Google Search has introduced a new AI Overview feature that provides summaries for top search results. While some users may not be thrilled with this change, especially those who prefer text-based links, a new “Web” search filter has been introduced to cater to their needs. This filter removes AI summaries, ads, images, and videos, allowing users to access only text-based links. The Web filter can be found alongside other filters like News, Images, and Videos on the Google Search results page, typically under the “More” menu.
To access text-based link results using Google’s Web filter, users can customize their browser settings to direct address bar searches to the Web filter. By creating a custom site search shortcut with the URL https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14, users can trigger the Web filter results with a keyword or set it as their default search option. The process varies slightly for different web browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari, but the concept remains the same.
For Google Chrome users, the steps involve accessing the browser settings, managing search engines and site search, and creating a new search shortcut with the specified URL. Once set up, users can use a keyword to trigger the Web filter results or make it their default search engine. Similar steps can be followed for Microsoft Edge, which is based on the Chromium codebase, and Mozilla Firefox, where users need to create a bookmark with a keyword shortcut to access the Web filter results.
Apple Safari users can enable custom site search shortcuts by installing the Smart Keyword Search extension, which allows users to create rules for modifying search results. By setting a new rule with a familiar URL containing the Web filter search shortcut, users can access text-based link results restricted by Google’s Web filter. Furthermore, users can customize their searches on Google by adding the “verbatim” restriction to their Web filter shortcut, ensuring that search results are based on exact terms used in the query.
Overall, the introduction of the AI Overview feature and the Web filter on Google Search aims to provide users with more options and control over their search results. By utilizing these features, users can access text-based links without AI summaries or other distractions, enhancing their search experience. Customizing browser settings and search shortcuts allows users to easily navigate to the Web filter results and refine their searches for more precise and relevant information.
