15 Google Search Tips & Tricks You Need to Know!

There are many hidden features that can make using Google more efficient and effective.

Here are the 15 best Google search tips and tricks you need to know!

1. Use Quotation Marks for Exact Phrases

If you want to find results that include an exact phrase, enclose that phrase in quotation marks. This can be useful if you’re looking for a specific song lyric, a famous quote, or a particular name. 

For example, searching for “let it be” will bring up results that include the entire phrase. While searching for let it be will bring up results that have the words let, it, and be, but not necessarily in that order or as part of that phrase.

2. Use the Minus Sign to Exclude Words

If you want to exclude a specific word from your search results, you can use the minus sign (-). This can be helpful if you’re looking for information on a topic but want to exclude certain results. 

After getting a search result that includes unwanted results, try adding in a negative search word to refine your search.

For example, if you want to search for the Rolling Stones song “Ruby Tuesday”, you may want to include -Restaurant to avoid search results about the Ruby Tuesday Restaurant.

3. Use the Plus Sign to Include Words

If you want to include an essential word in your search results, you can use the plus sign (+). This can be helpful if you’re looking for results on a specific topic but want to ensure that certain results are included.

For example, if you want to search for Ruby Tuesday Restaurant, and don’t want results about the Rolling Stones song, include +Resturant in your search.

4. Use Wildcards

You can use a wildcard in your search query if you’re unsure of the exact word or phrase you’re looking for. A wildcard is simply an asterisk (*) which can represent any number of characters. What the asterisk symbol (*) does is that it commands Google to fill in any keyword. 

For example, searching for  Everybody * Raymond tells Google to find pages containing a phrase that starts with “Everybody” followed by one or more words, followed by “Raymond.” Google will return results like “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Everybody Hates Raymond,” Everybody Knows a Raymond,” etc…

5. Use Google’s Site Search

You can use Google’s site search function if you’re looking for information on a specific website. Type “site:” followed by the website address into the search bar, and Google will only return results from that website. Note that the word “site” has to be in all lower case for this to work.

For example, searching “site:TVGuide.com Everybody Loves Raymond” will only bring up webpages about Everybody Loves Raymond on TV Guides website.

6. Use Google’s Weather Search

You can use Google’s weather search function if you’re looking for information on the current weather conditions. Type “weather:” followed by the location into the search bar, and Google will return relevant weather information.

7. Use And / Or Statements

You can use the “and” or “or” operators if you want to include multiple terms in your search query. 

The “and” operator will return results that have all of the terms you specify. It doesn’t really make much difference for regular searches, as Google defaults to “AND” anyway. But it’s handy when paired with other operators.

In contrast, the “or” operator will return results that include at least one of the terms. 

For example, “Beatles AND Rolling Stones” will only return results that include both bands. “Beatles OR Rolling Stones” will return a mix of results about each of the bands separately.

8. Use the Timer Function

If you want to set a timer, you can use the “timer” function. Type “timer:” followed by the amount of time you want to set into the search bar. Google will return results of timers for that amount of time.

9. Use the Calculator Function

You can use the “calculator” function if you want to use a calculator. Type “calculator” into the search bar, and Google will provide a calculator interface. You can then type in your equation, and Google will calculate the answer.

10. Use the Unit Conversion Function

If you want to convert between different units of measurement, you can use the “unit converter” function. Type “unit converter” into the search bar, and Google will provide a unit conversion interface. You can then specify the units you want to convert between, and Google will do the conversion for you.

11. Use the Translation Function

If you want to translate text from one language to another, you can use the “translation” function. Type “translate:” followed by the text you want to translate, and Google will provide a translation interface. You can then specify the languages you want to translate, and Google will do the translation for you.

For example, try searching “translate:Hello How Are You into Spanish”

12. Use Google’s Dictionary

If you want to look up the definition of a word, you can use Google’s dictionary function. Type “define:” followed by the word you want to look up into the search bar, and Google will provide definitions for that word.

You can also use synonym: to return other words that mean the same-ish thing.

Examples: Try searching definition:Carnivore or synonym:Carnivore.

13. Use Google’s Advanced Search

You can type “advanced search” into the search bar if you want to use Google’s advanced search features. This will take you to a page with multiple options that you can use to narrow your search results. For example, you can specify the date range of the results you want, the language of the results, and much more.

14. Use Google’s Search History

If you want to view your search history, you can type “search history” into the search bar. This will take you to a page showing all of the searches you’ve made in the past. You can also use this page to delete items from your search history. This is a good way to find something you had looked up but forgot your exact search term.

15. Use Google’s Filetype Search

You can use Google’s “filetype” search to find a specific file type. Type “filetype:” followed by the file extension you’re looking for. For example, if you wanted to find a PDF document about cats, you could search for “filetype:pdf cats”. Or, if you want to find a JPEG photo of the Eiffel Tower, you could search for “filetype:jpg eiffel tower”.

Using these tips and tricks, you can make Google work better and get the most out of your searches!

These are just a few tips and tricks you can use to get the most out of Google. Experiment and see what else you can find!

Let us know in the comments below if you’ve got any other Google Search tips…

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