🧭 Overview
In Search Atlas, there are two separate steps required before you can use the Open in GSC Performance button for any website. First, you must connect your Google Search Console (GSC) account via OAuth. Second — and this is the step most users miss — you must individually activate each GSC property inside Search Atlas settings. Until a property is activated, the Open in GSC Performance button will remain greyed out, even if your GSC account is fully connected.
🔍 Why Is the Button Greyed Out?
The Open in GSC Performance button is greyed out when a GSC property has not been activated in Search Atlas, regardless of whether your Google account is connected. Connecting your GSC account makes your properties visible to Search Atlas, but it does not automatically activate them. Activation is a deliberate, per-property step that must be completed for each site you want to use with GSC Performance.
✅ Step 1 — Connect Your GSC Account
If you have not yet connected a Google Search Console account to Search Atlas, follow these steps first:
- Go to Site Metrics → Site Explorer.
- Click Open Google Search Console to open the Manage Sites page.
- Click the Connect GSC Account button.
- Complete the Google OAuth flow by signing in with the Google account that has access to your GSC properties.
- Once authorised, your GSC properties will be imported and listed in Search Atlas.
If you manage multiple Google accounts, you can repeat this process to connect each one. All properties associated with those accounts will be imported.
⚡ Step 2 — Activate Individual GSC Properties
After connecting your GSC account, you must activate each property you want to use. This is the critical step that enables the Open in GSC Performance button.
- Go to Site Metrics → Site Explorer → Open Google Search Console (Manage Sites page).
- Find the list of imported properties.
- Locate the property that corresponds to the website you want to use.
- Toggle or click Activate next to that property.
- Repeat for any other properties you want to enable.
Once a property is activated, return to Site Explorer (left sidebar → Site Explorer) and the Open in GSC Performance button will now be available for that site.
⚠️ Common Issues and Fixes
- Property not appearing in the list: Make sure the Google account you connected in Step 1 has at least Restricted-level access to the property in Google Search Console. Properties you do not have access to in GSC will not be imported.
- Button still greyed out after activation: Refresh the page after activating the property. If the button remains greyed out, verify that the domain in Search Atlas exactly matches the property URL in GSC — including whether it uses http, https, www, or a domain-level property format.
- Connected the wrong Google account: Disconnect the incorrect account from the Manage Sites page (Site Metrics → Site Explorer → Open Google Search Console) and reconnect using the Connect GSC Account button with the Google account that owns or has access to the target GSC property.
- Multiple GSC accounts: If your sites are spread across different Google accounts, connect each account separately. All imported properties will appear in the same activation list.
📋 Quick Reference — Connection vs. Activation
- Connecting a GSC account: Links your Google account to Search Atlas and imports all accessible properties. This is a one-time setup per Google account.
- Activating a GSC property: Enables a specific property for use within Search Atlas tools, including the Open in GSC Performance button. This must be done individually for each property you want to use.
💬 Need More Help?
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.