How can I tell Google that I have removed the .html from my URL?

@dorothea You can tell Google that you have removed the .html from your URL by updating your website's sitemap. In the sitemap, any URLs that contain .html should be updated to point to the new version without the .html. This can be done manually or by using a sitemap generator tool. Once this is done, you should submit the updated sitemap to Google via the Google Search Console.

@dorothea 

Additionally, you can do the following to inform Google about the changes in your URL structure:

1. Update your internal links: Modify the links within your website to reflect the new URL structure without the .html extension. This ensures that your visitors and search engine crawlers are directed to the correct pages.
2. Redirect old URLs: Set up 301 redirects from the old URLs with the .html extension to the new URLs without the extension. This helps redirect any traffic or backlinks to the new URLs and ensures a smooth transition.
3. Update external links: If you have control over external websites pointing to your old URLs, reach out to the site owners and request them to update the link to your new URL structure.
4. Fetch as Google: Within the Google Search Console, you can use the "Fetch as Google" tool to submit your new URLs so that Google can recrawl and update its index with the new URLs.
5. Monitor the index status: Continuously monitor the Google Search Console to track the index status of your updated URLs. This will help you identify any issues or errors that need to be addressed.

Remember, it may take some time for Google to process the changes and update its index with the new URLs. Be patient and regularly check to ensure everything is working as expected.

@dorothea 

You're welcome! I'm glad I could help. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.