Google's search commands are great for filtering your searches, finding specific sites, and even getting ideas for article suggestions and improving the site's SEO. In this article we will see a list of these search commands.
There are several commands or operators that allow you to manipulate your search on Google or Google images. Some are just words that Google identifies and presents a certain result, others refine and filter the search.
-List of google search operations
I want to first list all google search commands, and then examine each one in detail.
| Command | Occupation |
| - | Hides a specific keyword from the search; |
| "" | Maintains focus on the search term; |
| [#]… [#] | Search for a range of numbers as a keyword; |
| * | Include a wildcard match in your search results; |
| # | Searches for a hashtag; |
| + | Insist that the search engine include a particular keyword in the search results; |
| ~ | Enhance a search to include synonyms for a particular keyword; |
| allintext: | Narrow a search so that all keywords are displayed in the body text; |
| allintitle: | Narrow your search so that all keywords appear in the title; |
| allinurl: | Narrow a search so that all keywords are displayed in the page address; |
| cache: | Show a page's cached snapshot; |
| gives you: | Restrict a search to a recent period; |
| daterange: | Restrict a search to any period of time; |
| defines: | Show the Google glossary definition for a term; |
| filetype: | Restrict a search to a certain type of file; |
| ext | It does the same thing as filetype: |
| info: | Find a specific URL in the search database; |
| title: | Narrow your search so that some of your keywords are displayed in the title; |
| inurl: | Narrow your search so that some keywords are displayed in the page's address; |
| inanchor | Results where the keyword appears in the anchor link of an article; |
| allinanchor | Results where all the searched words appear in an anchor link; |
| link: | List pages that point to a page; |
| OR | List pages that contain at least some of the keywords; |
| related: | List pages that Google considers related to another; |
| safesearch: | Narrow a search to exclude adult content; |
| site: | Restrict a search to a single site; |
| stocks: | Display US stock exchange information for a particular quote symbol; |
| imagesize | Allows you to do a google search for the image size; |
| @ | Used to search on social networks like @twitter; |
Other commands and functions on Google
Nowadays Google is increasingly modern and adaptive that it is impossible to present a complete list of all commands on the platform. You can simply search for something new and come across unexpected results.
Today Google does math math, measures distances, displays schedules, currency conversions, list of hotels, products and many other things that a few years ago simply could not be found on its homepage.
Some of these commands can be triggered and presented in a number of different ways, so it makes no sense to explain or list commands for these basic functions and operations. Still, we want to mention that anything is possible on Google!
[OR] and [*] - Searching for two words
This function allows you to search for two words in a single query. Everyone should know that [OR] in English means [OU], so it's like you are writing This OR That. The word needs to be in uppercase to work.
Preferably Google will present pages that are related to the two words searched. Otherwise, at least one of the words searched will return with some result. It can be useful to find suggestions for articles and titles with multiple keywords.
The [*] serves as a blablabla in the middle of a sentence that starts with a specific term and ends with a specific term. You type the starting word, add an asterisk, and then the ending word of a sentence you want to search.
This function is perfect for those looking for theme ideas based on two keywords.
[+] [-] and [dizle:] Filtering your searches
The [+] causes google to display results with at least one of the words mentioned in the search. [-] causes a certain word not to appear in the search;
This is perfect, since sometimes you search for something, but google shows results that have nothing to do with your search, so you can use [-] to hide any unrelated results that are infesting your search.
[Title:] makes your search only display results with the keyword in the title of the site or article and not in the content. Perfect for finding specific articles. If you use [allintitle:] all the words searched for appear in the title.
[filetype:] and [ext] - looking for files
These are my favorite commands, they allow you to search for files of a certain extension. Perfect for searching handouts, spreadsheets, ebooks and text files. I've used it a lot to find word lists and create files.
