HowTo schema describes a set of steps in a machine readable block, and Google no longer shows HowTo rich results, so the reason most sites added it is gone. The way to set up instructional content today is to write clear numbered steps on the page first and treat any markup as optional. The bottom line: the visible steps are what readers and AI systems use, so put your effort there, and add HowTo markup only when it mirrors the page exactly.

See also: answer engine optimization, explained step by step.

History, and why the advice changed

Google introduced HowTo rich results in 2019 alongside FAQ rich results, showing step lists directly in search listings. In 2023 it cut them back and retired them, and in the same period it restricted FAQ rich results to a narrow set of sites. A 2026 review by The HOTH notes the pattern continued in June 2025 when Google pulled seven more structured data types out of search appearance. The schema.org HowTo type itself still exists and is still valid vocabulary. What Google removed was the search feature that rewarded using it.

What AI systems need from instructional content

A model answering "how do I clear a blocked sink trap" wants a short sequence of actions it can read in order. Research on how models use their input supports putting the important content where it is easy to find. The "Lost in the Middle" study found models use information at the start and end of a long input better than the middle, and AirOps research summarized by Quattr found that 44 percent of ChatGPT citations came from the first 30 percent of a page. For instructions, that means the steps should appear early, each step should stand alone, and the answer should not be buried under a long introduction.

How to write the steps

  1. Put the goal in the heading. "How to clear a blocked sink trap," matching how a customer would ask.
  2. State what is needed first. Tools, materials, and time before step one, so no step depends on something you have not mentioned.
  3. Use a real numbered list. An ordered list element, not paragraphs that start with numbers.
  4. One action per step. A step that says to drain, remove, and inspect is three steps.
  5. Say what success looks like. The last step should tell the reader how to confirm it worked.
  6. Add a warning where it matters. Put safety notes in the step they apply to, not at the end.

Example: visible steps with optional markup

<ol>
  <li>Turn off the water at the shutoff valve under the sink.</li>
  <li>Place a bucket under the trap and unscrew the two slip nuts by hand.</li>
  <li>Remove the trap and clear the blockage.</li>
  <li>Reassemble the trap with the washers seated flat.</li>
  <li>Turn the water on and check the joints for drips.</li>
</ol>
<!-- Optional HowTo JSON-LD mirroring the same five steps -->
<script type="application/ld+json">
{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "HowTo",
  "name": "How to clear a blocked sink trap",
  "totalTime": "PT20M",
  "step": [
    { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Turn off the water at the shutoff valve under the sink." },
    { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Place a bucket under the trap and unscrew the two slip nuts by hand." },
    { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Remove the trap and clear the blockage." },
    { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Reassemble the trap with the washers seated flat." },
    { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Turn the water on and check the joints for drips." }
  ]
}
</script>

When markup is still worth adding

HowTo markup is cheap when it mirrors a visible list. Microsoft's Fabrice Canel said in March 2025 that schema helps Microsoft's language models understand content, and Google says it does not object to keeping existing structured data. But a Search/Atlas study found no correlation between schema coverage and AI citation rates, and there is no published controlled study showing HowTo markup increases citations. If you keep it, keep it accurate. If you have thousands of pages carrying it, there is no reason to remove it, and no reason to add it to pages where the steps are not visible.

Recipes are different

Recipe is a separate schema.org type with its own rich results, and those features have not been retired. If your instructional content is a recipe, the Recipe type is the right one to use, not HowTo.

Questions people ask

Does Google still show HowTo rich results?

No. Google retired HowTo rich results in 2023. The schema.org HowTo type remains valid vocabulary, but it no longer earns a search feature.

Should I remove HowTo schema from existing pages?

Not if it is accurate and mirrors visible steps. Remove it only if it describes steps that are not on the page.

What matters most for instructional content in AI answers?

Clear, numbered, single action steps near the top of the page, with what is needed stated first. The visible steps are what a system reads.

Is Recipe schema still supported?

Recipe is a separate type with its own rich results, which have not been retired in the way HowTo and FAQ features were.

Sources