Search Console
Search Console
Duplicate Without User-Selected Canonical
The Search Console status that appears when Google finds a duplicate page but you haven't declared a canonical, so Google chooses one for you.
rel=canonical, explained
Everything about the canonical tag
The canonical tag (rel="canonical") tells search engines which URL to index when the same content is reachable from several addresses. CanonicalTag.com is a plain-English reference to what it is, the Search Console issues it causes, and how to set it correctly on every major platform.
Featured
Start where it matters
The canonical questions people search for most, from Search Console statuses to platform setup.
CMS Platform
WordPress
Canonical Tags in WordPress
How WordPress core handles canonicals on singular content, what it leaves out, and how to add or override them with or without a plugin.
Search Console
Search Console
Alternate Page With Proper Canonical Tag
The reassuring Search Console status: your page correctly points to another canonical, and Google is consolidating it exactly as intended.
CMS Platform
Shopify
Canonical Tags in Shopify
How Shopify auto-generates canonicals, the collection-versus-product URL behavior, and how to customize the tag in theme.liquid.
Edge Case
Best practice
Self-Referencing Canonical Tags
A canonical tag that points a page at its own URL, the recommended baseline that removes ambiguity from parameter and variant URLs.
CMS Platform
WordPress plugin
Canonical URLs in Yoast SEO
How Yoast SEO adds self-referencing canonicals across your whole WordPress site, where to override them, and how to fix a wrong canonical.
Two ways in
Fix an issue, or set it up right
Whether Google Search Console flagged a canonical status or you just need the correct tag on your CMS, start with the right track.
Diagnose
Canonical issues & fixes
Duplicate without user-selected canonical, alternate page with proper canonical tag, canonical vs noindex, pagination, and the other scenarios that show up in audits and Search Console.
Implement
Canonical tags by platform
Step-by-step canonical setup for WordPress, Yoast SEO, Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, Magento, Next.js, and React — including what each platform does automatically.
By topic
Browse the whole reference
Google Search Console Statuses
5 pagesThe canonical states you see in the GSC Page indexing report, what each one means, and how to respond.
Duplicate Without User-Selected Canonical Alternate Page With Proper Canonical Tag Google Chose a Different Canonical Submitted URL Not Selected as Canonical User-Declared vs Google-Selected
Conflicts & Edge Cases
6 pagesHow the canonical tag interacts with noindex, pagination, hreflang, redirects, and other signals.
Self-Referencing Canonicals Canonical and Noindex Canonicals and Pagination Cross-Domain Canonicals Multiple Canonical Tags Canonical to a Bad Target
CMS & Website Platforms
7 pagesSetting and controlling the canonical tag in the major content management systems and site builders.
WordPress Shopify Yoast SEO Wix Squarespace Webflow Magento / Adobe Commerce
Learn it properly
Nine in-depth canonical guides
From "what is a canonical tag" to canonicalization in SEO, rel=canonical syntax, canonical vs 301 redirect, and hreflang — the concepts behind every fix on this site.