It is possible to group and improve your file searches using parentheses along with the OR command. For example: [words in English (ext:pdf OR ext:doc OR ext:txt)]
See the list of supported extensions to search on google below:
- Adobe Flash (.swf)
- Adobe Portable Document Format (.pdf)
- Adobe PostScript (.ps)
- Autodesk Design Web Format (.dwf)
- Basic source code (.bas)
- C # source code (.cs)
- C / C ++ source code (.c, .cc, .cpp, .cxx, .h, .hpp)
- Google Earth (.kml, .kmz)
- GPS eXchange Format (.gpx)
- Hancom Hanword (.hwp)
- HTML (.htm, .html, other file extensions)
- Java source code (.java)
- Microsoft Excel (.xls, .xlsx)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt, .pptx)
- Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx)
- OpenOffice presentation (.odp)
- OpenOffice spreadsheet (.ods)
- OpenOffice text (.odt)
- Perl source code (.pl)
- Python source code (.py)
- Rich Text Format (.rtf)
- Scalable Vector Graphics (.svg)
- TeX / LaTeX (.tex)
- Text (.txt, .text, other file extensions), including source code in common programming languages:
- Wireless Markup Language (.wml, .wap)
- XML (.xml)
Google quotes [“”]
When you use quotation marks on Google, you filter your search by showing results that have the exact sentence or phrase you are looking for on Google. Usually when you search without quotes, you find random and unrelated results that you are looking for.
The quotes show a specific term, it can be useful to find quotes on websites, difficult-to-find tutorials or texts you found in English. I usually use quotes to detect and find solutions to online errors on my website.
The quotes are also used to detect duplicate content. Anyone with a website can use these quotes to find out if a portion of their website has been copied by an enemy. It also serves to understand if the text you wrote is not plagiarizing anyone.
When using quotation marks, the text sought will appear entirely in Bold. The first site that correctly displays the search, is usually the original author of the content, can be of help in finding the true author of an unknown quote.
When searching for a link in quotation marks, Google presents all the links from that site or references to that link on other sites. Unlike the [site:] command, which only requires the links from a specific domain. It can also be used to detect backlinks.
List of yahoo commands
Usually the commands are similar, but let's leave a list of Yahoo commands as an extra:
| Command | Occupation |
| - | Insist that the search engine omit pages that match a particular keyword in search results |
| + | Insist that the search engine include a particular keyword in the search results |
| area code | Include a list of cities that match the U.S. area code |
| convert: | Show a variety of unit conversion rates, for example, currency or distance |
| defines | Include a definition for the keyword |
| facts | Include encyclopedia entry for keyword |
| feature: | Restrict a search to pages that include a particular feature |
| hostname: | Restrict a search to a single host name |
| hotels | Include links to hotels in the area |
| title: | Narrow your search so that some of your keywords appear in the title |
| inurl: | Narrow your search so that some keywords appear in the page’s address |
| link: | List pages that link to a page |
| map | Include a map of any location in the U.S. |
| news | Include and link to headlines that match your keyword |
| patent | Link to detailed information for the corresponding keyword of the patent number |
| quote | Show US stock exchange information for a given quote symbol |
| region: | Restrict a search to pages in a particular region |
| scores | Include and link to score team name keyword results |
| showtimes | Include and link to movie showtimes in the area |
| site: | Restrict a search to a single site |
| synonym | Include synonyms for keywords and link to definitions for each |
| team | Include local time and time zone information for the local keyword |
| traffic | Link to traffic reports for the local keyword |
| url: | Find a specific URL in the search database |
Bing or live command list
Usually the commands are similar, but we will also leave a list of Bing or Live commands:
| Command | Occupation |
| - | Insist that the search engine omit pages that match a particular keyword in search results |
| () | Group keywords together; |
| + | Insist that the search engine include a particular keyword in the search results |
| | | List pages that contain at least some of the keywords |
| contains: | List pages that link to a particular file type |
| filetype: | Restrict a search to a particular file type |
| inanchor: | Narrow your search so that your keyword appears in the anchor tags on the page |
| inbody: | Narrow your search so that all keywords appear in the body text |
| title: | Narrow your search so that some of your keywords appear in the title |
| inurl | Narrow your search so that some keywords appear in the page’s address |
| ip: | List sites hosted by the keyword's IP address |
| language: | Restrict a search to a specific language |
| link: | List pages that link to a page |
| linkdomain: | List pages linked to a domain |
| LinkFromDomain: | List pages that a domain links to |
| location: | Restrict a search to pages in a particular region |
| NOT | Insist that the search engine omit pages that match a particular keyword in search results |
| OR | List pages that contain at least some of the keywords |
| prefer: | Enhance a search by emphasizing the keyword provided |
| site: | Restrict a search to a single site |
| url: | Find a specific URL in the search database |
Google Easter Eggs List
Google also has other interesting functions when you search for a certain English word. You can make him play heads and tails, make the search crazy and many others.
