What is AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages)?

AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) is an open-source HTML framework developed by Google that creates stripped-down, fast-loading versions of web pages for mobile devices. As of 2026, AMP is largely considered a legacy technology replaced by Core Web Vitals optimization.

What Is AMP?

Launched in 2015, AMP was Google’s solution to slow mobile web pages. AMP pages are stripped of most JavaScript, use a limited CSS subset, and are cached on Google’s servers for near-instant loading. They were once required to appear in Google’s Top Stories carousel for news publishers.

However, since Google’s Page Experience update (2021) made Core Web Vitals the official speed measurement, AMP is no longer required for Top Stories eligibility. Most modern websites now achieve excellent performance through standard optimization without needing AMP at all.

AMP in 2026 — Should You Use It?

• New sites: Do not implement AMP. Focus on Core Web Vitals optimization instead; it achieves the same speed goals without the technical restrictions.
• Existing AMP sites: Evaluate whether AMP is still necessary. If your Core Web Vitals scores are good on standard pages, migrating away from AMP is often beneficial.
• News publishers: AMP is no longer required for Top Stories; standard fast pages now qualify.

FAQs

Does AMP still help SEO in 2026?

Minimally. AMP’s main SEO benefit was Top Stories carousel eligibility, which now applies to all fast pages. AMP’s technical restrictions (no custom JavaScript, limited design) often outweigh its remaining benefits for most sites.

Is AMP the same as a mobile site?

No. AMP is a specific technical framework for creating fast pages. A mobile site (or responsive site) is any website designed to display correctly on mobile devices. You can have an excellent mobile site without AMP.

Related Terms: Core Web Vitals · LCP · Mobile-First Indexing · Page Speed