nosnippet and data-nosnippet
Nosnippet is a robots meta tag rule that tells Google not to show a text snippet or video preview for a page in search results. Google says it also keeps the page's content from being used as direct input for AI Overviews and AI Mode. Data-nosnippet is an HTML attribute that does the same for chosen parts of a page.
Source: Google Search Central, Robots meta tag, data-nosnippet, and X-Robots-Tag specifications, checked October 29, 2026
What nosnippet and data-nosnippet means for your business
The page can still rank. What it loses is the preview text under its link, which is part of how a searcher decides whether to click. Google's spec says nosnippet applies across its results, including Google Images and Discover.
Data-nosnippet is the narrower tool. It goes on a span, div or section of the HTML, so you can keep one block out of snippets and leave the rest of the page alone. Google warns against adding or removing it with JavaScript on elements already on the page.
Max-snippet sets a character limit on the preview instead. Google says it limits use in AI Overviews and AI Mode too, unless you've given Google the content another way, like structured data on the page. Setting max-snippet:0 works the same as nosnippet. Apple reads nosnippet as well; its Applebot page says it won't write a description or web answer for that page.
On a page you want buyers to find, we'd leave all three off unless there's a block of text you have a real reason to hold back. If you're not sure whether a tag on your site is keeping your pages out of AI answers, a check of what your tags and settings allow will tell you.
Last reviewed October 29, 2026. All terms
How AI answers it today
On October 29, 2026, Google's AI Overview said nosnippet keeps content out of AI Overviews, but credited that to an AI-search glossary rather than Google's spec, which it also cited. ChatGPT cited nothing and didn't mention AI features or data-nosnippet.
Our run through ChatGPT and Google's AI Overview, October 29, 2026. A sample, not what every buyer sees.
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