Let's end the article with a list of commands for you to search and find out for yourself. Some may not work anymore. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the article! If you liked it, share and leave your comments.
- 3D Easter Egg
- Askew
- Bacon Number
- Baker's Dozen
- Bletchley Park
- Blink HTML
- Breathing Exercise
- Bubble Level
- But Where is Chuck Norris?
- Carmen Sandiego Google Earth
- Color Picker
- To convert
- Conway's Game of Life
- Dinosaur Game
- From the Barrel Roll
- Earth Day Quiz
- Explore Space with Google Sky
- Feeling Curious
- Festivus
- Find the Height or Age of Celebrities
- Find Webpage Fonts
- Flip a Coin
- Friends
- Fun Facts
- Google Birthday Surprise Spinner
- Google Gravity
- Google in 1998
- Google Logo History
- Google Mars
- Google Moon
- Google Space
- Google Sphere
- Interactive Fiction
- Is Google Down?
- Kerning
- Lego Lovers Build with Chrome
- Let Me Google That for You
- LGBT
- Loch Ness Monster
- Loneliest Number
- HTML Marquee
- Metronome
- Minesweeper
- Nutrition Info
- Once in a Blue Moon
- Pac Man
- Pirate Language
- Play Atari Breakout in Google Images
- Play Dreidel
- Play Solitaire
- Random Number Generator
- Roll a Die
- Search for Recursion
- Search For “Anagram” Or “Define Anagram”
- Server Status 418. I'm a Teapot
- Snake
- Sonic Easter Egg
- Spelling Numbers
- Spinner
- Super Mario Bros
- Text Adventure
- Thanos from Marvel Comics
- The Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything
- The Funniest Joke in the World
- The Number of Horns on a Unicorn
- Tic Tac Toe or Terni Lapilli
- Timer
- Valentine's Day Easter Egg
- Torso Webdriver
- What Is Nothing
- What Sound Does a Dog make?
- Wizard of Oz
- Zerg Rush
List of Google URL Parameters
You can also filter your Google and Google Images searches using URL parameters by adding at the end of the URL to specify your search. See a list of commands below:
Google operators
- as_q = test (query string)
- & hl = en (language)
- & num = 10 (number of results [10,20,30,50,100])
- & btnG = Google + Search
- & as_epq = (complete phrase)
- & as_oq = (at least one)
- & as_eq = (excluding)
- & lr = (language results. [lang_countrycode])
- & as_ft = i (filetype include or exclude. [i, e])
- & as_filetype = (filetype extension)
- & as_qdr = all (date [all, M3, m6, y])
- & as_nlo = (number range, low)
- & as_nhi = (number range, high)
- & as_occt = any (terms occur [any, title, body, url, links])
- & as_dt = i (restrict by domain [i, e])
- & as_sitesearch = (restrict by [site])
- & as_rights = (usage rights [cc_publicdomain, cc_attribute, cc_sharealike, cc_noncommercial, cc_nonderived]
- & safe = images (safesearch [safe = on, images = off])
- & as_rq = (similar pages)
- & as_lq = (pages that link)
- & gl = us (2-digit country code in lowercase)
- as_q = (query string)
- & hl = en (language)
- & btnG = Google + Search
- & as_epq = (complete phrase)
- & as_oq = (at least one)
- & as_eq = (excluding)
- & imgtype = (restrict by image type)
- & imgsz = (restrict by image size)
- & imgc = (restrict by image color)
- & as_filetype = (filetype extension)
- & as_sitesearch = (restrict by [site])
- & safe = off (safesearch [safe = on, images = off])
- & tbs = rltm: 1 [real time results]
- & tbs = qdr: s [past second]
- & tbs = qdr: n [past minute]
- & tbs = qdr: h [past hour]
- & tbs = qdr: d [past 24 hours (day)]
- & tbs = qdr: w [past week]
- & tbs = qdr: m [past month]
- & tbs = qdr: y [past year]
Google Image operators
- & imgtype = news (news only)
- & imgtype = face (faces only)
- & imgtype = photo (photos only)
- & imgtype = clipart (clipart only)
- & imgtype = lineart (lineart only)
- 8.3. Showing only images of a certain size
- & imgsz = icon (small)
- & imgsz = small | medium | large | xlarge (medium)
- & imgsz = xxlarge (large)
- & imgsz = huge (large)
- & imgc = mono (black and white)
- & imgc = gray (grayscale)
- & imgc = color (full color) DEFAULT