Rich Results Test: What Google’s Tool Checks and Why a Pass Is Not a Rich Snippet
The Rich Results Test is Google’s free tool at search.google.com/test/rich-results that checks whether a live URL or a pasted code snippet contains structured data eligible for Google’s rich results. It reads JSON-LD, Microdata and RDFa, lets you test as a smartphone or desktop crawler, and lists each detected item as valid, valid with warnings, or invalid. A pass means the markup is eligible. It does not mean Google will show a rich snippet.
This guide covers testing and reading structured data results. For which schema types to add and how to set them up, see schema markup types and setup for Toronto businesses.
That gap between eligible and displayed is where most of the confusion starts. This guide explains how to run the test, how to read the result, how it differs from the Schema Markup Validator, and what to check when a page passes but no rich result appears.
How to use the Rich Results Test
- Open the tool and choose URL or Code. Use URL for a published page that Google can reach; use Code to check markup before it goes live.
- Pick the crawler. Smartphone is the default and matches how Google indexes most sites. Switch to desktop only when you need to compare.
- Run the test and wait for the page to load and render. The tool fetches the page the way Google would, including JavaScript.
- Read the detected items. Each rich result type found on the page is listed with its status. Open an item to see the exact properties Google read.
- Fix errors first, then warnings. An error makes that item ineligible. A warning flags a missing recommended property; the item can still be eligible.
- Check the rendered page. Use the option to view the tested page to see the rendered HTML and a screenshot, which shows whether scripts or blocked resources hid your markup.
- Retest, then ask Google to recrawl. After a fix, run the test again, then use URL Inspection in Search Console to request indexing for that URL.
What the result means: valid, warnings and errors
| Result | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Valid item detected | The markup meets the technical requirements for that rich result type. | Confirm the markup matches the visible content and that the feature is still supported. |
| Valid with warnings | Required properties are present, but recommended ones are missing. | Add the recommended properties where the information is real and shown on the page. |
| Invalid item | A required property is missing or malformed, so the item is not eligible. | Fix the error in the template or plugin that prints the markup, then retest. |
| No items detected | Google found no structured data it can use for rich results on this URL. | Check that the markup is in the rendered HTML and that the type is one Google supports. |
| Page not fetched | Google could not crawl the URL (blocked, redirected, login or server error). | Check robots.txt, redirects and server responses, then test again. |
Our SEO team plans, fixes and reports on the work in this guide every month for Canadian businesses.
Rich Results Test vs Schema Markup Validator
Google’s tool tests only the structured data that can produce a Google rich result. The Schema Markup Validator checks any Schema.org markup against the full vocabulary, with no Google eligibility checks. Use both: the validator to confirm the markup is well formed and complete, and the Rich Results Test to see what Google can use.
| Rich Results Test | Schema Markup Validator | |
|---|---|---|
| Checks | Google-supported rich result types only | All Schema.org types and properties |
| Input | Live URL or code snippet | Live URL or code snippet |
| Shows eligibility for Google features | Yes | No |
| Best for | Before and after a fix for a Google feature | Auditing every entity on a page |
Why a pass does not mean a rich snippet
The Google Rich Results Test checks the structured data relevant to Google-supported search enhancements on the URL or code you test. It is not a complete Schema.org validator, a website-wide audit or a guarantee that an enhanced result will appear.
A valid result means the tested markup meets the tool’s applicable technical checks. You still need to review the visible content and Google’s quality requirements. Google explicitly states that correct markup does not guarantee display in its structured data guidelines.
Check whether the search feature still exists
Google’s Search documentation update log states that FAQ rich results stopped appearing on May 7, 2026. Google also retired HowTo rich results on September 13, 2023. An old test screenshot or an outdated tutorial is not evidence that either feature is available now.
Useful questions and answers can remain on your page. Accurate FAQPage markup is distinct from a Google FAQ search feature: adding more of it does not bring a retired feature back. Check current support before investing in a search appearance that no longer exists.
Why content and schema must be reviewed together
Structured data should accurately describe what a visitor can find on the page. Review the service, author, business information and any stated prices alongside the markup. An obsolete offer or unsupported claim does not become reliable because the JSON is valid.
What We Check Instead of Relying on the Test Alone
Separate validation reports from search performance
Search Console rich result reports identify detected structured data, valid and invalid items, and issues to address. Some reports also offer an impressions overlay, but they are not a comprehensive inventory of all markup on every page.
For clicks, impressions and available search-appearance breakdowns, use the Performance report. Review the relevant date range, pages, devices and appearance filters. Neither report guarantees that a future search will show the same result.
Dated search-result checks for relevant queries
A search-result observation helps document what appeared for a particular query, location, device and time. It is a snapshot, not a universal ranking measurement or proof of why Google selected one result over another. Compare such observations with the available Search Console data rather than treating an incognito search as definitive.
