Google Real-Time Search

Martin Brinkmann
Sep 14, 2009
Updated • Dec 27, 2017
Google, Search
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Google Search offers several options to limit the search results by a selected time frame. One is available as an advanced search parameter that you append to the search URL on Google Search. This lets you limit results to a specific time period, for instance the last year, month, week or day.

Another option is hidden under the Tools menu on search result pages. Simply click on Tools and switch the "any time" default filter to another one. The range is pretty much the same that you get when you use parameters directly. You can set the results to sites that have been published or updated in the past hour, but not less than that.

None of them can be considered real-time search results. Ran Geva posted an interesting article over at the Omgili blog which described a way to change the search parameters further to come close to real-time search results in Google.

The default Google search result urls contain the qdr:x parameter if the results are filtered by time with x being replaced by d for days, we for weeks, m for months and y for years.

All he did was to replace the x value with n for minutes and s for seconds to get results that have been posted in the last 60 minutes or 60 seconds. It is furthermore possible to add a number behind the n or s value to customize the query further. The parameter qdr:n20 would search for results that have been indexed in the last 20 minutes.

A full URL may look like this when the parameter is added: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=test&dcr=0&source=lnt&tbs=qdr:n20

The custom search parameter will be displayed as past minute or past second after performing the search and will persist even when conducing new Google searches. Seconds usually do not yield many results (if any at all) while minutes are usually well indexed already.

Each result highlights when it was published or updated underneath the title and URL.

Steve Rubel acted quickly and created a bookmarklet to display the Google search results that have been indexed in the last ten minutes. (update: no longer available).

The bookmarklet can be changed easily to search a different time frame. All that needs to be done is to change the qdr=n10 part in the bookmarklet.

Summary
Google Real-Time Search
Article Name
Google Real-Time Search
Description
Find out how to run searches on Google Search that limits results to near real-time results. You can filter results by minutes or even seconds if you want.
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Publisher
Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. Robert Keus said on October 26, 2009 at 4:43 pm
    Reply

    Look at http://www.googlerealtime.com/. You don’t need to use the google trick, it is included. You can always search for the most recent articles and news. It is very handy when you want to search for some recent articles and weblog post. I often surf on the internet and find blofpost which are few years old.

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