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Google Search Query Builder
Fill in the fields you need and get a correctly formatted advanced search query, from exact phrases and excluded words to site:, filetype:, intitle:, inurl: and before:/after: dates. Copy the query or open it straight in Google, Bing or DuckDuckGo.
Last updated:
Words
Where to look
Date and type
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Google Search Query Builder
- Type your main words in All these words, and add an exact phrase, alternatives or words to exclude if needed.
- Narrow where to look with a site or domain, a site to exclude, words that must be in the title, URL or text, or a file type.
- Set dates and type: before/after dates, a quick time filter, verbatim mode or a result type such as News.
- Click Build query (it also updates as you type) and read the explanation of each operator.
- Click Search on Google to open the results in a new tab, or Copy results to paste the query anywhere.
Google search operator cheat sheet
| Operator | Example | What you get |
|---|---|---|
"…" | "brown butter cookies" | Pages with that exact phrase |
OR or | | (vegan OR dairy-free) cookies | Pages with either word |
- | cookies -video | Pages without the word video |
site: | site:.gov tax credit | Results from one site, folder or domain ending |
-site: | hiking -site:pinterest.com | Everything except that site |
filetype: | budget template filetype:xlsx | Files of one type (pdf, docx, xlsx, pptx…) |
intitle: | intitle:"write for us" gardening | The word or phrase in the page title |
allintitle: | allintitle: vegan cookie recipe | All following words in the title |
inurl: | inurl:recipe cookies | The text in the page address |
intext: | intext:"sea salt" cookies | The text in the body of the page |
before: / after: | election after:2026-01-01 | Pages dated before or after a day |
* | "the best * for beginners" | Any word in that place in a phrase |
AROUND(n) | coffee AROUND(3) health | Words within about n words of each other (unofficial) |
Useful query recipes
- Research a topic on trusted sites:
site:.edu OR site:.gov "sleep hygiene" - Find templates and documents:
"project plan" template filetype:docx - Find guest post or partner pages:
gardening intitle:"write for us" - Check what a site has on a subject:
site:yourdomain.com keywordshows which of your pages Google has indexed for it. - Find mentions without your own site:
"your brand" -site:yourdomain.com - Get only fresh material: add
after:with a recent date, or use the Past week time filter.
Operators can be combined freely, but each additional filter shrinks the results. If nothing comes back, remove filters one at a time to see which one is too strict.
Frequently asked questions
What are Google search operators?
Search operators are special words and symbols you add to a query to filter the results, such as quotes for an exact phrase, a minus sign to exclude a word, site: to search a single website and filetype: to find a particular document type. They work in the normal Google search box.
How do I search only one website?
Add site: followed by the domain, with no space, for example site:nasa.gov moon landing. You can also use a top-level domain (site:.edu) or a section of a site (site:example.com/blog). Use -site:example.com to remove a site from the results instead.
How do I find PDF files with Google?
Add filetype:pdf to your search, for example climate report filetype:pdf. The same works for other formats Google indexes, including docx, xlsx, pptx, txt and csv. Combine it with site: to find documents on a particular website.
Do before: and after: work in Google?
Yes. Google supports before:YYYY-MM-DD and after:YYYY-MM-DD to filter results by date, for example electric cars after:2025-01-01. Dates are based on what Google knows about the page, so results are not always exact. The Tools menu time filter (past week, past year) is an alternative.
Why does Google ignore part of my query?
Google only processes the first 32 words of a query and may still show pages that match synonyms or related terms. Remove unnecessary words, put must-have phrases in quotes, and try verbatim mode, which turns off synonyms and automatic spelling corrections.
Does OR have to be in capitals?
Yes. Google treats OR as an operator only in capital letters (a vertical bar | also works). Lowercase or is treated as an ordinary word. This builder always writes OR in capitals and wraps alternatives in brackets.
Which operators no longer work?
Google has retired several operators over the years, including the plus sign for required words (use quotes instead), the tilde ~ for synonyms, link: and info:. The cache: operator was also removed in 2024. This builder only uses operators that currently work.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.
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