HowTo schema, explained (and why Google no longer uses it)
HowTo marks up step-by-step instructions. Google limited How-to rich results to desktop in August 2023 and removed the documentation in September 2023 because the rich result was no longer shown, so HowTo markup produces nothing in Google Search today. It remains valid schema.org; keep it only if it matches steps visible on the page.
What happened
- 8 August 2023: Google announced How-to rich results would only be shown on desktop, not mobile (Google blog).
- 14 September 2023: Google "removed the How-to structured data documentation, as this rich result is no longer shown in search results, on both desktop and mobile devices" (Search Central updates).
Google said at the time that unused structured data doesn't cause problems for Search, so there's no need to rip it out.
What it's for now
Schema.org's HowTo is "instructions that explain how to achieve a result by performing a sequence of steps". It still describes a procedure in a structured way for any system that reads it. The steps themselves should be clear numbered text on the page, which is what people and AI assistants actually read.
Key properties (schema.org)
| Property | What it holds | |
|---|---|---|
name |
What the instructions achieve. | No longer used |
step |
HowToStep items (with text, optional name, url, image), or HowToSections grouping steps. |
No longer used |
supply, tool |
HowToSupply and HowToTool items. |
No longer used |
totalTime |
ISO 8601 duration, e.g. PT30M. |
No longer used |
estimatedCost |
A MonetaryAmount, if you state one. |
No longer used |
Minimal example
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "HowTo",
"name": "How to shut off your home's main water valve",
"totalTime": "PT5M",
"step": [
{ "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Find the main valve where the water line enters the house." },
{ "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Turn the handle clockwise until it stops." },
{ "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Open a tap to confirm the water is off." }
]
}
Common mistakes
- Adding HowTo to win a rich result. None exists.
- Steps in the markup that aren't on the page.
- Recipes as HowTo. Use Recipe, which Google still supports.
Sources
- schema.org: HowTo, HowToStep
- Google Search Central: Changes to HowTo and FAQ rich results, documentation updates (September 2023)