Skip to main content
TechRadar TechRadar the technology experts
Asia
flag of Singapore
Singapore
Europe
flag of Danmark
Danmark
flag of Suomi
Suomi
flag of Norge
Norge
flag of Sverige
Sverige
flag of UK
UK
flag of Italia
Italia
flag of Nederland
Nederland
flag of België (Nederlands)
België (Nederlands)
flag of France
France
flag of Deutschland
Deutschland
flag of España
España
North America
flag of US (English)
US (English)
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of México
México
Australasia
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of New Zealand
New Zealand
RSS
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Phones
    • Popular Phone Brands
      • iPhone
      • Samsung Galaxy
      • Google Pixel
      • Nothing
      • Motorola
      • OnePlus
      • Xiaomi
      • Honor
      • Oppo
      • Huawei
    • Operating Systems
      • Android
      • iOS
    • More from Phones
      • Network Carriers
      • Phone Accessories
      • Phone Reviews
      • Phone Buying Guides
      • Phone Deals
      • Phone News
  • Computing
    • Laptops
      • Chromebooks
      • MacBooks
      • Windows Laptops
      • Gaming Laptops
    • PCs
      • Desktop PCs
      • Macs
      • Gaming PCs
    • Software
      • Windows
      • macOS
    • Components
      • CPUs
      • GPUs
      • Storage
      • Nvidia
      • Intel
    • Internet
      • Websites & Apps
      • Wi-Fi & Broadband
      • Social Media
      • Wordle
    • Security
      • Antivirus
      • Cyber Security
    • Tablets
      • eReaders
      • iPad
    • VR & AR
    • Peripherals
      • Monitors
      • Keyboards
      • Webcams
      • Mice
    • Popular Computing Brands
      • Dell
      • HP
      • Lenovo
      • Acer
    • More from Computing
      • Computing Reviews
      • Computing Buying Guides
      • Computing Deals
      • Computing News
  • AI
    • AI Platforms & Assistants
    • OpenAI
    • ChatGPT
    • Gemini
    • Apple Intelligence
    • Claude
  • TVs
    • TV Insights
      • TV Reviews
      • TV Buying Guides
      • TV Deals
      • TV News
    • More for your TV
      • Home Theatre
      • Soundbars
      • Streaming Devices
      • Projectors
      • Blu-ray
  • Streaming
    • Entertainment
    • Netflix
    • Prime Video
    • Disney+
    • Apple TV+
    • HBO Max
    • Hulu
    • Paramount+
    • How to Watch
  • Fitness
    • Fitness
      • Smartwatches
      • Fitness Trackers
      • Exercise Equipment
      • Fitness Headphones
      • Fitness Apps
      • Smart Rings
    • Watch Brands
      • Apple Watch
      • Fitbit
      • Garmin
      • Google Pixel Watch
      • Samsung Galaxy Watch
    • Wellbeing
      • Sleep
      • Oral Health
    • More from Fitness
      • Fitness News
      • Fitness Reviews
      • Fitness Buying Guides
      • Fitness Deals
  • Audio
    • Headphones
      • Earbuds & AirPods
      • Wireless Headphones
    • Speakers
      • Wireless Speakers
      • Sonos
    • Hi-Fi
      • Turntables
      • Portable Players
      • DACs
    • Audio Streaming
      • Spotify
      • Apple Music
    • More from Audio
      • Audio News
      • Audio Reviews
      • Audio Buying Guides
      • Audio Deals
  • VPN
    • VPN Services
    • VPN Security
    • ExpressVPN
    • NordVPN
  • Cameras
    • Camera Types
      • Mirrorless
      • DSLRs
      • Compact
      • Action
      • Video
      • Drones
      • 360 Cameras
      • Dash Cams
    • Camera Brands
      • Canon
      • DJI
      • Fujifilm
      • Nikon
      • GoPro
      • Insta360
    • More from Cameras
      • Camera Accessories
      • Camera Lenses
      • Camera Reviews
      • Camera Buying Guides
      • Camera Deals
      • Camera News
      • Photography
  • Home
    • Smart Home
      • Home Security
      • Smart Speakers
      • Smart Lights
      • Smart Scales
      • Smart Thermostats
      • Amazon Echo
    • Small Appliances
      • Air Fryers
      • Air Quality
      • Coffee Machines
      • Hair Care
      • Vacuums
      • Robot Vacuums
    • Home Brands
      • Dyson
      • Philips Hue
      • Ring
      • Shark
      • Ninja
    • More from Home
      • Home Reviews
      • Home Buying Guides
      • Home Deals
      • Home News
  • EVs
  • Browse
    • By Type
      • News
      • Best
      • Reviews
      • Deals
      • Versus
      • How To
      • Opinion
      • Coupons
    • Popular Brands
      • Samsung
      • Sony
      • Microsoft
      • Apple
Tech Radar Pro Tech Radar Gaming
  • Phones
    • View Phones
      • iPhone
      • Samsung Galaxy
      • Google Pixel
      • Nothing
      • Motorola
      • OnePlus
      • Xiaomi
      • Honor
      • Oppo
      • Huawei
      • Android
      • iOS
      • Network Carriers
      • Phone Accessories
      • Phone Reviews
      • Phone Buying Guides
      • Phone Deals
      • Phone News
  • Computing
    • View Computing
    • Laptops
      • View Laptops
      • Chromebooks
      • MacBooks
      • Windows Laptops
      • Gaming Laptops
      • Desktop PCs
      • Macs
      • Gaming PCs
    • Software
      • View Software
      • Windows
      • macOS
    • Components
      • View Components
      • CPUs
      • GPUs
      • Storage
      • Nvidia
      • Intel
    • Internet
      • View Internet
