Google Search Console Unused Ownership Tokens

Google Search Console has a new security feature under user and permission management to help you manage your unused ownership tokens. Basically, it helps you manage who has permissions to your Search Console profiles and who should not, maybe some legacy verifications.

Here is a screenshot of the new unused ownership tokens screen, hopefully when you go to it, you see zero:

Google wrote, “The update rolled out today lets you verify the removal of the unused verification token so that removed owners cannot regain access to the property.” Google explained:

We’re rolling out further improvements to Search Console’s user and permission management, incorporating capabilities related to unused ownership tokens management. Tokens are the codes used for website ownership verification in Search Console, Merchant Center, and other Google products. We have seen cases where these were accidentally left behind after owners have moved on. In February 2023, we rolled out improvements to the user and permissions management report. The latest changes will improve the accuracy and reflect the actual state of unused ownership tokens.

Here is how to access it:

1. Visit the Users and permissions interface
2. Click “Unused ownership tokens”
3. Choose the tokens you’d like to remove and click “Remove” (see screenshot below)
4. Click “Verify removal” to get update for the unused ownership token

Forum discussion at X.