HowTo schema lets Google surface your instructional content as an interactive step-by-step rich result directly in search — users can see numbered steps, tools needed, materials, and even images without clicking to your page. For tutorial and guide content, this is one of the highest-visibility rich result formats available.

💡 What HowTo Rich Results Look Like

On mobile, HowTo schema can display an expandable step-by-step carousel directly in search results — numbered steps, tool images, and estimated time. On desktop, steps appear directly below the page title in the SERP. This significantly increases click-through intent.

1. When to Use HowTo Schema

✅ Good Use Cases

• DIY and home repair tutorials
• Cooking/recipe steps (standalone how-to)
• Software installation guides
• Technical troubleshooting steps
• Craft and hobby instructions
• Fitness exercise guides
• Financial/tax form walkthroughs

❌ Do NOT Use For

• News articles or editorial content
• Product listings or sales pages
• Content that isn't truly instructional
• Paywalled or login-required content
• Harmful, dangerous activities

2. HowTo Schema Properties

Property	Required?	Description
name	✅ Required	Title of the how-to guide
step	✅ Required	Array of HowToStep objects
description	⭐ Recommended	Brief description visible in rich results
image	⭐ Recommended	Main image for the guide
totalTime	⭐ Recommended	ISO 8601 total time estimate (e.g., PT1H)
estimatedCost	Optional	Approximate cost (MonetaryAmount or text)
tool	Optional	Array of HowToTool objects
supply	Optional	Array of HowToSupply objects (materials needed)
yield	Optional	What the steps produce (e.g., "1 serving")

3. Complete HowTo Schema Example

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "HowTo",
  "name": "How to Change a Car Tyre",
  "description": "Step-by-step guide to safely changing a flat tyre on any car. Complete with tools needed and safety precautions.",
  "image": "https://example.com/images/change-tyre-guide.jpg",
  "totalTime": "PT30M",
  "estimatedCost": {
    "@type": "MonetaryAmount",
    "currency": "USD",
    "value": "0"
  },
  "tool": [
    { "@type": "HowToTool", "name": "Car jack" },
    { "@type": "HowToTool", "name": "Wheel wrench / lug nut key" },
    { "@type": "HowToTool", "name": "Spare tyre" },
    { "@type": "HowToTool", "name": "Vehicle manual" }
  ],
  "step": [
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "position": 1,
      "name": "Move to a safe location",
      "text": "Steer gradually to the roadside, away from traffic. Turn on hazard lights and apply the parking brake. Place warning triangles 50m behind the vehicle.",
      "image": "https://example.com/images/step1-safe-location.jpg",
      "url": "https://example.com/how-to-change-tyre#step1"
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "position": 2,
      "name": "Loosen the lug nuts",
      "text": "Before lifting the car, use the wheel wrench to turn each lug nut counter-clockwise about half a turn. Do not remove them fully yet.",
      "image": "https://example.com/images/step2-loosen-nuts.jpg",
      "url": "https://example.com/how-to-change-tyre#step2"
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "position": 3,
      "name": "Jack up the vehicle",
      "text": "Place the jack under the vehicle's jack point (consult your manual). Raise the vehicle until the flat tyre is about 15cm off the ground.",
      "image": "https://example.com/images/step3-jack-up.jpg",
      "url": "https://example.com/how-to-change-tyre#step3"
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "position": 4,
      "name": "Remove the flat tyre and mount the spare",
      "text": "Remove the lug nuts fully and pull off the flat tyre. Mount the spare tyre aligned with the bolts, then hand-tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern.",
      "url": "https://example.com/how-to-change-tyre#step4"
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "position": 5,
      "name": "Lower the vehicle and tighten",
      "text": "Lower the jack until the tyre touches the ground. Fully tighten the lug nuts with the wrench in a star pattern. Remove the jack.",
      "url": "https://example.com/how-to-change-tyre#step5"
    }
  ]
}
</script>

4. HowToStep: Name vs Text — What's the Difference?

name

The step's label/title — short, scannable. This is what Google shows in the carousel preview.

Example: "Loosen the lug nuts"

text

Full description of the step — detailed instructions. This is the full content shown when a step is expanded.

Example: "Use the wheel wrench to turn each lug nut counter-clockwise..."