      • Websites & Apps
      • Wi-Fi & Broadband
      • Social Media
      • Wordle
    • Security
      • View Security
      • Antivirus
      • Cyber Security
    • Tablets
      • View Tablets
      • eReaders
      • iPad
    • VR & AR
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Monitors
      • Keyboards
      • Webcams
      • Mice
      • Dell
      • HP
      • Lenovo
      • Acer
      • Computing Reviews
      • Computing Buying Guides
      • Computing Deals
      • Computing News
  • AI
    • View AI
    • AI Platforms & Assistants
    • OpenAI
    • ChatGPT
    • Gemini
    • Apple Intelligence
    • Claude
  • TVs
    • View TVs
      • TV Reviews
      • TV Buying Guides
      • TV Deals
      • TV News
      • Home Theatre
      • Soundbars
      • Streaming Devices
      • Projectors
      • Blu-ray
  • Streaming
    • View Streaming
    • Entertainment
    • Netflix
    • Prime Video
    • Disney+
    • Apple TV+
    • HBO Max
    • Hulu
    • Paramount+
    • How to Watch
  • Fitness
    • View Fitness
      • Smartwatches
      • Fitness Trackers
      • Exercise Equipment
      • Fitness Headphones
      • Fitness Apps
      • Smart Rings
      • Apple Watch
      • Fitbit
      • Garmin
      • Google Pixel Watch
      • Samsung Galaxy Watch
      • Sleep
      • Oral Health
      • Fitness News
      • Fitness Reviews
      • Fitness Buying Guides
      • Fitness Deals
  • Audio
    • View Audio
    • Headphones
      • View Headphones
      • Earbuds & AirPods
      • Wireless Headphones
    • Speakers
      • View Speakers
      • Wireless Speakers
      • Sonos
    • Hi-Fi
      • View Hi-Fi
      • Turntables
      • Portable Players
      • DACs
    • Audio Streaming
      • View Audio Streaming
      • Spotify
      • Apple Music
      • Audio News
      • Audio Reviews
      • Audio Buying Guides
      • Audio Deals
  • VPN
    • View VPN
    • VPN Services
    • VPN Security
    • ExpressVPN
    • NordVPN
  • Cameras
    • View Cameras
      • Mirrorless
      • DSLRs
      • Compact
      • Action
      • Video
      • Drones
      • 360 Cameras
      • Dash Cams
      • Canon
      • DJI
      • Fujifilm
      • Nikon
      • GoPro
      • Insta360
      • Camera Accessories
      • Camera Lenses
      • Camera Reviews
      • Camera Buying Guides
      • Camera Deals
      • Camera News
      • Photography
  • Home
    • View Home
    • Smart Home
      • View Smart Home
      • Home Security
      • Smart Speakers
      • Smart Lights
      • Smart Scales
      • Smart Thermostats
      • Amazon Echo
    • Small Appliances
      • View Small Appliances
      • Air Fryers
      • Air Quality
      • Coffee Machines
      • Hair Care
      • Vacuums
      • Robot Vacuums
      • Dyson
      • Philips Hue
      • Ring
      • Shark
      • Ninja
      • Home Reviews
      • Home Buying Guides
      • Home Deals
      • Home News
  • EVs
  • Browse
    • View Browse
      • News
      • Best
      • Reviews
      • Deals
      • Versus
      • How To
      • Opinion
      • Coupons
      • Samsung
      • Sony
      • Microsoft
      • Apple
Tech Radar Pro Tech Radar Gaming
Trending
  • Exclusive Apple interview
  • iPhone Air
  • iPhone 17 Pro
  • Nintendo Direct live
  • Best laptop
  • ChatGPT
  • Best VPN
  • Best web hosting
  • NYT Wordle today
Don't miss these
Google AI Mode
Gemini I've been using Google AI Search mode for 4 months, and here are 5 tips to get the best results
Google Web Guide
AI Platforms & Assistants Switched to ChatGPT for search? Google wants to tempt you back with Web Guide – here’s how to try it
Google AI Mode
Gemini Google's upgraded AI Mode is set to transform search – again
YouTube
Gemini I used Google Gemini to analyze YouTube, and the results were seriously impressive - 4 ways you can use video integration to get the most from AI
Two phones on a green and blue background showing Google's top stories results and preferred sources screen
Search Engines Want to upgrade your tech news? Here's how to set up Google's handy new Preferred Sources feature
ChatGPT Search
ChatGPT ChatGPT wants to replace Google but I’m not convinced it’s a competition
Google and ChatGPT
ChatGPT ChatGPT chats are now appearing in Google search – here’s how to stop Google from spying on your conversations
Google AI Mode
Gemini Google AI Mode is getting a bigger AI brain from Gemini
A business woman looking at AI on a transparent screen
Pro Future-proofing brands’ search strategies: harnessing LLMs for enhanced discoverability
Google Search Live
Gemini I tried Google’s new Search Live feature and ended up debating an AI about books
Google AI Mode
AI Platforms & Assistants Google’s AI Mode can now find you a table for dinner in search – and soon it'll find concert tickets too
ChatGPT on an iPhone
ChatGPT 5 simple ChatGPT cheat codes to help you get better answers from AI
airplane
ChatGPT 16 ChatGPT prompts to save you money on flights
woman smiling at laptop screen holding cup of coffee
ChatGPT Want to improve your ChatGPT results? Try these 6 easy mindset shifts
A close up of a person typing on a MacBook keyboard.
Pro Long before Google took the world by storm, this search engine paved the way for everyone
  1. Computing
  2. Internet
  3. Search Engines

