Google begins requiring JavaScript for Google Search

Google says it has begun requiring users to turn on JavaScript, the widely-used programming language to make web pages interactive, in order to use Google Search.

In an email to TechCrunch, a company spokesperson claimed that the change is intended to “better protect” Google Search against malicious activity, such as bots and spam, and to improve the overall Google Search experience for users. The spokesperson noted that, without JavaScript, many Google Search features won’t work properly, and that the quality of search results tends to be degraded.

“Enabling JavaScript allows us to better protect our services and users from bots and evolving forms of abuse and spam,” the spokesperson told TechCrunch, “and to provide the most relevant and up-to-date information.”

Many major websites rely on JavaScript. According to a 2020 GitHub survey, 95% of sites around the web employ the language in some form. But as users on social media point out, Google’s decision to require it could add friction for those who rely on accessibility tools, which can struggle with certain JavaScript implementations.

JavaScript is also prone to security vulnerabilities. In its 2024 annual security survey, tech company Datadog found that around 70% of JavaScript services are vulnerable to one or more “critical” or “high-severity” vulnerabilities introduced by a third-party software library.

The Google spokesperson told TechCrunch that, on average, “fewer than .1%” of searches on Google are done by people who disable JavaScript. That’s no small number at Google scale. Google processes around 8.5 billion searches per day, so one can assume that millions of people performing searches through Google aren’t using JavaScript.

One of Google’s motivations here, may be inhibiting third-party tools that give insights into Google Search trends and traffic. According to a post on Search Engine Roundtable on Friday, a number of “rank-checking” tools — tools that indicate how websites are performing in search engines — began experiencing issues with Google Search around the time Google’s JavaScript requirement came into force.

The Google spokesperson declined to comment on Search Engine Roundtable’s reporting.