Google is incredibly good at finding relevant information, but sometimes its algorithm prioritizes an older, highly popular article over a newly published piece of news. If you are researching a fast-moving topic like software updates, financial news, or scientific discoveries, reading a 5-year-old article can be disastrously misleading. Fortunately, Google has a built-in tool to force the search engine to only show results from a specific time frame.
How to Filter by Date on a Desktop Computer
The time-filtering tools are slightly hidden on the desktop version of Google Search.
- Perform your normal Google search (e.g., “Best budget smartphones”).
- Look right below the search bar, next to the “Images” and “News” tabs. Click on the button labeled Tools.
- A new secondary menu bar will appear directly below. Click on the drop-down menu that says Any time.
- Select your preferred time frame from the list:
- Past hour (Great for breaking news)
- Past 24 hours
- Past week
- Past month
- Past year
The page will immediately refresh, discarding any websites published or updated outside of your selected window.
How to Set a Custom Date Range
What if you want to find an article that was published between 2010 and 2015? You can use the Custom Range feature.
- Click Tools > Any time as described above.
- At the very bottom of the drop-down menu, click Custom range…
- A small calendar box will pop up. Enter your desired “From” date and “To” date (e.g., From: 1/1/2010 To: 12/31/2015).
- Click Go.
How to Filter by Date on a Mobile Device
The process is almost identical on a smartphone (iPhone or Android), but the “Tools” button is usually hidden off-screen.
- Perform your search on your mobile browser.
- Swipe the menu bar underneath the search box (where it says Images, Maps, News) all the way to the left.
- At the very end of the menu strip, tap Search tools.
- Tap the Any time drop-down menu that appears below it and select your desired timeframe.
Conclusion
Filtering your Google searches by date is the fastest way to cut through outdated internet clutter and ensure the information you are reading is accurate, current, and relevant to your immediate needs.