What is the Duplicate without user-selected canonical error and how to solve it?

You may encounter the error 'Duplicate without user-selected canonical' when reviewing Google Search Console reports. This issue means that Google doesn't know which page to consider as the canonical version, and as a result, it may not index the page correctly. In this article, we’ll show you how to fix this problem using the canonical tag and other methods.

How to Find the 'Duplicate without user-selected canonical' Error?

To find the error, follow these steps:

1. Log into Google Search Console
2. In the Pages section, scroll down and you’ll be able to see this error.

Causes of the 'Duplicate Without User-Selected Canonical' Error

This error occurs when Google finds similar or duplicate pages and doesn’t know which one to index as the canonical version. The causes can include not using a canonical tag, having additional parameters in the URL, or pages with non-unique content.

Here are the main causes listed below:

1. Similar or Duplicate Pages: When Google finds similar or duplicate pages with identical content and doesn't know which one to select as the canonical version.
2. URL Parameters: When parameters like ?page=1 or ?target=blank are added to the pages, and Google isn’t sure if these versions are duplicates or not.
3. Not Using the Canonical Tag: If you haven’t specified a canonical tag for similar pages, Google can’t identify the main version.
4. Pages Without Unique Content: Pages with very similar or copied content where Google can't differentiate between them.
5. Pages with Different Structures (e.g., Mobile Version): Sometimes, Google considers mobile and desktop versions as separate pages, even if there's no content difference.

How to Fix the 'Duplicate Without User-Selected Canonical' Error?

To resolve the "Duplicate without user-selected canonical" error, you can try the following methods:

1. Use the Canonical Tag: Add the canonical tag to similar pages and specify the main version so Google knows which page should be indexed.
2. 301 Redirect: Redirect pages with similar content to the main page so Google recognizes one as the canonical version.
3. Remove or Modify URL Parameters: Remove parameters that create duplicate pages or use Google Search Console settings to manage them.
4. Use a Fixed URL for Mobile and Desktop Versions: Make sure the mobile and desktop versions have the same fixed URL so Google doesn’t treat them as separate pages.
5. Update the Sitemap: Check your sitemap and include only the main, non-duplicate pages.
6. CMS Settings: Use your CMS settings (like WordPress or other systems) to prevent the creation of duplicate pages.

<link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/page-original" />