Summary：Google Says Canonical Re-Evaluation Can Take Up to Two Weeks via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern **Intro

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Google Says Canonical Re-Evaluation Can Take Up to Two Weeks via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

**Introduction**
Search engine professionals often wrestle with duplicate content issues, waiting for Google to recognize the preferred version of a page after fixes are applied. The search giant has now clarified a critical timing factor: canonical re‑evaluation can linger for as long as fourteen days. This update, added to Google’s canonicalization troubleshooting guide, offers SEOs a clearer expectation when diagnosing ranking fluctuations caused by duplicate clusters.

**Key Developments**
The revised guidance states that, once you correct the underlying cause—whether by adjusting rel=canonical tags, consolidating URLs, or removing duplicate content—Google may still treat the pages as part of a duplicate cluster for up to two weeks before fully re‑assessing which URL should be indexed. The document emphasizes that the delay is not a penalty but a reflection of Google’s crawling and indexing cadence, which prioritizes stability over instantaneous change. Webmasters are advised to monitor the Index Coverage report in Search Console and to avoid making repeated canonical changes during this window, as each adjustment can reset the re‑evaluation timer.

**Industry Analysis**
Industry experts note that the two‑week window aligns with observed patterns in large‑scale site migrations, where ranking shifts often stabilize after a similar period. By publishing this timeframe, Google reduces guesswork and helps SEOs plan more