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Why Google Still Shows Your Site as Under Construction (And How to Fix It)

33 threads Sep 7, 2025 Plugin → Under construction

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If you've recently launched your WordPress site after using the 'Under Construction' plugin, you might be frustrated to find that Google search results still display the old "Under Construction" message, title, or the plugin's gear icon favicon. This is a very common experience, as seen across numerous support threads.

This article explains why this happens and provides the most effective steps to resolve it.

Why Does This Happen?

The core issue is not with your live website, but with Google's cached version of it. Search engines like Google do not instantly update their records every time a website changes. Instead, they periodically crawl the web and store (or "cache") information about pages. If your site was in under construction mode when Google last crawled it, that cached data—including the title, meta description, and favicon—is what will be displayed in search results until the next crawl occurs.

It is important to note that if the 'Under Construction' plugin is completely deactivated or deleted from your site, it is no longer active and cannot block search engines. The problem is almost always the stale data in Google's index.

How to Fix It: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Verify Your Site is Live and Correct

First, double-check that your site is functioning correctly for new visitors.

  • Open your website in an incognito or private browsing window.
  • Ask a friend or family member who has never visited your site to look at it.
  • Use an online tool like Site24x7 to see your site from a remote server.

If the site appears correctly in these tests, you have confirmed the issue is with Google's cache and not your live site.

Step 2: Use Google Search Console (The Fastest Method)

Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool that gives you direct access to request that Google recrawl your pages.

  1. Ensure your site is verified in Google Search Console.
  2. Navigate to the URL Inspection tool.
  3. Enter the URL of your homepage (e.g., https://yourwebsite.com/).
  4. Click "Request Indexing" or "Request Recraw".

This process does not guarantee an instant update, but it is the most direct way to prompt Google to refresh its data for a specific page. As noted in the support threads, this can sometimes work within an hour, but it may also take several days.

Step 3: Be Patient

Google's crawlers operate on their own schedule. Even without any action on your part, they will eventually recrawl your site and update their index automatically. This typically happens within a few days to a week, but in some rare cases, it can take longer.

What Doesn't Work (Common Misconceptions)

  • Clearing Your Browser Cache: This only affects what you see on your own computer. It does not impact what Google shows to the world.
  • Reinstalling or Adjusting the Plugin: If the plugin is deactivated, further changes to it will have no effect.
  • Immediate Results from Search Console: Submitting a request is a suggestion to Google, not a command. Crawlers may not act on it immediately.

When to Look Elsewhere for the Problem

In very rare cases, if weeks have passed and Google still shows the wrong information, the issue might be unrelated to the cache.

  • Check your robots.txt file: Ensure it is not blocking search engines from accessing your site. You can check it by visiting yoursite.com/robots.txt.
  • Review Caching Plugins: Clear the cache of any other caching plugins you have installed (e.g., WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache).
  • Check Your Theme's Settings: Some themes have their own built-in maintenance mode or meta tag settings that might need to be adjusted.

By following these steps, you can effectively manage the transition of your site in Google's index from "Under Construction" to fully launched.

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