Advanced Google search tips and tricks

How Tos
By Ian Evenden published 3 June 2016

Search smarter in Google

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Google tips

Google tips

Type a word into Google's search box and it searches the internet for it. Then it returns the results via the PageRank algorithm it paid patent holder Stanford University £336 million in Google shares for.

This weights results based on their perceived usefulness and puts more useful ones nearer the top. And it works pretty well, but can return a torrent of information that's hard to sift through. Type in 'cheese' or 'socks' or 'fishmonger' and you'll get results on those topics, but sometimes it pays to narrow down the search to avoid being swamped by results that, while not irrelevant, aren't precisely what you were looking for.

Happily, Google has several built-in tools to help you do this narrowing, and they're all available from the search box, with no extra add-ons required.

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
1. Site search

1. Site search

If you know the site where the article appears, narrow down the search using the 'site' command. Type site:techradar.com Windows 10 to search TechRadar for Windows 10.

Or type site:.ac.uk dinosaurs to search UK universities, or site:.mil aliens to find aliens held by the US military. Exclude a term by typing '-', so for instance site:.mil aliens -conspiracy.

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
2. Get definitions (and calculate)

2. Get definitions (and calculate)

Type define: followed by the word that's perplexing you into the search box to get a definition. You can do the same thing to get answers to arithmetic problems: tap in the digits with +, -, * and / (without spaces between them) to get a result on a calculator (which you can then use for more maths).

Searching for the answer to life the universe and everything returns 42, by the way.

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
3. Google Instant and autocomplete

3. Google Instant and autocomplete

Google Instant sends your search terms to Google while you're typing, and attempts to predict what you're going to input.

As you can imagine, we're regular visitors to techradar.com, so typing tech in the search box means it autocompletes to the site name, with the word 'technology' further down the list. You can turn this on and off in Search Settings at www.google.com/preferences.

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
4. Image search tricks

4. Image search tricks

Google image search is a powerful tool for tracking down pictures. Input search terms, and you'll be taken to a screen of images, with the most relevant ones at the top. As you scroll down, it's not uncommon to find baffling inclusions – make sure Safesearch is turned on in Search Settings (see step 3) to ensure these don't become risque.

  • How Microsoft beat Google at understanding images with machine learning
Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
5. Advanced image search

5. Advanced image search

If you have requirements for the image you're looking for, head to www.google.co.uk/advanced_image_search where you can filter images by size, aspect ratio, colour, type and format.

You can choose words to omit from the search, search only within pages you've visited and ensure the image is suitable for you to use in a publication or website without violating copyright.

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
6. Reverse image search

6. Reverse image search

Reverse image search is useful for finding similar images to one you already have, for identifying the source of an image, or for finding a larger version of an image.