Content Quality Review Alongside Schema Review
Every time we review structured data for a client, we review the actual page content it describes at the same time. If an FAQ answer is vague, generic, or clearly written to game the format rather than help a reader, we rewrite it before assuming a schema fix alone will solve the display problem.
A Practical Checklist Before You Trust a “Pass”
- Confirm that the intended Google search feature is currently supported.
- Test representative live URLs and review the errors the test actually reports.
- Check the broader Schema.org vocabulary and whether the markup matches visible content.
- Review existing theme, plugin and page-level output for duplicate or contradictory entities.
- Use Search Console’s available validation and performance reports for their different purposes, then document any dated search-result observations.
Common Mistakes We See Businesses Make Here
A technical pass is not proof that the whole website is error-free. A single-page test can miss differences across templates, and correct markup cannot compensate for misleading business information or an unrelated offer. Review the actual page and its rendered output rather than adding another schema block by default.
When an answer, price or business detail changes, update its structured-data representation as well. Where several tools describe the same service differently, choose an authoritative implementation and remove the conflict instead of maintaining parallel copies.
How This Plays Out Across Different Schema Types
Choose types that describe the actual page. A service landing page and an informational article need different primary descriptions. Product markup should not be used merely to make an agency service look eligible for review stars.
Google’s review-snippet guidelines exclude self-serving reviews of an Organization or LocalBusiness from review-star eligibility. A business displaying reviews about itself does not become eligible simply because its review count is genuine or the reviews appear in a third-party widget.
FAQ and HowTo content can still help readers, but their retired Google rich-result features should not be presented as current benefits. For any supported feature, check its specific requirements and whether the visible information matches the markup.
What a pass tells you, in short
The Rich Results Test is one useful check, not a verdict on content quality, every Schema.org type or future search performance. The practical sequence is to check current feature support, validate the applicable markup, inspect the visible content and review actual search data where available.
For help implementing improvements, our technical and on-page SEO services connect structured-data review with useful service content, internal links and enquiry paths.
Technical guidance reviewed September 11, 2026. Google’s current documentation is linked alongside the relevant explanations above.
Frequently asked questions
What is Google's Rich Results Test, and what does it read?
It is a free Google tool that checks whether a live URL or a pasted code snippet contains structured data eligible for Google rich results. It reads JSON-LD, Microdata and RDFa, can test as a smartphone or desktop crawler, and lists each item it finds as valid, valid with warnings or invalid. Smartphone is the default and matches how Google indexes most sites.
How do you fix a validation error in Google's Rich Results Test?
An error means a required property is missing or malformed, so that item is not eligible. Correct it in the template or plugin that prints the markup, run the test again, then request indexing for the URL through URL Inspection in Search Console. Warnings come second: they flag missing recommended properties, which you should add only where the information is real and shown on the page.
Why use the Schema Markup Validator as well as Google's rich results tool?
Google's tool checks only the structured data that can produce a Google rich result. The Schema Markup Validator checks any Schema.org markup against the full vocabulary, without Google's eligibility checks. Use the validator to confirm markup is well formed and complete, and Google's test to see what Google can use.
Why does a page that passes still show no rich result on Google?
Passing means the markup is eligible, and Google states that correct markup does not ensure display. The page still has to meet Google's quality requirements, and the markup must match what visitors can see. Check as well that the search feature you are aiming for is still supported.
Do FAQ and HowTo rich results still appear in Google search?
No. Google's documentation update log gives May 7, 2026 as the date FAQ rich results stopped appearing, and HowTo results were retired earlier, on September 13, 2023. Useful questions and answers can stay on your page for readers, but adding more FAQ markup will not bring the feature back.
Which Google Search Console reports help after running a rich results test?
The rich result reports show detected structured data, valid and invalid items and issues to fix, though they do not list every piece of markup on every page. For clicks, impressions and search appearance breakdowns, use the Performance report and filter by date range, page, device and appearance. Neither report promises that a future search will look the same.
Can Google's rich results testing tool check markup before a page goes live?
Yes. Choose Code instead of URL and paste the markup to test it before publishing. Once the page is live and reachable by Google, test the URL too and view the rendered HTML and screenshot, which show whether scripts or blocked resources hid the markup.
Can a business earn review stars by marking up reviews about itself?
Google's review snippet guidelines exclude self-serving reviews of an Organization or LocalBusiness from review stars. Genuine review counts or a third-party widget do not change that. Product markup should not be used to make an agency or other service look eligible either.
Is code from a schema markup generator enough if the test passes?
A pass only confirms the technical checks. Review the service, author, business details and any prices against the visible page, since an obsolete offer does not become reliable because the JSON is valid. Also look for duplicate or contradictory entities printed by your theme, plugins and page-level code, and keep one authoritative version.