Google has launched the February 2026 core update for its Google Discover content feed in the United States, changing how Discover systems select and rank content for English language users. Google announced the update on its Search Central Blog and also listed it on the public Search Status Dashboard in February 2026.
Key details: February 2026 Google Discover core update
Google describes this release as a broad core update focused on its Discover recommendation systems, intended to improve the overall quality and relevance of content shown in the feed.
The rollout currently targets users in the United States who use Discover in English. Google plans to extend the update to additional countries and languages but has not published a schedule for that broader rollout.
- Google has named the change the "February 2026 Discover core update".
- The update applies to the Discover feed that surfaces articles, videos, and other content based on user interests.
- Google lists the update on the Search Status Dashboard as an incident affecting ranking systems.
- According to Google, the Discover rollout may take up to two weeks to complete.
- Google directs site owners to its existing core update guidance and Discover documentation for applicable best practices.
Rollout scope and background context
The update is currently limited to Discover users in the United States with English language settings. Users in other regions are expected to receive the updated experience once Google extends coverage to more markets and languages, but the company has not shared launch dates for those later phases.
In its announcement, Google links to its documentation on core updates and separate guidance on Discover. These documents explain how Google evaluates content quality and how publishers can become eligible to appear in the Discover feed. Google reiterates that the same guidance applies to this update, without introducing new requirements.
Google Discover is a personalized feed available in the Google app and on some mobile home screens. It surfaces content such as news articles, videos, and web pages based on a user's activity and interests. Traffic from Discover appears separately in Google Search Console under the Discover performance reports.
Google uses the term core update for broad changes to its ranking systems that occur several times per year. These updates typically involve adjustments to multiple signals rather than targeting specific pages or sites. Google characterizes the February 2026 release as a core update focused specifically on the systems that power Discover.
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