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Yoast SEO automatically adds canonical URLs to your WordPress website. When you have several posts or pages with similar content, the canonical URL tells search engines which version should be considered the original. In certain situations, you might want to adjust the canonical URL manually. This article explains how to update the canonical URL when using Yoast SEO for WordPress.

How to change the canonical URL: video explanation

Steps to change the canonical URL

To update the canonical URL in WordPress, follow these steps:

Log in to your WordPress website.
You will now be on your Dashboard.

Open the Post, Page, Category, or Tag where you want to modify the canonical URL.
This will take you to the editor for that content.

In the Yoast SEO sidebar, navigate to Advanced.

Locate the Canonical URL field and enter the full canonical address.
Make sure the complete URL is included, starting with http, https, www, or non-www.

Publish, save, or republish the post to apply the new canonical URL.
Once the updated post is published, the canonical change will take effect.

Filtering the canonical output programmatically

If you have coding knowledge, you can also modify the canonical output using code. This can be done with the wpseo_canonical filter. Returning false with this filter will prevent a canonical URL from being generated. Several examples are available to demonstrate how this works.

Issues when changing the canonical URL

Sometimes a canonical tag may not appear on a page. If this happens, check whether the page is set to noindex. When a page has a noindex tag, a canonical tag will not be generated. To fix this, change the page setting so that it is indexed.

FAQs

How to change the canonical URL in Yoast SEO for WordPress

Managing canonical URLs correctly helps search engines understand which version of a page should be considered the primary one. Below are some related FAQs that can help clarify how canonical URLs work when using the Yoast SEO plugin on WordPress.

What is a canonical URL in SEO?
A canonical URL is the preferred version of a webpage that you want search engines to index when there are multiple pages with similar or duplicate content. It helps consolidate ranking signals and prevents duplicate content issues.

Why is the canonical URL important for SEO?
Canonical URLs guide search engines toward the main version of a page. This ensures that ranking signals such as backlinks and relevance are combined instead of being split across multiple duplicate URLs.

When should you change the canonical URL?
You may need to modify the canonical URL when similar content appears on multiple pages, when using filtered or parameter-based URLs, or when republishing content across different sections of a site.

Does Yoast SEO automatically add canonical URLs?
Yes, Yoast SEO automatically generates canonical tags for most pages on a WordPress website. These tags usually point to the page’s own URL unless you manually change them.

Can you remove a canonical URL in Yoast SEO?
In most cases, canonical tags are automatically included and should not be removed. However, advanced users can override or modify them within the plugin settings or by editing the page’s SEO settings.

What happens if the canonical URL is set incorrectly?
If a canonical tag points to the wrong page, search engines might prioritize the incorrect URL. This can affect indexing, cause ranking issues, or prevent the intended page from appearing in search results.

Can canonical URLs point to a different domain?
Yes, canonical URLs can point to a page on another domain. This is often used when the same content appears on multiple websites and you want search engines to recognize the original source.

What is the difference between a canonical tag and a redirect?
A canonical tag tells search engines which page is the preferred version but still allows users to access all versions. A redirect automatically sends visitors and search engines from one URL to another.

Do canonical URLs affect website indexing?
Yes, canonical tags influence how search engines choose which pages to index. When used correctly, they help search engines focus on the most important version of your content.

How can you check if a canonical URL is set correctly?
You can inspect the page source to find the canonical tag, or use SEO tools and browser extensions that display canonical information for a webpage. SEO auditing tools can also help identify canonical issues across a website.