hreflang
26 established claims - 4 refused by the grounding gate
Verdict
Google continues to support and use hreflang tags, but as of August 24, 2022 it deprecated the Search Console International Targeting report and no longer supports Search Console country targeting. As of December 22, 2025, Google documentation states that hreflang and the HTML lang attribute are not used to detect page language, the three hreflang implementation methods are equivalent, and hreflang tags are ignored unless two pages point to each other; as of July 10, 2026, Google documentation states that for canonicalization it prefers URLs that are part of hreflang clusters. A 2017 Semrush analysis found 58% of multilingual websites had hreflang conflicts within page source code, and a 2023 Ahrefs analysis found 67% of domains using hreflang tags had at least one issue, including 56.3% with pages missing x-default; that Ahrefs analysis also states setting x-default is not required but recommended as a fallback. As of August 10, 2026, Google's Gary Illyes said hreflang alternates are not indexed in the proper sense but are mapped to the indexed canonical page.
Written from the 26 established claims below, then checked against them. How that works.
Documented position10
What the operator of the system says in its own documentation.
Google's canonicalization documentation states that rel="canonical" annotations with hreflang, lang, media and type attributes are not used for canonicalization.
1 quote from 1 source
rel="canonical" annotations that suggest alternate versions of a page are ignored; specifically, rel="canonical" annotations with hreflang , lang , media , and type attributes are not used for canonicalization.
For canonicalization purposes, Google prefers URLs that are part of hreflang clusters.
1 quote from 1 source
To help with sites' localization efforts, for canonicalization purposes Google prefers URLs that are part of hreflang clusters.
Google's documentation 'Tell Google about localized versions of your page' states that Google…
- doesn't use hreflang or the HTML lang attribute to detect the language of a page.
- uses algorithms to determine the language of a page instead of using hreflang or the HTML lang attribute.
1 quote from 1 source
Google doesn't use hreflang or the HTML lang attribute to detect the language of a page; instead, we use algorithms to determine the language.
Google's documentation on localized versions states that…
- the three hreflang methods of indicating language/locale versions are equivalent from Google's perspective.
- using all three hreflang methods at the same time brings no benefit in Search.
1 quote from 1 source
The three methods are equivalent from Google's perspective and you can choose the method that's the most convenient for your site. While you can use all three methods at the same time, there's no benefit in Search (in fact, it maybe be much harder to manage three implementations instead of just picking one).
Google's documentation on localized versions states that hreflang tags will be ignored if two pages don't both point to each other.
1 quote from 1 source
If two pages don't both point to each other, the tags will be ignored. This is so that someone on another site can't arbitrarily create a tag naming itself as an alternative version of one of your pages.
According to John Mueller, hreflang…
- is one of the most complex aspects of SEO (if not the most complex one).
- feels as easy as a meta-tag.
- gets really hard quickly.
1 quote from 1 source
TBH hreflang is one of the most complex aspects of SEO (if not the most complex one). Feels as easy as a meta-tag, but it gets really hard quickly. — John ☆.o(≧▽≦)o.☆ (@JohnMu) February 19, 2018
Measured finding7
Something someone actually measured, with the method attached.
- An Ahrefs study looked at issues on 374,756 different domains that used hreflang tags.
- An Ahrefs study found that 67% of the 374,756 different domains that used hreflang tags have at least one issue.
1 quote from 1 source
In total, we looked at issues on 374,756 different domains that used hreflang tags. Our findings show that 67% of them have at least one issue.
An Ahrefs study of domains using hreflang reports that 56.3% have pages missing x-default.
An Ahrefs study of domains using hreflang reports that 15.3% have pages missing reciprocal tags.
A Semrush study reports that it analyzed 20,000 websites that have multiple language versions using the SEMrush Site Audit tool.
1 quote from 1 source
We analyzed 20,000 websites that have multiple language versions using the SEMrush Site Audit tool - a powerful site auditor that checks websites according to approximately 50 parameters.
58% of multilingual websites have hreflang conflicts within a page source code.
