Google Mobile-Friendly Test is gone: what to use instead
Google retired the Mobile-Friendly Test and the Mobile Usability report in December 2023. Here's how to check a page is mobile-friendly now — and what Google actually looks at.
For years, "Google Mobile-Friendly Test" was the first thing people searched to check a site on phones. On 1 December 2023 Google retired it — along with its API and the Mobile Usability report in Search Console. Mobile-friendliness didn't stop mattering, though: Google now indexes the mobile version of almost every site first. Here's how to check it today.
What the old test checked
The Mobile-Friendly Test flagged a handful of problems. They're still the right things to look for:
| Old warning | How to check now |
|---|---|
| Viewport not set | View source for <meta name="viewport">; Lighthouse also flags it. Guide |
| Content wider than screen | Look for sideways scrolling on narrow phones in AKCLNT Responsive Checker. Guide |
| Text too small to read | Read the page on a 360px phone without zooming. |
| Clickable elements too close together | Check buttons and links are at least ~44px and spaced. Guide |
| Uses incompatible plugins | Flash is long gone — replace any remaining plugin content with HTML5. |
1. Look at it: a visual checker
Layout bugs are visual, so start by looking. Paste your URL into AKCLNT Responsive Checker, load the Big 3 preset, then a small Android (Galaxy S24, 360px) and a large iPhone. Work through the visual issue checklist under the preview — it covers the same ground as the old test, and failed items link straight to the fix.
2. Lighthouse / PageSpeed Insights
Run PageSpeed Insights on your URL, or open Chrome DevTools → Lighthouse → Mobile. You get:
- Core Web Vitals from real Chrome users (when your site has enough traffic) — LCP, INP and CLS.
- Performance, Accessibility, Best Practices and SEO audits run on an emulated mid-range phone, including a check for the viewport meta tag.
3. Search Console URL Inspection
In Search Console, paste a URL into the inspection bar and choose Test live URL → View tested page. You'll see the screenshot and HTML as Googlebot Smartphone renders them — the best way to confirm Google sees your real content and not a blank or blocked page. While you're there, submit your sitemap under Sitemaps.
4. A real phone
Nothing replaces scrolling through your page on an actual phone. Press ▣ QR in AKCLNT Responsive Checker to open it in a second. See testing without a phone for simulator and emulator options.
A 5-minute mobile-friendly check
- Viewport meta tag present.
- No horizontal scroll at 360px.
- Body text 16px or larger; no zooming needed.
- Buttons and links easy to tap, with space between them.
- Nothing important hidden behind sticky bars, pop-ups or the notch.
- PageSpeed Insights mobile score reviewed; Core Web Vitals passing or improving.
FAQ
Is Google's Mobile-Friendly Test still available?
No. Google retired the Mobile-Friendly Test tool, its API and the Search Console Mobile Usability report on December 1, 2023.
What replaced the Google Mobile-Friendly Test?
Google points site owners to Lighthouse (in Chrome DevTools and PageSpeed Insights) for mobile quality, and the URL Inspection tool in Search Console to see how Googlebot Smartphone renders a page. A visual checker like AKCLNT Responsive Checker covers the layout side.
Does mobile-friendliness still affect Google rankings?
Yes. Google uses mobile-first indexing, so it primarily crawls and evaluates the mobile version of your pages, and page experience signals like Core Web Vitals are measured on mobile.
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