This cheat sheet provides a quick reference to Google Search operators, which allow users to refine and optimize their search results for greater accuracy. It includes both basic and advanced operators, covering a wide range of uses, from searching specific phrases to locating files in Google Drive or emails in Gmail.
Basic Operators
“ ”
- Description: Searches for an exact phrase, preventing synonyms from appearing.
- Example:
"artificial intelligence"(Searches for the exact phrase).
OR
- Description: Boolean search that looks for either one word or another.
- Example:
apple OR orange(Finds pages containing either "apple" or "orange").
|
- Description: Functions like
ORbut using the pipe symbol. - Example:
apple | orange.
-
- Description: Excludes specific words from results.
- Example:
apple -fruit(Searches for apple excluding references to fruit).
*
- Description: Acts as a wildcard for any word or phrase.
- Example:
best * tools(Finds phrases like "best SEO tools" or "best marketing tools").
#..#
- Description: Finds a range of numbers.
- Example:
camera $100..$300(Searches for cameras within this price range).
$ / €
- Description: Searches for prices in USD or Euros.
- Example:
smartphone $500orsmartphone €500.
in
- Description: Converts units (currency, measurements, etc.).
- Example:
100 USD in GBP.
()
- Description: Groups terms together to control search logic.
- Example:
(apple OR orange) AND juice.
+
- Description: Forces an exact match on a single word or phrase.
- Example:
+apple.
Advanced Operators
site:
- Description: Limits search results to a specific website or domain.
- Example:
site:wikipedia.org(Searches only within Wikipedia).
filetype: / ext:
- Description: Finds specific file types (e.g., PDFs, Word documents).
- Example:
marketing strategy filetype:pdf.
link:
- Description: Shows pages that link to a specific URL.
- Example:
link:example.com.
intitle: / allintitle:
- Description: Searches for keywords within a page title.
- Example:
intitle:SEO tools.
inurl: / allinurl:
- Description: Finds pages with keywords in the URL.
- Example:
inurl:blog.
intext: / allintext:
- Description: Finds pages with specific keywords in the body text.
- Example:
intext:artificial intelligence.
AROUND(X)
- Description: Finds two keywords within a specific distance of each other.
- Example:
apple AROUND(5) orange(Finds instances where "apple" and "orange" appear within 5 words of each other).
cache:
- Description: Shows Google's cached version of a page.
- Example:
cache:example.com.
define:
- Description: Pulls the definition of a word or phrase.
- Example:
define:blockchain.
related:
- Description: Finds websites similar to a specified domain.
- Example:
related:nytimes.com.
weather:
- Description: Displays the weather for a specified location.
- Example:
weather:London.
stocks:
- Description: Shows stock information for a given ticker.
- Example:
stocks:AAPL.
Mail and Drive Operators
from: / to:
- Description: Searches emails by sender or recipient.
- Example:
from:[email protected].
subject:
- Description: Finds emails based on subject keywords.
- Example:
subject:meeting.
has:attachment
- Description: Finds emails with attachments.
- Example:
has:attachment.
filename:
- Description: Searches for specific attachments by file name or type.
- Example:
filename:report.pdf.
before: / after:
- Description: Finds emails or files modified before or after a specific date.
- Example:
before:2020/01/01.
is:important / is:unread
- Description: Searches emails marked as important or unread.
- Example:
is:important.
owner:
- Description: Searches Google Drive files by owner.
- Example:
owner:me.
Tips and Sources
Useful Tips
- Use quotation marks for precise searches.
- Combine operators for refined results (e.g.,
site:example.com intitle:SEO). - For time-sensitive data, use
before:andafter:operators.