Google Search URL Parameters

Disable Duplicate Filtering (Deep Search)

Google automatically hides results it considers "very similar" or removed due to DMCA complaints. Adding filter=0 forces Google to show all found pages. Essential for SEO audits and OSINT investigations where you need complete coverage.

Disable Personalization

Google personalizes results based on your search history and cookies. pws=0 (Personalized Web Search = 0) disables this, giving "clean" results. Essential for SEO professionals checking real rankings rather than personalized positions.

Verbatim / Strict Mode

Disables typo correction ("Did you mean...?"), ignores synonyms, and prevents Google from dropping words from your query. The search engine will look for an exact match of every word. Indispensable for OSINT when searching specific names or technical terms Google tries to "correct."

Freshness Filter (Date Range)

A more reliable alternative to the before:/after: operators. Filters results by how recently they were indexed.

Geo Location (Country)

Two-letter ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code. Affects which region's sites get priority in results. For example, gl=us prioritizes US sites, gl=gb prioritizes UK sites, gl=de prioritizes German sites.

Interface Language (Host Language)

Controls the language of the search interface — hints, snippets, and UI elements. For example, hl=en for English, hl=es for Spanish. Does not strictly filter result content (use lr for that).

City-Level Geolocation Targeting

The most powerful parameter for local SEO. Simulates a search from a specific city or region, even if you're on another continent. Uses a Base64-encoded location string from Google's geotargeting database.

Disable Auto-Correction

Different from Verbatim (tbs=li:1). This only disables "Did you mean...?" auto-corrections but still allows synonym matching. Essential for OSINT when searching specific surnames or company names that Google stubbornly tries to correct to dictionary words.

Exact Calendar Date Range

The most reliable way to restrict results to a specific time period. Solves all issues with the daterange: operator. Date format is MM/DD/YYYY.

Content Language Filter (Strict)

Not to be confused with &hl= (which changes Google's menu language). The lr parameter (Language Restrict) forces Google to show results exclusively in the specified language. Useful for finding results in a specific language — for example, Spanish-only results on an English query.

Hosting Country Filter (Strict)

Unlike &gl= (which simulates your location), cr shows results only from sites belonging to the specified country (by IP or domain). Ideal for OSINT when you need mentions exclusively from a specific country's web infrastructure.

Exact Phrase (Alternative to Quotes)

Instead of placing phrases in quotes ("..." operator) inside the q= parameter, you can move exact phrase matching to a separate URL parameter. Simplifies URL encoding and parsing.

Exclude Word (Alternative to Minus Operator)

A safer alternative to the minus (-) operator. Excludes specified words from results via the URL. Easier for managing stop-word lists programmatically.

Pagination Offset

Determines which result number to start from. With &num=100, using &start=100 shows page 2 (results 101–200). Essential for APIs and automated page loading.

Search Vertical Switcher

Switches the search type (the tabs below Google's search bar) without changing the query. "To Be Matched" — selects which Google search database to use.

Prevent Country Redirect

Prevents Google from redirecting you to a regional mirror (google.com.ua, google.de, etc.). Use together with &gl=us&hl=en to guarantee "American" results without any regional interference.

SafeSearch Control

Google SafeSearch hides results it considers suspicious or NSFW by default. For OSINT investigations, safe=off ensures Google does not suppress results through internal safety filters.