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Reclaim Your Search Results: How to Skip Google's AI Overviews

مايو 05, 2025 AI_News Comments
Reclaim Your Search Results: How to Skip Google's AI Overviews

Reclaim Your Search Results: How to Skip Google's AI Overviews

Get Back to Classic Links with These Simple Tricks for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari

Introduction: AI Overviews - Helpful or Hindrance?

Google Search is evolving, and one of the most significant recent changes is the introduction of AI Overviews. These AI-generated summaries aim to provide quick answers at the top of your search results. While sometimes useful, they can also be frustrating, inaccurate (remember the infamous "eat rocks" advice?), or simply get in the way when you prefer to browse traditional website links. Many users miss the classic Google experience of a straightforward list of relevant web pages. If you find yourself longing for those link-only results, you're in luck! There are several effective methods, ranging from simple clicks to minor browser setting adjustments, that allow you to bypass AI Overviews and regain control over your search experience. This guide will walk you through how to use Google's built-in 'Web' filter and configure your browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari) to default to link-based results.

Understanding the Google Search 'Web' Filter

Recognizing the demand for traditional results, Google introduced a dedicated 'Web' filter. Similar to existing filters like 'Images', 'News', or 'Shopping', selecting the 'Web' filter modifies your search results page.

When activated, the 'Web' filter strips away most of the modern Google Search elements, including:

  • AI Overviews
  • Featured snippets
  • Knowledge panels (like "Top Stories" or "People Also Ask")
  • Video results embedded within the main list

What remains is a cleaner, more traditional list composed primarily of text-based links to websites, much like Google results from years past. While Google states that ads may still appear for certain queries even with the Web filter active, many users report seeing fewer sponsored results compared to the default 'All' view.

How to Use the 'Web' Filter Manually

Using the 'Web' filter on a case-by-case basis is straightforward:

  1. Perform a search on Google as you normally would.
  2. On the search results page, look for the row of filters beneath the search bar (e.g., All, Images, News, Videos).
  3. If 'Web' is not immediately visible, click on the 'More' option (often represented by three dots or simply the word "More").
  4. Select 'Web' from the expanded list of filters.
  5. The page will reload, displaying only the text-based link results. The 'Web' filter will now be highlighted under the search bar, confirming it's active.

This manual method is simple but needs to be repeated for every search where you want to avoid AI Overviews.

Setting Up Browser Shortcuts for Automatic Web Filter Results

For a more permanent solution, you can configure your browser to automatically use the 'Web' filter for searches initiated from the address bar. This involves creating a custom site search shortcut using a specific URL parameter.

The key URL structure you need is: https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14

  • https://www.google.com/search?q= is the standard Google search URL base.
  • %s is a placeholder that your browser will replace with your actual search query.
  • &udm=14 is the crucial parameter that tells Google to apply the 'Web' filter to the results.

Here’s how to set this up in popular desktop browsers:

Google Chrome:
  1. Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and select Settings.
  2. Go to Search engine in the left sidebar.
  3. Click on Manage search engines and site search.
  4. Scroll down to the "Site search" section and click the Add button.
  5. In the pop-up window:
    • Search engine: Give it a name (e.g., "Google Web Filter" or "Old Google").
    • Shortcut: Assign a short keyword (e.g., "web", "og", "links"). This keyword, followed by a space, will trigger this specific search from the address bar.
    • URL with %s in place of query: Enter https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14
  6. Click Add.
  7. (Optional) To make this your default search method for all address bar searches (without needing the keyword), find your newly created entry in the "Site search" list, click the three-dot menu next to it, and select Make default.
Microsoft Edge:

(Steps are similar to Chrome as Edge is based on Chromium)

  1. Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and select Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy, search, and services in the left sidebar.
  3. Scroll down and click on Address bar and search (usually near the bottom).
  4. Click on Manage search engines.
  5. Click the Add button on the right.
  6. In the pop-up window:
    • Search engine: Name it (e.g., "Google Web Filter").
    • Shortcut: Assign a keyword (e.g., "web").
    • URL with %s in place of query: Enter https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14
  7. Click Add.
  8. (Optional) To make it default, go back to the "Address bar and search" settings page. Use the dropdown menu next to "Search engine used in the address bar" and select the custom search you just created.
Mozilla Firefox:

(Firefox uses bookmarks with keywords for this functionality)

  1. Right-click anywhere on your Bookmarks Toolbar (or go to Bookmarks > Manage Bookmarks) and select Add Bookmark....
  2. In the pop-up window:
    • Name: Give it a descriptive name (e.g., "Google Web Search").
    • Location/URL: Enter https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14
    • Keyword: Assign a short keyword (e.g., "web", "g"). This is crucial for triggering the search.
  3. Click Save.
  4. Now, to use it, type your keyword followed by a space and your search query directly into the Firefox address bar (e.g., web how to bake bread).
  5. Note: Firefox doesn't easily allow changing the default address bar search engine to this custom method without extensions. You'll typically need to use the keyword.
Apple Safari:

(Safari requires a browser extension for custom keyword searches)

  1. Safari doesn't natively support custom site search shortcuts with keywords like Chrome or Firefox.
  2. You will need to install a third-party Safari extension designed for this purpose. One such free extension mentioned in the CNET article is "Smart Keyword Search" available from the App Store.
  3. After installing the extension, follow its specific instructions to add a new search rule or shortcut.
  4. You will typically need to define a keyword (e.g., "web") and associate it with the URL https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14 within the extension's settings.
  5. You may also need to grant the extension permission to modify website data, specifically for google.com, within Safari's Extension settings.

Alternative Methods to Avoid AI Overviews

Besides using the `&udm=14` parameter, there are other ways to reduce or eliminate AI Overviews:

  • Browser Extensions: Several browser extensions have been developed specifically to hide or block Google's AI Overviews. Popular options mentioned in search results include "Hide Google AI Overviews" and "Bye Bye, Google AI". These extensions typically work automatically after installation, requiring minimal setup. Search your browser's extension store (Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons, etc.) for these or similar tools.
  • Using Specific Keywords (Less Reliable): Some users have anecdotally reported that adding certain words or even mild profanity to their search query can sometimes prevent the AI Overview from appearing, possibly because Google's safety filters prevent AI generation for potentially sensitive queries. However, this is not a guaranteed or recommended method for consistent results and pollutes your search history.
  • Third-Party Search Front-Ends: Websites like [&udm=14](https://udm14.com/) (mentioned in the CNET article) provide a simple interface that automatically adds the `&udm=14` parameter to your Google searches performed through their site.
  • Using Different Search Engines: If you consistently prefer results without AI summaries, consider switching to alternative search engines like DuckDuckGo, Brave Search, or Startpage, which prioritize privacy and often offer a more traditional link-based search experience by default.

Considerations and Limitations

  • Google May Change Things: Google frequently updates its search interface and algorithms. The `&udm=14` parameter or the behavior of the 'Web' filter could change in the future. Browser extensions might also break with updates.
  • No Official Off Switch: Currently, Google does not provide a simple, persistent toggle switch within user account settings to permanently disable AI Overviews for all searches across all devices. The methods described are workarounds.
  • Ads May Still Appear: While the 'Web' filter often results in fewer ads, Google has stated that sponsored results can still appear depending on the search query.
  • Extension Reliance (Safari): Safari users currently rely on third-party extensions for keyword-based shortcuts, adding an extra layer of dependency.

"Take back control of your search experience – choose the results format that works best for you."

Choose Your Preferred Search Experience

While Google's AI Overviews aim to provide quick answers, they aren't always what users need or want. Fortunately, whether you prefer manually clicking the 'Web' filter, setting up a browser shortcut for automatic link-only results using the `&udm=14` trick, or using dedicated browser extensions, you have options to tailor your Google Search experience. By implementing these simple techniques, you can easily bypass the AI summaries and return to the classic, link-focused results page whenever you desire.

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