HowTo schema generator
Create HowTo markup for step-by-step instructions. Google no longer shows How-to rich results, so read the status note before investing time.
Status: Google no longer shows this rich result. Google stopped showing How-to rich results on desktop and mobile in September 2023. The markup remains valid schema.org. See the full timeline.
Required
3/3
Recommended
none
Rich result retired by Google: valid markup, no special search appearance.
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "HowTo",
"name": "Add JSON-LD to a WordPress page without a plugin",
"totalTime": "PT10M",
"tool": [
{
"@type": "HowToTool",
"name": "WordPress block editor"
}
],
"step": [
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"position": 1,
"name": "Open the page",
"text": "Edit the page and add a Custom HTML block at the end."
},
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"position": 2,
"name": "Paste the script",
"text": "Paste the full <script type=\"application/ld+json\"> block and update the page."
},
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"position": 3,
"name": "Test it",
"text": "Run the live URL through the Rich Results Test and the Schema Markup Validator."
}
]
}
</script>When to use HowTo markup
- Tutorials where the steps are the main content.
- When another platform or your own tooling consumes schema.org HowTo.
- Recipes should use Recipe instead, which has its own active rich result.
Getting it right
- schema.org HowTo needs a name and steps; each HowToStep carries text and optionally a name, image and url.
- Keep steps identical to what visitors see on the page.
- totalTime uses ISO 8601 (PT10M).
- For recipes, Recipe markup still has an active rich result; use that instead.
Source: Google Search Central, How-to structured data documentation, and schema.org/HowTo.
Google's property list
| Property | Google says |
|---|---|
name | required |
step | required |
step.text | required |
Example output
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "HowTo",
"name": "Add JSON-LD to a WordPress page without a plugin",
"totalTime": "PT10M",
"tool": [
{
"@type": "HowToTool",
"name": "WordPress block editor"
}
],
"step": [
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"position": 1,
"name": "Open the page",
"text": "Edit the page and add a Custom HTML block at the end."
},
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"position": 2,
"name": "Paste the script",
"text": "Paste the full <script type=\"application/ld+json\"> block and update the page."
},
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"position": 3,
"name": "Test it",
"text": "Run the live URL through the Rich Results Test and the Schema Markup Validator."
}
]
}HowTo schema questions
Does HowTo schema still work?
The markup is valid schema.org, but Google stopped showing How-to rich results on mobile in August 2023 and on desktop in September 2023, and removed the documentation.
Is there any harm in keeping it?
No. Unused structured data does not hurt rankings. Keep it if another system uses it, or remove it to simplify templates.
What should I use instead?
Clear headings and numbered lists in the visible content. For recipes and videos, Recipe and VideoObject are still supported.