Google has updated the Performance report in Search Console to let you select multiple countries in a single filter view, removing the need to run separate comparisons for each market. The change was announced by Google Search Central on LinkedIn on Oct. 6.
What exactly changed in the Country filter?
Until now, if you wanted traffic data for more than one country at a time, you had to use the Compare tab, which is limited to two items side by side. The new Filter tab update lets you check multiple countries at once and see their combined Google Search traffic in a single view, according to Search Engine Journal’s reporting on the announcement.
Google’s LinkedIn post stated: “If you operate in multiple countries, you can now view their combined Google Search traffic.” A screenshot in the announcement shows the Country filter with checkboxes and three countries selected simultaneously on the Filter tab.
Does the two-item comparison limit still apply?
Yes. Google’s help page for the Performance report (Search results) still states that “if you want to see data for multiple devices, Search types, countries, or Search appearance types, you must use a comparison (limited to two items).” That rule was still listed on the help page the day Google made the announcement, according to Search Engine Journal. The new multi-select behavior applies to the Filter tab; the Compare tab’s two-item cap appears unchanged.
The update reportedly also affects the Device filter, but Google’s announcement did not specify what changed there, and the screenshot shown only illustrated the Country filter.
Is the rollout instant for all properties?
Google’s LinkedIn post said the update was going live “today,” but did not confirm whether all Search Console properties would receive it simultaneously. Search Engine Journal recommends checking Google’s help page for the latest on all four filters and any changes to the Compare tab’s limit.
What else does the Performance report help page describe?
Google’s help page for the Performance report also documents an experimental AI-powered configuration tool that lets you set up filters by typing a plain-language request, such as: Show me mobile vs. desktop CTR for traffic in Spain during the last 28 days. The tool suggests the corresponding filters, comparisons, and metric settings, which you then confirm before they are applied. Each user is currently limited to 20 requests per day, according to Google’s help page.
What this means for AI-search visibility
The practical benefit here is simpler than it sounds: instead of running four separate reports to check how Germany, France, Spain, and Italy perform together, you now get one combined view in a click. For teams managing multi-market content strategies, fewer manual steps means fewer opportunities for data to be misread across tabs.
From a GEO (Generative Engine Optimization, meaning optimizing content so AI assistants cite or recommend your brand) perspective, the more granular your traffic data by country, the easier it is to spot where AI-driven search behavior is diverging from traditional organic patterns. A brand seeing strong impressions in one country but weak clicks compared to another market may be experiencing different AI answer prevalence, not just different audience intent.
In Hingewise’s view, the more interesting feature on the same help page is the AI-powered filter assistant, a separate experimental feature. A tool that lets you describe what you want in plain language and translates it into filter logic is a low-key but meaningful shift in how non-technical team members will interact with Search Console data. The 20-request-per-day cap suggests it is still early-stage, but the direction is clear: Google is moving toward natural-language interfaces for its own analytics tools, the same paradigm shift that is reshaping how users interact with search itself.
The two-item comparison cap remaining untouched is worth noting. Multi-select filtering and head-to-head comparison serve different analytical needs. Until Google raises or removes the comparison limit, teams that want to benchmark, say, three countries against each other will still need workarounds.
Watch for Google to update its help page with full details on all four filters affected and whether the Compare tab’s two-item limit will eventually be lifted.
Sources: Search Engine Journal, Oct. 6; Google Search Console Help, Performance report: Advanced filtering and comparison
Lam Nguyen · Hingewise
This article was drafted with AI assistance from the sources cited above and checked against them before publishing. The "What this means for AI-search visibility" section is Hingewise's editorial analysis, built on the frameworks and positions we use in our GEO work. How we work: Editorial policy.