Google Search Profiles Follow Button Removed From Desktop

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Google search profiles follow button disappearing from desktop results

By NewSunSEO September 30, 2026

Readers searching on desktop can still follow a publisher or creator’s Search profile, but the button that made it a one-click action has quietly disappeared from the desktop results page. The Follow button is still visible on mobile Knowledge panels, so the difference right now is a device split rather than a full shutdown.

What changed on the desktop results page

The desktop Google search results page stopped showing the Follow control on Search profiles. Search profiles are the public listings that let a publisher, creator, or brand appear with a followable identity inside Google Search. Removing the button from desktop breaks the fastest path to subscribing on that device, since a user has to take extra steps inside a Knowledge panel or open the profile directly to follow the same entity.

The same Search profile on a mobile browser still shows the Follow button inside its Knowledge panel, so the feature itself is not gone. Only the desktop surface lost the entry point for several days.

When the change was noticed and what happened next

The change was first flagged in late September 2026, when the Follow button was missing from desktop results for multiple days. A day later, the button had returned to the same desktop layout. The temporary disappearance still matters because it is a sign that Google is testing the placement, and the desktop entry point can go away without warning.

Why a desktop Follow button matters for publishers and creators

Followers on a Search profile receive alerts when that publisher or brand publishes new content through Search. Losing the desktop button, even briefly, lowers the rate at which casual desktop searchers become subscribers.

For brands and creators who rely on Search profile followers to drive repeat traffic, the takeaway is straightforward. Treat the mobile Knowledge panel and the profile page itself as primary follow surfaces, and build direct calls to action into the content that earns the profile, since the desktop button is not a guaranteed entry point.

How to follow a Google Search profile from desktop right now

If the Follow button is missing on a desktop result, the same profile still works through two paths:

Open the profile page directly and use the Follow control there.
Switch to a mobile browser or the Google app and use the Follow button inside the Knowledge panel.

Both routes reach the same underlying follower list, so any subscriber gained on mobile still counts toward the Search profile’s audience.

What to watch next

The brief reappearance a day after the removal suggests Google is iterating on the placement rather than retiring it. Publishers and creators should keep an eye on the desktop results page for the same entity and confirm whether the Follow button is present, because future tests could remove it again for a longer window. The mobile button is the safer bet for follow growth in the meantime, and the profile page itself remains a dependable fallback on every device.

FAQ

Did Google remove the Follow button from Search profiles?

The Follow button disappeared from desktop Google Search results for several days in late September 2026, while mobile results continued to show it inside Knowledge panels. It later returned to the desktop page.

Can you still follow a Google Search profile on mobile?

Yes. Mobile Google Search results still show the Follow button on Knowledge panels for Search profiles, so users can follow publishers and creators from a phone or tablet browser.

Why does the Follow button matter for publishers?

Followers receive alerts when a Search profile publishes new content, giving publishers a direct channel to readers that does not depend on ranking signals or algorithm updates.