If you’ve recently noticed a sudden drop in impressions on Google Search Console — especially on desktop — you’re not alone.

In early September 2025, Google silently disabled the &num=100 parameter, a little-known feature that allowed users (and tools) to view more than the default 10 results per page in search results.

While this change may seem minor, it has significant implications for how SEO tools track rankings and how we interpret impression and position data. If you monitor SEO performance across many keywords, this could be affecting your reports — even if your actual rankings or traffic haven’t changed.

Let’s break down what this parameter was, why Google removed it, and what you need to know to adapt.

What Was the &num=100 Parameter?

The &num=100 parameter was a URL modifier used by SEOs, tools, and power users to increase the number of Google search results shown per page — from the standard 10 up to 100.

Here’s how it worked:

• A standard search query might look like:
  https://www.google.com/search?q=seo+tips

• Adding &num=100 would show 100 results on one page:
  https://www.google.com/search?q=seo+tips&num=100

This was especially useful for rank tracking tools, scrapers, and SEOs monitoring long-tail performance. It made it easier (and faster) to check whether a page was ranking within the top 100 results, even if it wasn’t in the top 10 or 20.

What Just Changed (and Why It Matters)

As of September 2025, Google has removed support for the &num=100 parameter across both desktop and mobile search.

Now, trying to add &num=100 to any search URL no longer changes the number of results shown. The page still displays only 10 results by default, regardless of the parameter.

Why does this matter?

• SEO tools that relied on &num=100 can no longer scrape deep results (positions 11–100) as efficiently.

• Fewer impressions are being recorded in Search Console, especially for desktop searches.

• Your average position may appear to improve, since irrelevant impressions on page 2–10 are no longer being counted.

• There’s no longer a way to manually or programmatically access the “top 100” results in one go — tools must paginate or rethink scraping.

What the Data Shows: Drops, Spikes & Confusion

Since Google quietly removed the &num=100 parameter, SEOs and tool providers have reported a sudden drop in desktop impressions — particularly for lower-ranked queries.

Here’s what’s happening:

1. Impression Drops (Especially on Desktop)

When users or bots previously loaded 100 results per page, any page ranking between positions 11–100 could earn an “impression” in Search Console. Now, with only 10 results shown by default, those deeper results don’t load immediately, so Google no longer counts them as impressions.

“Across many properties, desktop impressions dropped dramatically while clicks stayed the same.”
– Search Engine Land, Sept 2025

2. Improved Average Position

With fewer low-ranking impressions counted, your average position might appear better than before — even if rankings haven’t changed.

What Hasn’t Changed

• Your actual Google rankings are unaffected.
  
• Traffic and clicks haven’t dropped.
  
• This is purely a reporting and visibility shift.

Example:

A page previously ranked #48 for a keyword. When people used &num=100, that page received impressions. Now it doesn’t, so impressions drop, average position rises, but actual traffic is unchanged.

Why Did Google Make This Change?

Google hasn’t made an official announcement, but based on industry analysis, there are several likely reasons for removing the &num=100 parameter:

1. Bot & Scraper Suppression

This parameter made it easy for SEO tools to scrape deep SERPs — pulling positions 1 to 100 in one call. Google may want to limit this scraping to reduce server load or protect its search data.

2. Cleaner & More Accurate Data

By default, users only see 10 results per page. Recording impressions for results far down the page — many of which users never scrolled to — may have inflated metrics or misrepresented visibility.

3. Focus on Real User Behavior

This change might be part of a broader trend: measuring what real users see and engage with, not what bots or tools scrape. It aligns with Google’s shift toward experience-driven SEO (e.g., Core Web Vitals, Helpful Content updates).

4. AI & SERP Evolution

Google is investing heavily in AI-driven SERP features (e.g., SGE/AI Overviews). Reducing reliance on old-school scraping methods may be part of preparing for a more dynamic, answer-first search experience.

What You Should Do Now

While the removal of &num=100 may shake up your reports, it’s not a crisis — it’s a chance to evolve your approach.

Here’s what you should do:

Rebaseline Your SEO Reports: Note September 2025 as a reporting shift. Compare post-change data to adjusted expectations, not previous metrics inflated by deep-SERP impressions.

Focus on Clicks & Conversions: Clicks, engagement, and revenue matter more than visibility. If those haven’t dropped, you’re still winning.

Update Stakeholder Dashboards: Clients or executives might panic over impression drops. Proactively explain that this is a technical change, not a ranking or traffic issue.

Review Your SEO Tools: Check how your rank tracking or reporting tools handle the change. Some may update crawl logic, others may inflate pricing due to added pagination.

Shift Toward Outcome-Based SEO: This change reinforces Google’s direction: rewarding quality, relevance, and UX over keyword spamming or vanity metrics.

Use this moment to align your SEO strategy with what actually drives business growth.

FAQs

1. Is this a bug or a permanent change?

It’s permanent. Google has intentionally disabled the &num=100 parameter across all search environments.

2. Are my rankings actually improving if my average position is better?

Not necessarily. Average position may improve simply because lower-ranked impressions are no longer counted, not because your pages are ranking higher.

3. Why did impressions drop but traffic didn’t?

Because impressions from pages 2–10 (positions 11–100) are no longer being recorded. Your clicks stayed the same because most clicks happen on page 1 anyway.

4. Will this impact mobile or just desktop?

Both desktop and mobile are affected — though the impression drop is often more visible on desktop, where rank trackers used &num=100 more frequently.

5. Do I need to change how I track rankings?

Possibly. Tools may need to switch to paginated tracking or shallow SERP analysis. Some smaller tools might stop tracking beyond page 2–3 due to increased costs.

SEO Is Changing — Focus on What Matters

Google’s removal of the &num=100 parameter is another reminder that search is evolving.

Data that once felt reliable can shift overnight. But your SEO strategy doesn’t need to.

Focus on what actually drives growth:

• Useful content

• Clear messaging

• Solid user experience

• Conversions — not just clicks

Stay calm, stay curious, and keep tracking the metrics that move your business forward.

Need Help With SEO?

Google keeps changing the rules — but you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Work with our SEO team to keep your traffic steady, fix reporting issues, and focus on what really matters: getting results.

Get in touch with us to improve your SEO and grow your business.