Troubleshooting

Run gtrends-mcp-full doctor first — it prints the configuration it sees and checks every endpoint. Most problems are visible there.

1. “Google is still validating this server’s new session”
2. “Google Trends is rate-limiting this connection (HTTP 429)”
3. “Google Trends rejected the request (HTTP 400)”
4. “Google Trends has no such endpoint any more (HTTP 404)”
5. “too little search volume”
6. related_topics is always empty
7. A value changed between two identical requests
8. Trending Now is empty for a region
9. “Could not reach Google Trends”
10. Running without a network

“Google is still validating this server’s new session”

The first minute and a half after the very first start (or after clear_cache with reset_session). Google does not accept a session cookie it has just issued. Trending tools work in the meantime; try the chart tool again shortly. It does not recur: the session is stored. See Rate limits.

“Google Trends is rate-limiting this connection (HTTP 429)”

Too many requests from this connection. Wait a few minutes; the server has stopped asking that group of endpoints so the block can clear. Cached answers still work. If it happens often: several keywords per call, a larger GTRENDS_MIN_INTERVAL, or GTRENDS_PROXY.

“Google Trends rejected the request (HTTP 400)”

Google’s answer to a location code, category id or time range it does not know. Check the code with find_location / find_category. More than five terms is caught before a request is sent.

“Google Trends has no such endpoint any more (HTTP 404)”

An endpoint behind the Trends website changed. Run check_endpoints to see which, and update the package.

“too little search volume”

Google returns nothing below a volume threshold. Use a broader term, a longer range or a larger location. If people write the term in more than one way, join the wordings with + in one term.

related_topics is always empty

Google withholds related topics from anonymous sessions. Supply a signed-in cookie (Install) or use related_queries.

A value changed between two identical requests

Google Trends is computed from a sample of searches. Within the cache lifetime the same answer is returned; after it, a point or two of difference is normal.

Trending Now is empty for a region

Trending Now covers about 125 countries and some regions. Try the country code instead of the region.

“Could not reach Google Trends”

The network, a firewall or the proxy. curl -I https://trends.google.com/trending/rss?geo=US from the same machine shows whether Google Trends is reachable at all. Where it is blocked, set GTRENDS_PROXY.

Running without a network

GTRENDS_OFFLINE=1 answers from the cache only. The local tools (trending_history, history_sql, the watchlist) never need a network.