Searching is one of the most popular activities on the internet, for which Google Search is the first choice. It is not only a search engine but is the home of secrets.
Despite of millions of users worldwide, it is common for people to miss out several functions and tricks hidden under the hood. These tips and tricks will make your search better and find useful content much easily.
So, let’s dig in and know these amazing tips and tricks.
Basic and Advance Searching
1. Searching by Voice
You can make voice searches using Google search. If you are using Google Chrome or using Google application on Android or iOS, just click on the Microphone button present on right of the search bar and speak what you wish to search.
See Also: Google Search Will Help You To Find Nearby Events
2. Searching by Image
You can not only search by typing words or speaking but can search using images. Use any photo or image URL to search. The trick is to open Google images click on camera icon present at the right side of the search bar and past an image URL or upload an image to make image search.
3. Private Searching
Many times Google search don’t seem to fit in parameters of privacy enthusiasts. So for them here is an alternate name StartPage web search. This web browser allows you to make Google search without tracking. It will show search based on Google search engine, without tracking your IP address or your location. To do this just type “startpage” and click on first list SartPage web search, to open and start using it.
4. Keyword Based Searching
To do accurate searching use better keywords, as searching is all about keywords. For example “Google tips and tricks” is better than “what are Google searching tips and tricks”.
5. Searching a Specific Phrase
To search a specific phrase use “ ” (double quotes), Google will lists the result having the given phrase in exact same order.
See Also: Here’s How You Can Get Rid of Google Search History
6. Location Based Searching
Type city name or postal code at the end of your search and get results from specific location. For example: “restaurants 10463” or restaurants NY will show you restaurants in NY. This will overrule the behavior of Google to provide location based search result, using your IP address.
7. Powerful Searching
Use these words in your search query to get accurate results.
OR: when you have to search two queries at a same time can use OR for example: “buy cheap SSD or HDD.” It will show you result for both cheap SSD and HDD.
AND: it is used for must have words in the search query for example: “budget and luxury hotels.” It will show you results containing both budget and luxury words.
*(Asterisk): it is used to search for unknown words. It is like using a joker to finish the card sequence for example: “Winston * Churchill”. It will show you result for Sir Winston Leonard Spencer- Churchill, a former British Prime Minister.
– (Minus): it is used to prohibit words in search query for example: “buy windows laptop – Lenovo.” It will show results that don’t contain Lenovo laptops.
Around: it is used to do proximity search for example: “USA Around Trump.” It will show results with terms USA and Trump at the distance of maximum 10 words.
See Also: 16 Funny Things to Ask your Google Assistant
8. Searching Within Website
If you want to make desirable search within a website and not the whole Internet type “site” <name of the site> for example: “site: systweak.com iPhone.” It will show you results for the term iPhone from the mentioned website (Systweak.com) not from other sites.
9. Searching Specific File Types
If you are searching for a specific file rather than content or websites type “filetypes” for example “filetype:pdf artificial intelligence” will show you pdf on the given topic.
10. Searching in Page Titles
If you are searching for terms in the page title type either “intitle” or “allintitle” for example intitle: USA will show results having USA in their titles and allinurl: USA employment policy will show the results having words USA, employment and policy in their title.
11. Searching in page URL’s
Searching in URL can be easy by typing “inurl” or “allinurl” for example: inurl: google will show the results having Google in their URL and allinurl: google Android app will show the results having Google, Android and app in URL.
Working with Numbers:-
- Want to calculate a tip, worry not. Just type “calculate tip” and let Google work for you.
- Facing problem with geometry or solving shapes, just type “solve circle/triangle/rectangle/…”
Fun with Google Search:-
- Want to see Google search page spinning, just type “do a barrel roll” or “Z or R twice” to see the magic.
- Type “askew “and tilt Google search page
- Search for “recursion” and see Google search and see what it comes up withs
- Make Anagram: Google search can be notorious, just type “define anagram”
Anagrams are words that are made using rearranging the given word.
- Bored of searching want to play just, type “zerg rush” and see your search page being eaten by ‘O’s. Click each O three times to kill it.
- Don’t have a coin in hand, but want to play heads or tails. Press the mic icon on Google’s search bar, and say “flip a coin” or “heads or tails”
This feature works on your Android, iPhone and iPad when Voice search is turned on.
Know More: 10 Useful Gmail Extensions to Boost your Productivity
- Want the change the way Google Search looks change it to retro version by typing “google in 1998”
- Looking for a watch to set a timer, why to have a watch when Google is there. Just type “set timer” followed by time for example search for “set timer for 5 minutes” and see Google search turning into a timer.
9. Want to translate language symbols or characters, just draw them and begin the translation. Google Translate has a manual feature that allows you to draw characters and symbols.
Be a geek:-
- Want to show off your knowledge between your friends, office colleagues by browsing a blocked website. Search “cache: name of blocked site. This will let you browse the site even if it is blocked. Also you can unblock websites by bypassing firewall restrictions using never developed Google Proxy. There is a simple trick to do this, for example “http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ja&tl=en&u=<blocked website URL> allows you to view site coming in firewall block rule.