XF 2.3 3k+ 'Blocked due to other 4xx issue' in Google Search Console

[Anatoliy]

They appeared after I upgraded to 2.3.2 about a month ago.
All of them are these types:
domain/misc/style-variation?reset=1&t=1724763460%2Cad52e9ce6de9c6b628dd7feaac79357a
or
domain/misc/style-variation?variation=default&t=1724762134%2C9ac39b17ff1a324c9d0afeefa19a8472
or
domain/misc/style-variation?variation=alternate&t=1724762133%2Cea0e99e67f692418bd180af747492fed

Where are those links? Pages are not indexed, so Google doesn't show referring pages.
Why those links are there if they lead to closed doors?
How to fix that?

 

[Brian Jones]

I had something like this a few weeks ago. Check your root for robots.txt and make sure it isn't blocking

 

[Anatoliy]

I had something like this a few weeks ago. Check your root for robots.txt and make sure it isn't blocking

It's not about robots.txt. Those pages return 403 status code.

 

[Anatoliy]

Taking back my question "Where are those links?". They are everywhere. )
Style selector. Here is a code from this page:

<a href="/community/misc/style-variation?reset=1&amp;t=1724876645%2C67071b68455be3f4582b6bfc1b6921b8"
        class="menu-linkRow "
        rel="nofollow"
        data-xf-click="style-variation" data-variation="">

        <i class="fa--xf far fa-adjust "><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" role="img" aria-hidden="true" ><use href="/community/data/local/icons/regular.svg?v=1724828734#adjust"></use></svg></i>

      
            System
        
    </a>


        

    <a href="/community/misc/style-variation?variation=default&amp;t=1724876645%2C67071b68455be3f4582b6bfc1b6921b8"
        class="menu-linkRow is-selected"
        rel="nofollow"
        data-xf-click="style-variation" data-variation="default">

        <i class="fa--xf far fa-sun "><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" role="img" aria-hidden="true" ><use href="/community/data/local/icons/regular.svg?v=1724828734#sun"></use></svg></i>

        
            Light
        
    </a>


        

    <a href="/community/misc/style-variation?variation=alternate&amp;t=1724876645%2C67071b68455be3f4582b6bfc1b6921b8"
        class="menu-linkRow "
        rel="nofollow"
        data-xf-click="style-variation" data-variation="alternate">

        <i class="fa--xf far fa-moon "><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" role="img" aria-hidden="true" ><use href="/community/data/local/icons/regular.svg?v=1724828734#moon"></use></svg></i>

        
            Dark
        
    </a>

I guess rel=nofollow doesn't stop Google from following?

 

[Anatoliy]

So about "how to fix that" question. I guess by hiding that switch for guests.
Is there such an option somewhere in settings? Or it will require a template modification?

 

[Chromaniac]

I had to exclude them in search console. Not sure if there is a better fix.

 

[Anatoliy]

I had to exclude them in search console. Not sure if there is a better fix.

Ho to do that? Please teach me.

 

[Chromaniac]

Google Search Console > Removals > Add something like this:



Now this is not a permanent solution but it got rid of these URLs from search index for me.

Basically, noindex is more useful than nofollow for telling google to not index content. /misc/style page does seem to include <meta name="robots" content="noindex" />.

 

[Anatoliy]

Thanks!