HowTo Guide: Deprecated Rich Results and Current Status

Bottom Line: HowTo Rich Results Are SunsetGoogle deprecated HowTo rich results in 2023—first limiting to desktop only, then completely stopping display, and the Search Console HowTo report was removed. Even with perfectly valid markup, step-by-step rich cards will no longer be generated.

This article differs from other type guides: its purpose isn't to teach you "how to get HowTo cards" but to clarify the status of a deprecated feature, helping you avoid wasting effort on a discontinued direction. Understanding why a type was sunset and what to do next is itself part of structured data literacy.

What Happened#

HowTo was used to mark up step-by-step tutorials for rich cards that could expand directly in search results. In 2023, Google took a two-step approach: first limiting HowTo rich results to desktop-only display, then announcing complete discontinuation of the rich result and removing the corresponding enhancement report from Search Console.

Official documentation (retaining historical and status information): Google Search Central: HowTo structured data. Always refer to the official documentation for current status.

What This Means for You#

Scenario	Current Status	Recommendation
New pages considering HowTo for cards	No longer generates rich display	Don't invest; use Article instead
Existing pages with HowTo markup	Deprecated, typically no penalty	Clean up during maintenance
Recipe steps using HowToStep	Still valid	Continue per Recipe rules
Search Console HowTo report	Removed	No longer monitor this report

Should You Delete Old Markup#

No urgent deletion needed. Deprecated HowTo markup won't generate rich results but typically won't incur penalties. A pragmatic approach:

During next page maintenance, remove HowTo blocks added purely for HowTo cards;
If HowToStep is part of still-valid types like Recipe, keep it and follow that type's rules;
Don't launch large-scale changes solely to "clean deprecated markup"—handle it incrementally.

Historical Field Structure (Reference Only)#

Below is the typical HowTo structure, for understanding history and migration decisions only—not recommended for new implementations seeking cards.

how-to-legacy.json

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "HowTo",
  "name": "How to Add JSON-LD to a Page",
  "totalTime": "PT10M",
  "tool": [
    { "@type": "HowToTool", "name": "Code editor" }
  ],
  "supply": [
    { "@type": "HowToSupply", "name": "Page HTML" }
  ],
  "step": [
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Prepare data",
      "text": "Organize the fields your page will express.",
      "url": "https://example.com/guide#step1"
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Write to script tag",
      "text": "Place JSON-LD inside application/ld+json.",
      "url": "https://example.com/guide#step2"
    }
  ]
}

Field meanings: step (required steps, HowToStep), HowToSection (step grouping), HowToTool (tools), HowToSupply (materials), totalTime (ISO 8601 duration). Note that HowToStep as a component remains valid in Recipe.

How to Handle Tutorial Pages Now#

Most tutorial articles: use Article + BreadcrumbList;
Recipe content: use Recipe, steps via HowToStep;
Pages with genuine Q&A sections: can add FAQPage (note Google has also tightened FAQ display);
Write content clearly: clear heading hierarchy, ordered steps, images—more valuable to users and search engines than chasing discontinued cards.

Patterns Over One-OffsRich results come and go over time. Before investing in any type, always check current official documentation status first—not copy outdated tutorials. See Structured Data Guidelines & Pitfalls for related methods.

Why This Site Doesn't Implement HowTo#

HowTo rich results have been sunset—marking it up separately no longer brings any display and creates the illusion that it's still functional. As a tutorial article, this page uses Article, BreadcrumbList, FAQPage—the current honest, effective approach.

HowTo Decision Checklist#

Known that HowTo rich results were sunset in 2023
Don't write new HowTo markup seeking cards
Clean up old HowTo markup during maintenance
Keep HowToStep in Recipe, follow Recipe rules
Use Article + BreadcrumbList for tutorial pages
Stop monitoring the removed HowTo report
Always check official documentation current status before investing in any type

Frequently Asked Questions#

Are HowTo rich results still available?

No. Google announced the gradual deprecation of HowTo rich results in 2023: first limiting to desktop-only display, then completely stopping display. This means even fully valid HowTo structured data won't generate step-by-step rich cards anymore. The HowTo enhancement report in Search Console has also been removed.

Should I delete existing HowTo structured data?

No urgent deletion needed. Invalid old markup won't bring rich display but typically won't incur penalties. You can clean up markup added purely for HowTo cards during next maintenance, focusing effort on types that still have rich effects. If HowTo is nested within still-valid structures like Recipe steps, handle it according to that type's rules.

Do tutorial pages still need structured data?

Tutorial pages should still use appropriate structured data, but the focus is no longer on HowTo. Most tutorial articles work with Article plus BreadcrumbList; for recipes use Recipe, where steps expressed via HowToStep remain valid. Writing clear content with clear structure matters more to users and search engines than chasing discontinued cards.

Why doesn't this HowTo article implement HowTo markup?

Because HowTo rich results have been sunset by Google. Marking it up separately no longer brings any rich display and might create the misconception that it's still effective. As a tutorial article, this page uses Article, BreadcrumbList, FAQPage—the current honest, effective best practice.