2 quotes from 1 source
We detected these issues on 58% of all analyzed websites.
58% of multilingual websites have hreflang conflicts within a page source code
A Semrush study reports that issues with hreflang values appear on 15% of multilingual websites.
Practical effect6
What is observed to happen in practice, as distinct from what is documented.
Google's Gary Illyes said hreflang alternates…
- become alternate URLs.
- are not in fact indexed in the proper sense.
2 quotes from 1 source
Google's Gary Illyes said that hreflang alternates, hreflang URLs are not "indexed in the proper sense."
hreflang alternates become such alternate URLs: they're not in fact indexed in the proper sense. While the specific URL might not be indexed, the URL is mapped to the canonical page that is indexed.
- Google: Hreflang URLs Not Indexed In The Proper Sense seroundtable.com
An Ahrefs study of hreflang issues states that setting an x-default is…
- not required.
- recommended as a fallback page for users whose language settings do not match any localized version.
1 quote from 1 source
Setting an x-default is not required. But it is recommended if you need a fallback page for users whose language settings don’t match any of your localized versions.
An Ahrefs study of hreflang issues states that self-referencing hreflang tags are…
- more like a best practice.
- not actually required.
1 quote from 1 source
Self-referencing hreflang tags are included in the guidelines . But they’re really more like a best practice and not actually required .
Changed on2
A dated change. This is where advice quietly stops being true.
- Hreflang's International Targeting report has been deprecated.
- Hreflang's targeting of search results to specific countries via Search Console country targeting is no longer supported.
2 quotes from 1 source
The International Targeting report has been deprecated.
Google will continue to support and use hreflang tags on your pages. However, the ability to target search results to specific countries using Search Console country targeting was determined to have little value for the ecosystem, and is no longer supported.
Echoed without a primary source1
Widely repeated in the field, but traceable only to other repetitions. Listed because knowing something is merely echoed is worth as much as knowing it is documented.
An SEO 101 page published by gracker.ai states that a study by Ahrefs revealed that 67% of websites have issues with their hreflang implementation.
1 quote from 1 source
Did you know that a study by Ahrefs revealed that 67% of websites have issues with their hreflang implementation?
Refused4
Claims the research produced that the grounding gate would not accept, with its reason. They are here because a site that only shows what passed gives you no way to judge whether the gate does anything.
Show what was refused
Hreflang's targeting of search results to specific countries via Search Console country targeting was determined to have little value for the ecosystem.
Refused: The quotes explicitly distinguish hreflang tags (which are still supported) from the deprecated Search Console country targeting; the claim conflates the two by attributing the deprecated targeting to hreflang.
Unsupported: Hreflang's targeting
What it rested on
The International Targeting report has been deprecated.
Google will continue to support and use hreflang tags on your pages. However, the ability to target search results to specific countries using Search Console country targeting was determined to have little value for the ecosystem, and is no longer supported.
Google's documentation on localized versions states that even without taking action on hreflang, Google might still find alternate language versions of a page.
Refused: The quote says 'without taking action' but does not mention hreflang, so the claim adds an unsupported specific.
Unsupported: on hreflang
What it rested on
Note that even without taking action, Google might still find alternate language versions of your page, but it is usually best for you to explicitly indicate your language- or region-specific pages.
Google's documentation on localized versions describes that hreflang tells Google about language or region variations.
Refused: The quote says to tell Google about language or region variations but never mentions hreflang, so the claim overreaches by attributing that mechanism.
Unsupported: hreflang
What it rested on
If you have multiple versions of a page for different languages or regions, tell Google about these different variations. Doing so will help Google Search point users to the most appropriate version of your page by language or region.
Google's documentation on localized versions describes that hreflang helps Google Search point users to the most appropriate version of the page by language or region.
Refused: The cited quote says telling Google about variations helps point users to the appropriate version, but it does not mention hreflang.
Unsupported: hreflang
What it rested on
If you have multiple versions of a page for different languages or regions, tell Google about these different variations. Doing so will help Google Search point users to the most appropriate version of your page by language or region.