Can a page be indexed if it's blocked in robots.txt?

Yes. If Google discovers the URL through links, it may index the address without accessing its content.

Which is stronger for blocking: robots.txt or noindex?

Noindex is stronger because it explicitly instructs search engines to exclude a page from their index.

Should I use both robots.txt and noindex together?

Generally no, because blocking in robots.txt prevents crawlers from seeing a noindex tag in the page's HTML.

Bulk Robots.txt & Noindex Checker

About the Bulk Robots.txt & Noindex Checker

The Bulk Robots.txt & Noindex Checker from SEOAegis scans multiple URLs to identify crawling and indexing restrictions. It flags pages blocked by robots.txt, <meta name="robots" content="noindex">, or X-Robots-Tag headers—helping you prevent accidental de-indexing of important content and verify indexability at scale.

The tool parses User-agent, Allow, and Disallow directives, supports wildcard matching (* and $), detects noindex directives in both HTML and HTTP headers, and reports the final indexability status for each page with the specific blocking source.

Key Features

Fully parses robots.txt with User-agent, Allow, and Disallow rules, including wildcards.
Detects noindex in HTML meta tags and X-Robots-Tag HTTP headers.
Reports Status = Indexed or Blocked with the Source explaining the reason.
Handles large URL lists for site-wide indexability checks in one run.
Exports results to CSV for auditing, reporting, or developer action.

Why This Matters for SEO

Protects important pages: Detects unintended blocking before rankings are lost.
Improves crawl efficiency: Ensures bots spend time on indexable, high-value pages.
Prevents wasted signals: Avoids linking to or optimizing content that search engines can’t index.
Supports migration QA: Verifies that newly launched pages are open for indexing.

Pro Tip: Remember—robots.txt controls crawling, noindex controls indexing. A page blocked by robots.txt can still appear in search results if Google discovers it through external links.

FAQs

Can a page be indexed if it’s blocked in robots.txt?: Yes. If Google finds the URL through links, it may index the address without crawling the content.
Which is stronger for blocking: robots.txt or noindex?: Noindex is stronger because it directly tells search engines not to include the page in results, even if crawled.
Should I use both robots.txt and noindex together?: In most cases, no. Blocking in robots.txt prevents crawling, which means search engines can’t see your noindex tag.

Tip: Always re-check indexability after CMS changes, site migrations, or robots.txt updates to avoid unintentional de-indexing.