Google Web Filter: A guide to search engine text-only results
This filter, known as the Web filter, removes additional elements often displayed on Google search engine results pages (SERPs) such as knowledge panels, AI overviews and image carousels.
Google this month has introduced a new search filter option focused on delivering text-based search results. This filter, known as the Web filter, removes additional elements often displayed on Google search engine results pages (SERPs) such as knowledge panels, AI overviews and image carousels.
While not officially announced as a standalone feature, the Web filter can be accessed through a custom site search function within most popular web browsers.
The Google Web filter is currently not directly available as a standalone search option on the Google homepage. However, users can access it through a custom site search function within most popular web browsers. Here's a breakdown of the steps involved for the four major desktop browsers:
- Google Chrome: Users can create a custom search engine within Chrome settings. The specific URL for the Google Web filter search is
https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14, where "%s" represents the search query and "udm=14" is the code for the Web filter. Once created, users can trigger this custom search with a chosen keyword or designate it as the default search engine for all searches within Chrome. - Microsoft Edge: Similar to Chrome, Edge allows users to create a custom search engine. The process involves using the same URL (
https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14) and assigning a preferred name and keyword for the custom search function. - Mozilla Firefox: While creating a custom search engine is not directly available in Firefox, users can achieve similar results by adding a keyword shortcut directly in the address bar. Typing the desired keyword followed by the URL (
https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14) and pressing Enter will trigger a Web filter search. - Apple Safari: Safari users can leverage the "Bookmarks" function to create a custom search shortcut. The process involves adding a new bookmark with the chosen keyword as the title and the Web filter URL (
https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14) as the address. Users can then access the Web filter search by selecting the created bookmark from the bookmarks menu and performing the search query.
Since I joined Google, I’ve just been a boy standing in front of the search group asking it to love a Web filter. So happy to see it’s arrived – congrats to the hard-working team on this project that through their own efforts made it a reality! https://t.co/pA0MLxh7Zz
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) May 14, 2024
The Google Web filter offers a solution for users seeking a streamlined search experience focused solely on text-based results. While not a complete replacement for the traditional Google search engine, the Web filter can be a valuable tool for researchers, individuals with attention difficulties, or those on limited bandwidth connections. As the Web filter continues development, it may become a more prominent feature within the Google search ecosystem.