Google is probably the most popular search site on the web, used for finding just about everything we need on the internet. It's quick, easy and simple to use, and most of the time we find what we need in the first one or two result pages. But what if I told you that you're not really using Google as you should? It turns out that Google has a few special tricks that will make your life a whole lot easier:
1. Remove words from your search results
Let's
say you are looking for bread recipes but you don't want any with
"yeast" as an ingredient. All you need to do is type your desired search
terms normally and then add a minus sign (-) followed by the words you
want excluded without a space. It should look like this in the search
bar: bread recipes -yeast.
2. Look up related words and synonyms
This
is a simple way for finding out other ways for saying something if you
want to use the same word twice in one sentence, and you don’t want it
to sound weird. In the Google search bar put a tilde mark (~, normally
located next to the 1 key on the top left of the keyboard) in front of
the search term you want to find synonyms for.
3. Google can help you define a word
Type
"define:" (with both " marks) followed by the word, and Google will
take you straight to the definition. Use this to catch anyone trying to
cheat on Scrabble and get fast definitions for words you don’t know.
4. Search for the exact order of words
If you are looking for the origin of a quote or
a song you can only remember one line from, this is the just what you
need to find what you are looking for. Simply put your search phrase
inside quotation marks and search.
5. Search for items in a specific price range
If
you are looking for something to buy but you don't want Google to show
you all the price options, simply use this handy little trick. First
type in your term, let's say phone, and after that type the lowest and
highest prices you're willing to pay with two periods (..). The end
result should look like this: Phone 100$..200$. The more accurate the
item you are looking for will be, the better results you will get.
6. Limit your search to a website
If
you once read a good article on a site and you can't remember its name
and how you got there, it's very easy to find it again.
7. Search for a GIFA
GIF is a type on animated picture file looping over and over like a
very short (mostly poor quality) video. Finding GIFs is as easy as using
the Google images search. Go to Google Images, type what you are
looking for, click "Search tools" and "Type". A small drop down list
will appear, select "Animated" and search. The results you'll get might
look like normal pictures at first, but press on any of them and you
will see their animation.
8. Setting a timer
Not
really a search option, but still a very useful feature if you want to
remind yourself to take a break or to take something out of the oven.
Type "set timer for" into the search bar and you will see the Google
timer as your first result. Enter the time you want in hours, minutes or
seconds, and start the timer. Google will start beeping when the time
runs out.
9. Do math
This
one is really straight forward, type in an equation in the search bar
and Google will give you the answer on its calculator. If possible, you
can copy-paste the equation to the search bar to make your life easier.
10. Search for a file type and not just a website
If
you are looking for a Word file, a PowerPoint presentation or something
similar this will make your search faster and much more accurate. Enter
your search terms followed by "filetype: PPT". PPT is the file type for
PowerPoint, DOC is for most Word files and if you are looking for other
kinds of files, just Google their file type initials.
11. Convert currency
Much
like doing math for you, Google can also tell the value of different
currencies and help you prepare for that trip abroad. Type the name of
the currency you own, add "to" and type the name of the currency you
want to get in return. Keep in mind that many places trading with
foreign coin take a commission and Google can't calculate that.
12. Search for something you forgot
If
a part of your search is unknown or forgotten, you can use Google to
fill in the blanks. Enter your search terms using asterisks (*) as
stand-ins for the unknowns. It can also be used to answer simple
question such as searching for: When you are in Rome be sure to visit *.
