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Address parts of a search page

Reference 1 min read Advanced Updated

On this page
  1. The path
  2. The parts after ?
  3. The part after #
  4. Reading a link

A search page's address records the tab, your words and the choices you made. This table explains the parts you will see in the address bar, so you can read a link someone sent you. You do not need to type any of them: the search box and the menus write them for you. See Share or bookmark a search.

#The path

Path Tab
/search or /all/search All
/web/search Web
/news/search News
/websites/search Websites
/images/search, /videos/search Images, Videos

#The parts after ?

Part Records Written by
q Your words, as typed, operators included The search box
sd A date range you chose. Absent on Auto The date menu
sdt p for Published, i for Discovered The second menu on News, Images, Videos and Websites
ef The match option The match menu
mw A minimum length, or custom The length menu
wmin, wmax The custom range The two boxes after Custom range…
snt The sentiment numbers you ticked The Sentiment menu
gw 0 when Apply to web is unticked The All tab
intent off after See all results instead The note at the top
routed The tab 4Search opened for you The automatic tab choice
fqdi One website A source name, Search this website, a website profile
ssi One topic A topic, or the topic menu of Full coverage
from, size The page of results and how many per page Previous and Next
qd, col, qx A search made by Full coverage or Related Coverage Those buttons

#The part after #

#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=…&gsc.page=1 belongs to the Google-hosted Web column. It records the Web column's words and page. Previous and Next keep it in step with the News column.

  • A link with no sd runs on Auto, chosen fresh when it is opened.
  • A link reruns the search: the results reflect what is in the index when it is opened.
  • To send a search with particular choices, make the choices first, then copy the address.