 hours afterward on October 21, 2022
- December 2022 nexus spam update started on December 14, 2022 and completed 19 days afterward on January 12, 2023
- October 2023 spam update started on October 4, 2023 and completed 15 days afterward on October 20, 2023
- March 2024 spam update started on March 5, 2024 and completed 15 days afterward on March 20, 2024
- June 2024 spam update started on June 20, 2024 and completed 7 days afterward on June 27, 2024
- December 2024 spam update started on December 19, 2024 and completed 7 days afterward on December 26, 2024.
- August 2025 spam update started on August 26, 2025 and completed 27 days afterward on September 22, 2025
- March 2026 spam update started on March 24, 2026 and completed a day afterward on March 25, 2026.
- June 2026 spam update started on June 24, 2026 and completed on June 26, 2026
- August 2026 spam update started on August 18, 2026 and completed on August 21, 2026
- September 2026 spam update started on September 24, 2026 and completed on October 8, 2026 at 4:37 am ET
How did this spam update effect you?
I would not be amazed if we get a center update really soon...
