February 2026 Discover update
First broad update Google announced specifically for the Discover feed rather than Search, taking three weeks to roll out.
What changed
Google announced an update to the systems that select and surface articles in Discover, running from 5 to 27 February 2026 and recorded on the Search Status Dashboard. Unlike a core update it applied to the Discover feed rather than search results, making it the first time Google formally announced a Discover-specific broad change. Publishers dependent on Discover traffic reported significant swings across the rollout window.
Timing
Rollout began 5 February 2026. Google declared it complete on 27 February 2026, 22 days later. Rankings typically remain unstable for the whole rollout window, so measurements taken inside it are not a reliable read on the outcome.