You likely use Google multiple times a day, from searching for restaurants nearby, to looking up answers to everyday questions. And usually, Google is pretty good at giving you what you want, even if you didn’t type in the right phrase. But when it comes to using Google for research purposes, especially for work, there’s probably some room for improvement...and that’s where a few hidden tricks can help you out.
Looking for something specific, like an author’s name, a long phrase, lyrics, or an idiom? Sometimes Google will show you results that match with a couple of words, but not the entire phrase. Use quotation marks around the phrase to force Google to only show results matching that phrase.
For example: iPad Air “4th generation”
Sometimes a particular word messes up your search results. If you don’t want results for a particular word, you can literally subtract it out by using a dash.
For example: canyon -grand
It’s easy to forget, but Google is a lot more than just text search. There’s Google Images, Maps, and Google Books. Use the tabs at the top to switch between these modes.
Looking to expand your search results? Use a tilde symbol before a word to find results related to the term.
For example: coding ~class (That way, you’ll also see results for coding colleges, classes, courses, and so on.)
This is especially useful when you’re looking for documents online: Type in the search phrase, and then just add “filetype:pdf” at the end to look for PDFs. You can also find PowerPoint presentations, Word documents, and Excel sheets using this format.
For example: climate change report filetype:ppt
This is an obscure tip, but it can help you find pages that link to a specific page. If you’re looking for citations for a college essay, for example, just use the “link:(insert link here) format to find the links.
For example: link:lifehacker.com
Sometimes you’re looking for lyrics to a song and you can’t remember a couple of words. This is where an asterisk comes in. Google treats this as a wildcard or a blank, and it’ll give you search results considering the gaps in your knowledge.
For example: strawberry * forever
This is a search trick everyone should know about: Let’s say you found a website you liked and want to find more websites like it—you can just ask Google to do the hard work for you using the “related:(site address)” search term.
For example: related:boardgamegeek.com
Usually, the search feature in websites isn’t great. But because Google indexes web content anyway, you can use Google to search through websites reliably. Use the “site:(website link)” term the next time you want to search a site.
For example: site:lifehacker.com
Looking to find results from two terms? For example, maybe you’re looking for TV shows from Netflix or Amazon Prime. You can do that using the pipe symbol (that vertical bar), with basically tells Google to choose between this “or” that.
For example: Netflix Prime
When you’re using Google for online research, narrowing down results in a particular timeframe can help. You can use two dots to search between a range of two numbers.
For example: academic studies 1920..1935
Update 9/10/20, 2:00 p.m. (PT): Since we published this, Apple has given Epic Games an “indefinite extension” to continue using “Sign in with Apple.”
TikTok’s days as a viable social media platform might be numbered, at least in the U.S. (unless something changes before Trump’s recent executive orde
A weird bug is affecting some owners of Apples’ M1 line of Macs (laptops and desktops) that triggers the macOS screensaver to run at random times. Tha
Otter.ai is a solid service that can magically turn your conversations into transcriptions—ones that typically require little editing after the fact.
When Apple announced the launch of their pricey AirPods Max, they highlighted a new, unheard of feature: something they called “Spatial Audio”. Grante
Eufy makes a ton of cameras for various household needs: doorbell cameras, cameras you can set on at table to chat with people while you work, securit
The iPad is one of—if not the—best tablets on the market, but it’s also expensive. While the base model iPad is more budget-friendly, it’s a steep cli
When people (usually on the internet) start start fighting a new front in the iPhone versus Android wars, the latter seemingly always has a trump card
We are a comprehensive and trusted information platform dedicated to delivering high-quality content across a wide range of topics, including society, technology, business, health, culture, and entertainment.
From breaking news to in-depth reports, we adhere to the principles of accuracy and diverse perspectives, helping readers find clarity and reliability in today’s fast-paced information landscape.
Our goal is to be a dependable source of knowledge for every reader—making information not only accessible but truly trustworthy. Looking ahead, we will continue to enhance our content and services, connecting the world and delivering value.
