Google Search tests custom filters for results based on keywords, domains

Users can save filters to their Google accounts with custom tags and use them across mobile and desktop for tailored search results

Google Search has started testing custom filters for results based on keywords and domains. Consumer technology news website 9To5Google has reported that the feature is available for select users, allowing them to tailor Search results according to their preferences. With custom filters, users can search on Google using specific keywords, specific websites, and domain types to find information.

According to the report, a user can set a filter for specific file types including PDFs, documents, spreadsheets, ebooks, and more. The custom filter feature on Google Search is said to allow users to filter out sources based on domain types. For example, searching with a filter such as “.org” or “.gov” will only show results from websites with the selected domain type. The feature also allows filtering results by time including past hour, day, week, month, and year.

According to 9To5Google, once the user has set a filter, they can save it with a custom name or tag and use it in future for Search results. Users can also edit filter templates, which get saved on their Google accounts and work across mobile and desktop platforms where the user is signed in.

The feature is only available to select users. However, it is expected to be available more widely in the coming weeks. Once available, the Google Search result page shows up a pop-up window informing the user that they can now use new custom filters for Search. A few examples that Google provides for the new feature include:

Discussions: To search for information on platforms like Quora and Reddit

PDF Only: Shows relevant PDF files in search results

Past 7 days: Shows search results based on information published on the web within the past week.

Coding: Shows results from coding websites such as Github and StackOverflow.