What does 'Duplicate without user-selected canonical' mean?

It means Google found multiple URLs with the same or very similar content and chose its own 'canonical' (preferred) URL instead of one you explicitly selected.

Usually it's not a penalty. It’s a signal that Google sees duplicates. The goal is to make sure the right version of the page is the one Google keeps.

How do I fix it on Squarespace?

Fix duplicate URL versions (www/non-www, http/https), remove duplicate pages, use 301 redirects where possible, avoid publishing multiple pages with identical copy, and keep internal links consistent to the preferred URL.

Cause & Clarity | Website Design & Automation for Nonprofits & Mission-Driven Organizations

Search Console warning

Duplicate
canonical.

If Google Search Console says “Duplicate without user-selected canonical”, it means Google found multiple versions of the same page and picked one.

Your goal: make sure Google keeps the version you actually want.

Fix it step-by-step Squarespace SEO basics

If you’re not indexed at all, start here: Why your site isn’t showing up on Google.

Meaning

What the warning means (plain English)

Google found two or more URLs that look like the same page (or extremely similar). Google picked one to index and ignored the others.

This is common on Squarespace because duplicate URL versions can exist (especially with tracking parameters, multiple page copies, or inconsistent internal links).

Fix

How to fix it (in order)

You don’t fix this by “adding keywords.” You fix it by removing duplicates and making one preferred URL obvious.

1Identify

Identify the duplicate URLs Google sees

In Search Console: click the issue → open examples → compare the URLs. Look for patterns:

Common patterns: • www vs non-www • http vs https • trailing slash vs no slash • URL parameters (?utm_source=..., ?fbclid=..., etc.) • /page and /page?something • duplicated pages with nearly identical copy

2Pick

Pick the one URL you want indexed

Choose the clean, published URL you actually use everywhere. This becomes your “preferred” page.

Rule: Pick ONE version and use it consistently everywhere: • internal links • footer links • nav links • any PDFs or bios linking to your site

3Fix

Fix the causes (Squarespace-friendly)

These are the fixes you can actually control inside Squarespace.

Do this: • Delete or unpublish duplicate pages with the same content. • Avoid making multiple pages that share identical headings and paragraphs. • Keep one URL slug for one topic (don’t create variants). If duplicates are parameter-based (?utm=): • Don’t panic. Google often consolidates these. • Your job is to make internal links point to the clean URL (no parameters).

4Link

Standardize internal links

This is the biggest overlooked fix: your site must link consistently to the preferred URL.

Checklist: • Update footer links first (they repeat across the site). • Update navigation links. • Update any “Related pages” sections. • If you copy/paste links, paste the clean URL (no tracking parameters).

Use this to clean up your content structure: Website Audit Checklist.

5Validate

Request validation / indexing

After you clean it up, ask Google to re-check.

In Search Console: • URL Inspection → paste preferred URL → Request indexing • Then go to the issue report → Validate Fix (if available)

If you want the fastest ranking improvement: make sure the preferred page has clearer headings and a short FAQ. (That helps Google and AI summaries understand it quickly.)

Want me to clean this up for your site?

Request a clarity review.

If you want the “fix these pages first” plan + clean internal linking (without breaking anything), request a clarity review.

Request a review SEO basics