How to fix cwv inp on Squarespace

Steps for Squarespace

1. Go to Settings → Advanced → Code Injection. Review any third-party `<script>` tags in the Header or Footer injection areas. Move scripts from Header to Footer, and add `defer` or `async` to reduce main-thread blocking during load.
2. Remove any unused third-party integrations (chat widgets, marketing tools) from Settings → Integrations or from Code Injection — these are common sources of long tasks.
3. Squarespace does not offer deep JavaScript customisation, so the primary levers are: (1) reducing the number of third-party scripts, (2) switching to lighter Squarespace-native blocks instead of embedded widgets, and (3) ensuring custom JavaScript added via Code Blocks uses `defer`.
4. Monitor INP via PageSpeed Insights and Google Search Console → Core Web Vitals. For significant INP problems, a migration to a more flexible platform (e.g., Shopify or a headless stack) may be required if Squarespace's first-party scripts are the bottleneck.

What is cwv inp?

Interaction to Next Paint (INP) measures how quickly your page visually responds after a visitor taps a button, opens a menu, or types in a search box — from the moment they interact to the moment the screen actually updates. Google considers anything under 200 ms "good," 200–500 ms "needs improvement," and over 500 ms "poor." INP is now a Core Web Vital, meaning it is part of Google's official page-experience signal that feeds directly into rankings. A high INP score almost always means the browser's main thread is busy running JavaScript and simply cannot get around to updating what the visitor sees for a frustrating fraction of a second (or longer).

Google uses Core Web Vitals — including INP — as a ranking signal, so a poor INP score can quietly suppress your pages in search results compared to faster competitors. Beyond rankings, a sluggish-feeling page directly hurts conversions: studies consistently show that every 100 ms of added interaction delay reduces add-to-cart and checkout completion rates. On mobile, where CPU speed is limited and networks are slower, a 500–800 ms INP is especially damaging because mobile shoppers are the majority of ecommerce traffic. There is also an accessibility dimension — users who rely on keyboard navigation or assistive technology are disproportionately harmed by delayed visual feedback, which can create a frustrating or unusable experience.

See the complete Cwv inp guide for every platform and the full background.