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Google has released its first core update for 2026, specifically targeting Google Discover. Named the February 2026 Discover core update, it will be rolled out gradually over the next two weeks, initially affecting users in the United States in English. The update will eventually expand to include all countries and languages.
Google described this as a broad system update designed to improve how articles are surfaced in Discover. The main focus of this update is to prioritize more locally relevant content from websites based in a user’s country, reduce the prominence of sensational or clickbait material, and promote more in-depth, original, and timely content from authoritative sources within specific niches.
This update could influence traffic patterns for non-US publishers that publish news tailored for a US audience. While some websites may see a decline in visibility, especially if they rely on clickbait or sensational headlines, others that produce high-quality, expert content may be elevated within their regional audiences over time.
It’s worth noting that Google has not previously announced a Discover-focused core update explicitly, although Discover is impacted by regular core updates. The announcement has sparked significant discussion among site owners about changes in traffic and visibility, with some reporting sharp declines across search, images, news, and Discover.
John Mueller from Google explained that the system assesses expertise on a topic-by-topic basis. For example, a local news site with a dedicated gardening section can be recognized for its authority in gardening, even if it covers other subjects. Conversely, a site that only wrote a single gardening article would likely not gain that same recognition. Google intends to continue personalizing Discover content based on user preferences and source signals. As with previous core updates, fluctuations in traffic are expected — some sites may see increases, others decreases, and some may experience little to no change.
The rollout is scheduled to begin in the US with English-language content and will take up to two weeks to complete before expanding globally. The impact and results of this update should become clearer as the rollout progresses and more data is gathered.
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