HowTo Schema
Also known as: howto schema, how to structured data, HowTo structured data
HowTo schema is schema.org structured data that marks up step-by-step instructions, letting search engines understand a guide's steps, tools, and supplies. Google deprecated HowTo rich results in 2023, but the markup still aids semantic understanding and AI answers.
- HowTo schema marks up ordered HowToStep items, plus optional HowToTool and HowToSupply.
- Google deprecated the HowTo rich result in August 2023; it no longer shows the step carousel.
- Markup must mirror visible on-page steps; it's typically emitted as JSON-LD.
What HowTo schema describes
HowTo is a schema.org type, usually emitted as JSON-LD in a `<script type="application/ld+json">` block. It describes a task made of ordered HowToStep items, and can also list HowToTool and HowToSupply needed, plus optional `totalTime`, `estimatedCost`, and per-step images.
A minimal example wraps `"@type": "HowTo"` with a `name` and a `step` array, where each step is a HowToStep with `name`, `text`, and often a `url` anchoring to that section on the page. The markup must match the visible on-page instructions — Google's guidelines forbid marking up content the user can't see.
Current status in search
In August 2023 Google deprecated the HowTo rich result, so it no longer renders the expandable step carousel in standard search, and the report was removed from Search Console. The structured data is no longer required for that visual treatment.
Despite that, valid HowTo (or Article) markup still helps search engines and AI answer systems parse the structure of a guide, and it remains useful for non-Google consumers. For step-by-step cleanup guides, many teams now favor clear heading structure plus Article or FAQPage schema, validating output with the Rich Results Test and the Schema Markup Validator.