You may have noticed something “strange” when searching on Google. No, it’s not just you: Google has updated its search interface to add a list of related topics to what you’ve searched for, in order to help you refine your searches and make them more efficient.
Previously, when you searched for something on Google, below the search bar, you would see options like “Images,” “News,” “Videos,” or “Shopping” in a row of tabs. Now, these options will appear as bubbles/pills, along with many other new ones.
Last month, Google announced the rollout of this feature on all desktop devices. The deployment is gradual, so it’s possible that you may still see the old row of tabs (I myself have noticed that one of my Gmail addresses still appears in this way).
This list of topics depends on the search you have performed, so if you search for “Softonic,” for example, you will see topics like “Download,” “APK,” “For PC,” and “YouTube.” When you click on each of them, that topic will be automatically added to your search.
However, the options that used to appear in the tab row will still function as before. For example, selecting “News” will not add “news” to the search, but it will open a search section where all results are news from media outlets. This can be somewhat chaotic, in my opinion, as the classic options may not even appear among all the suggested topics (although they can be found under “All filters” on the right side of the bar).
This is the latest update to Google search, although the company is already working on a new search experience that will include AI functions: the Search Generative Experience (SGE). Those who want to try the future of Google searches can sign up for the waiting list on the Search Labs website.
Some of the links added in the article are part of affiliate campaigns and may represent benefits for Softonic.
