Self-referencing
The page points to itself
That can be appropriate for a distinct page. It does not confirm Google has selected it or that the page is indexed.
Make the preferred version clear
Which version does your page point to?
Filters, campaign parameters and duplicate paths can describe the same page. See the canonical your site declares and spot signals that disagree.
Inspect a canonical
Canonical Checker
Check the exact version you want to understand.
Enter a public page URL. The tool follows HTTP redirects, then inspects the returned HTML and HTTP Link headers for canonical declarations.
02 / Compare the signals
Your canonical report
Enter a URL to inspect its declared canonical.
Understand the report
Read the declaration in context.
A different canonical can be deliberate. Start with what the page is meant to do, then compare its declarations.
Another URL
A preferred version is declared
Check whether the pages are duplicates or close variants. The tool does not fetch the target, so check its response and indexing signals separately.
Missing or conflicting
There is a decision to make
A missing canonical alone is not proof of an indexing failure. Conflicting declarations are a reason to inspect how the page and headers are generated.
Illustrative example
Two sources should tell one story.
Illustrative example: a filtered product URL declares one preferred version in HTML and another in an HTTP header. The conflicting signals need investigation.
URL being checked
https://example.com/shirt?colour=blueThe page variant someone opened.
HTML canonical
https://example.com/shirtThe HTML points to the main product.
HTTP Link canonical
https://example.com/clothingThe header points to a different page.
Review the template, SEO settings and server headers together. Confirm which page is genuinely equivalent before choosing a preferred URL.
Before you move on
Check the destination, not just the tag.
Compare like with like
Decide whether the checked page and its declared target serve the same content and visitor intent.
Inspect the preferred URL
Run the target through Redirect Checker and Indexability Checker. This report alone cannot establish whether that target is available or indexable.
Verify what Google selected
Use Search Console URL Inspection for Google’s view. A declared canonical is a signal, not a guarantee of the selected URL.
Your questions
Know what the check can tell you.
Does this show Google’s selected canonical?
No. It reports declarations in the fetched response. Google’s selected canonical needs to be checked separately in Search Console.
Can a relative canonical be valid?
A relative declaration can resolve against a base URL. The report shows the raw and resolved values so you can confirm the destination; absolute URLs are easier to review consistently.
Does the checker render JavaScript?
No. It inspects returned HTML and HTTP headers. A canonical inserted or changed only after JavaScript runs may differ from what this report sees.
Your page versions should work together.
If templates, filters or migrations are creating conflicting signals, send us a sample URL and the report. We can help identify where the declarations come from.
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