Master Google Search With These Operators

Çağlar Can SARIKAYA
2 min readOct 21, 2023

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Google search engine is a powerful tool, but are you using it to its full potential? Learn about the different search operators that can help narrow down your search and deliver precise results.

Basic Operators

  • "": Search for the exact word or phrase. E.g., "steve jobs".
  • OR: Search for results related to X or Y. E.g., jobs OR gates.
  • |: Functions the same as OR: jobs | gates.
  • AND: Search for results related to X and Y. E.g., jobs AND gates.
  • -: Exclude a word or phrase from the search. E.g., jobs -apple.
  • *: Wildcard matching any word or phrase. E.g., steve * apple.
  • (): Group multiple searches. E.g., (ipad OR iphone) apple.

Definition and File Type

  • define:: Search for the definition of a word or phrase. E.g., define:entrepreneur.
  • filetype: or ext:: Search for particular types of files. E.g., apple filetype:pdf or apple ext:pdf.

Website and Page Specific

  • site:: Search for results from a particular website. E.g., site:apple.com.
  • related:: Search for sites related to a given domain. E.g., related:apple.com.
  • intitle:: Search for pages with a particular word in the title tag. E.g., intitle:apple.
  • allintitle:: Search for pages with multiple words in the title tag. E.g., allintitle:apple iphone.
  • inurl:: Search for pages with a particular word in the URL. E.g., inurl:apple.
  • allinurl:: Search for pages with multiple words in the URL. E.g., allinurl:apple iphone.
  • intext:: Search for pages with a particular word in their content. E.g., intext:apple iphone.
  • allintext:: Search for pages with multiple words in their content. E.g., allintext:apple iphone.

Other Operators

  • weather:: Search for the weather in a location. E.g., weather:san francisco.
  • stocks:: Search for stock information for a ticker. E.g., stocks:aapl.
  • map:: Force Google to show map results. E.g., map:silicon valley.
  • movie:: Search for information about a movie. E.g., movie:steve jobs.
  • in: Convert one unit to another. E.g., $329 in GBP.
  • source:: Search for results from a particular source in Google News. E.g., apple source:the_verge.
  • before:: Search for results from before a particular date. E.g., apple before:2007-06-29.
  • after:: Search for results from after a particular date. E.g., apple after:2007-06-29.

Conclusion

Utilizing these search operators can significantly enhance your Google search experience. Whether you are conducting research, looking for specific information, or just exploring the web, these operators are sure to refine your search and provide more accurate results.

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