If you’re tired of AI Overviews or sponsored Google search results, this quick hack could be for you.
If you’re tired of AI Overviews or sponsored Google search results, this quick hack could be for you.
In one of the biggest changes ever for the search giant, Google shook up its search results this spring with a new feature called AI Overviews. For many search queries asking questions, users will now see an AI summary of an answer at the top of their Google results.
Not all users are thrilled by the new AI Overviews, however, especially those who are searching for links, not answers to questions. Luckily, Google also introduced a new „Web“ search filter that gives you nothing but text-based links — no ads, no AI, no images and no videos.
Even better, you can get those link-based results on Google just by searching from your browser address bar. We’ll show you how to do it on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari or Microsoft Edge.What is the Google Search Web filter?
Google’s new Web filter is similar to its filters for results like News, Images, Videos or Shopping. When the Web filter is selected, your search results will return only text-based links, with no advertisements, AI summaries or knowledge panels like „Top Stories“ or „People Always Ask.“
The new filter should appear below the search box on the Google Search results page, among other filters like News, Images and Videos. You’ll usually have to click the three-dot „More“ menu to see it as an option.
The Web filter for Google Search will usually be placed in the menu for More filters underneath the search box.
Clicking the Web filter link will give you Google Search results composed entirely of text-based links, with no answers, ads, AI or anything else. „Web“ will now be underlined and highlighted in blue under the search query box.
As with AI Overviews, we’re currently only seeing the Web filter on the Chrome browser when logged into our Google accounts, but it seems to show up on other browsers regardless of logged-in status.
Google’s Web filter removes snippets and other knowledge panels from your results.How do I get Google Search Web filter results for my address bar searches?
Depending on your browser, it’s fairly easy to customize your browser settings so that your address bar searches go straight to the Google Web filter results. You’ll need to create a custom site search shortcut in your browser and then trigger that search option with a keyword or make it your default for all searches.
The critical URL that you need to remember is https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14. The „%s“ represents your search query, and the „udm=14“ tag limits your results to the new Web filter.
Here’s how to add the necessary custom site search for Google’s Web filter in the four most popular web desktop browsers — Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari.Google Chrome
Open up a Google Chrome browser window, then click on the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner, next to your Google account profile.