5. Grouped Steps with HowToSection

For complex guides with multiple phases, you can group steps using HowToSection:

"step": [
  {
    "@type": "HowToSection",
    "name": "Preparation",
    "itemListElement": [
      { "@type": "HowToStep", "position": 1, "name": "Gather tools", "text": "..." },
      { "@type": "HowToStep", "position": 2, "name": "Read safety instruction", "text": "..." }
    ]
  },
  {
    "@type": "HowToSection",
    "name": "Installation",
    "itemListElement": [
      { "@type": "HowToStep", "position": 3, "name": "Mount the bracket", "text": "..." },
      { "@type": "HowToStep", "position": 4, "name": "Connect wiring", "text": "..." }
    ]
  }
]

6. HowTo Schema Common Mistakes

❌ Steps are not visible on the page

✅ Every step in your schema must be readable on the actual page. If steps are behind a tab or collapsed, Google may not see them.

❌ Single long step instead of multiple steps

✅ Break your guide into granular steps. A HowTo with 2 steps is less likely to get rich results than one with 5–10 clear steps.

❌ Adding HowTo to non-instructional pages

✅ Don't add HowTo schema to product pages, comparison articles, or generic blog posts. It must be genuinely instructional content.

❌ Missing step positions

✅ Each HowToStep should have a sequential position number starting from 1. Gaps or missing positions can cause parsing issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does HowTo schema guarantee step previews will show in Google search results? ▼

No — valid HowTo schema makes your page eligible for step-preview rich results, but Google decides whether to show them based on query relevance, page authority, and content quality. High step counts (5+), clear step names, and images for each step improve your chances.

How many steps do I need for HowTo schema to work? ▼

There is no official minimum, but guides with fewer than 3 steps rarely earn rich results. Google recommends breaking your process into granular, actionable steps. Guides with 6–12 well-described steps consistently perform better than 2–3 broad steps.

Can I use HowTo schema on recipe pages? ▼

For recipe content, use Recipe schema instead — it has dedicated step properties (recipeInstructions), plus additional fields for ingredients, cook time, and nutrition that HowTo lacks. Recipe schema also has its own richer SERP format (the Recipe card) which is more prominent than HowTo step previews.

What is the difference between HowToStep.name and HowToStep.text? ▼

name is the short label — the step title shown in the SERP step-by-step carousel. text is the full detailed instruction for that step. Both should be populated. If you only provide text (without name), Google uses the first sentence as the display label. Having an explicit name gives you control over what shows in the rich result.

Do HowTo step images need to be on every step? ▼

No, images are optional. However, steps with images perform better in rich result display and can appear with visual thumbnails in the SERP on mobile. Use images that clearly show what the completed step looks like, not generic stock photos.

My HowTo page is paywalled. Can I still use HowTo schema? ▼

Google's structured data policies require that schema content be accessible to Googlebot. Paywalled content using metered access (where the first few steps are visible) can still use HowTo schema for the visible steps, but you cannot mark up steps that are hidden behind a login. Pages with all steps paywalled should not use HowTo schema.

Should I use @type: HowTo or @type: Article with HowTo steps? ▼

Use @type: HowTo — it is the correct type for instructional guides. You can optionally nest it as the mainEntity of a WebPage, but the top-level type must be HowTo to signal instructional intent. Using Article for how-to content misses the specific rich result format that HowTo schema unlocks.

How do I mark up the estimated time and cost in HowTo schema? ▼

Use ISO 8601 duration format for time: totalTime: "PT30M" (30 minutes), "PT1H30M" (1.5 hours), "P2D" (2 days). For cost, use estimatedCost with a MonetaryAmount object: { "@type": "MonetaryAmount", "currency": "USD", "value": "0" }. These values appear in the SERP preview when populated.

Validate Your HowTo Schema

Check your HowTo structured data for missing fields and step validation errors.

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Related Guides

→ FAQ Schema Markup Guide

Combine FAQPage schema with HowTo for maximum SERP real estate

→ Testing Tools Guide

Validate your HowTo schema with the right testing tools

→ Schema Markup & CTR

How HowTo rich results impact click-through rates

→ What is Structured Data?

A complete introduction to structured data and schema

→ JavaScript SEO & Schema

Ensure HowTo schema is server-rendered for Googlebot

→ Google Rich Results Guide

Overview of all rich result types including HowTo

HowTo Schema: Get Google to Show Your Step-by-Step Instructions in Search