Click the camera icon in the Google image search box, and you can paste in the URL of an image on the internet or drag and drop one from your PC into the search box.

Click 'Search Tools' to refine the search.

  • Search engine basics
Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
7. Time/date range and more

7. Time/date range and more

The Search Tools button is available on any search – click it on a web search to narrow down results by time, or country (perhaps to omit American results when you're searching for Washington in Britain, say).

Drop down the time-range menu to set a custom range within which your results will fall. Choose both dates, then click the 'Go' button to perform the search.

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
8. Google Flights

8. Google Flights

Search for air travel flights and prices at Google Flights. If you have flights booked, and have allowed Google to include private information in results, search the flight number and departure and landing times will appear.

If you've booked through Google Flights, or had confirmation sent to a Gmail, the information will be added to your Calendar.

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
9. Get the 'I'm Feeling Lucky' button back

9. Get the 'I'm Feeling Lucky' button back

A much-loved part of Google used to be the 'I'm Feeling Lucky' button that takes you to the first result for any search. It's a harder to find these days, as Google Instant constantly updates your results and many people search with the Return key rather than clicking.

To get it back, turn off Google Instant in Search Settings (see step 3) and go to the Google home page.

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
10. Whois

10. Whois

Find out who owns a website using the 'whois' operator. Type it as a search query including the web address, for example whois:techradar.com and click the top result.

Our example doesn't throw up anything unusual, but if you believe a site is indulging in abusive behaviour, however, a whois search will lead you to an email address, so you can report it to the domain's registrar.

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
TOPICS
Google
Ian Evenden
See more Computing How Tos
Read more
Google AI Mode
I've been using Google AI Search mode for 4 months, and here are 5 tips to get the best results
 
 
Google Web Guide
Switched to ChatGPT for search? Google wants to tempt you back with Web Guide – here’s how to try it
 
 
Google AI Mode
Google's upgraded AI Mode is set to transform search – again
 
 
YouTube
I used Google Gemini to analyze YouTube, and the results were seriously impressive - 4 ways you can use video integration to get the most from AI
 
 
Two phones on a green and blue background showing Google's top stories results and preferred sources screen
Want to upgrade your tech news? Here's how to set up Google's handy new Preferred Sources feature
 
 
ChatGPT Search
ChatGPT wants to replace Google but I’m not convinced it’s a competition
 
 
Latest in Search Engines
Two phones on a green and blue background showing Google's top stories results and preferred sources screen
Want to upgrade your tech news? Here's how to set up Google's handy new Preferred Sources feature
 
 
Google IO 2024
Google AI Overview thinks it's still 2024, sometimes
 
 
Perplexity search on a laptop.
How to replace Google Search with Perplexity AI
 
 
Google Learn About
Google Learn About is the patient teacher with a bag full of tricks we all wanted as kids
 
 
Bing
Microsoft is so desperate for people to drop Google for Bing it’s offering a $1 million reward
 
 
Google AI Overviews
Google’s AI Overviews are now available to help a billion people avoid reading full articles
 
 
Latest in How Tos
A man shields himself from the hot sun with an umbrella as he walks past an advertisement of the 2025 World Athletics Championships, which will take place from September 13-21, outside the National Stadium in Tokyo on September 6, 2025.
How to watch World Athletics Championships 2025: FREE live streams, TV channels, schedule
 
 
Defending US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain reacts by roaring at the crowd after winning a tennis match earlier this year.
How to watch Sinner vs Alcaraz online: live stream US Open 2025 final for FREE
 
 
asprit Bumrah of India celebrates after dismissing Azam Khan of Pakistan during the ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup West Indies & USA 2024 match between India and Pakistan at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on June 09, 2024 in New York, New York.
How to watch Asia Cup 2025 online: cricket live streams, fixture list, TV guide
 
 
Mariah Carey performs live on stage ahead of the
How to watch MTV Video Music Awards 2025 online: stream Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter from anywhere today
 
 
Cowboys vs Eagles
How to watch NFL 2025: free live streams and TV channels, Week 2
 
 
ChatGPT on mobile
I finally got ChatGPT to stop asking 'Want me to…' at the end of every response – here’s how to do it
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. 1
    I used the Nighthawk M7 Pro for off-site internet, and now it's an essential I won't go without
  2. 2
    You have to pay Claude to remember you, but the AI will forget your conversations for free
  3. 3
    Vietnam creditors hit by cyberattack - sensitive data at risk
  4. 4
    The Last of Us season 3 will see Neil Druckmann retaining a ‘high level’ role – here’s why this is very good news for the HBO series
  5. 5
    Asus wants you to pay $1469 for a posh ProArt RTX 5080 GPU with a wooden frame - is a $500 premium worth it? I don't think so

TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Web notifications
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...