Google changes search results display disrupting rank-tracking tools

Google seems to have disabled, or is testing the removal of, the‘&num=100’ URL parameter, which allows users to see 100 search results on one page, as per Search Engine Journal.

The change was first noticed around September 10 and spread through the SEO community, as rank-tracking tools began showing missing rankings and data gaps. The search giant has not yet made an official statement.

The &num=100 parameter has long been used to fetch 100 results at once. Over the past week, SEO professionals reported that this option no longer works consistently, suggesting the search engine may be rolling out or experimenting with the change.

Google has seemingly removed the ability to do &num=100, can anyone confirm?

If you use the parameter, only 2 pages show. This “2 pages” filter has been tested for a year, but usually if you clicked to page 2 they have the rest the top 100. Now it shows nothing after page 2.

— SEOwner (@tehseowner) September 11, 2025

Industry analysts cited in the reports noted that several rank-tracking tools temporarily stalled or showed errors, while some platforms displayed incomplete data.

Some experts believe earlier spikes in impressions may have been inflated by bots from SEO and analytics tools that loaded pages with 100 results. This, they argue, could partly explain the long-observed mismatch between impressions and clicks, sometimes referred to as the ‘great decoupling.’

For now, this theory remains unconfirmed until the company provides clarification.