As you type in the search box on Google Web Search 
, Google's autocomplete algorithm offers searches that might be similar to the one you're typing. Start to type
Why it's helpful
- Rest your fingers.
The algorithm predicts search queries in real-time, so typing[ golden gate b ] and then clicking 'golden gate bridge' is faster and easier than typing it out. - Catch a mistake.
Did you mean: Melbourne Australia? Start searching for [ melborn ] and Google's algorithm will present more common spellings for what you might be trying to find. - Repeat a favorite search.
If you're signed in to your Google Account and have Web History
enabled, the algorithm may show some predicted queries based on searches that you've done in the past. Data that you send to Google is protected by Google's privacy policy . - Other useful information
Even if you've disabled Google Instant, there are some special universal search features in autocomplete to connect you immediately with the information you're looking for. For example, if you type [ weather brus ] you may see the current weather in Brussels, Belgium, described right in the list of search terms. This also works for flight status, local time zones, area codes, package tracking, certain answers, definitions, calculations, plus currency and unit conversions.
How autocomplete works
As you type, Google's algorithm predicts and displays search queries based on other users' search activities. These searches are algorithmically determined based on a number of purely objective factors (including popularity of search terms) without human intervention. All of the predicted queries shown have been typed previously by other Google users. The autocomplete dataset is updated frequently to offer fresh and rising search queries. In addition, if you're signed in to your Google Account and have Web History enabled, you may see search queries from relevant searches that you've done in the past.
Does Google exclude any users' searches from autocomplete?The search queries that you see as part of autocomplete are a reflection of the search activity of all web users. Just like the web, the search queries presented may include silly or strange or surprising terms and phrases. While we always strive to neutrally and objectively reflect the diversity of content on the web (some good, some objectionable), we also apply a narrow set of removal policies for pornography, violence, and hate speech.
In some cases, there may be a search term that seems surprising to you, but after doing some searching on the web, you may discover that it's a popular phrase online for some reason that you didn't anticipate. Queries in autocomplete are algorithmically determined based on a number of objective factors (including search term popularity) without manual intervention.
If no predicted searches appear for a particular word or topic, it's likely due to one of the following reasons:
- The search term is not popular enough. Queries that aren't popular are less likely to be useful in autocomplete. A minimum algorithmic threshold for popularity helps us fight spam and improves the likelihood that the search queries you do see are relevant to your search. We also make regionally appropriate adjustments to autocomplete, so the predicted queries that you see on Google Australia (google.com.au) or Google France (google.fr) may be different from those you see on Google.com.
- The search term is too fresh. It can take some time for newly popular search terms to consistently appear in autocomplete. While you'll usually be able to discover new queries within an hour, in some cases it can take a few days to a few weeks for recently popular search queries to start appearing in autocomplete.
- The search term violates our autocomplete policies. We aim to provide you with relevant search queries, but we exclude a narrow class of search queries related to pornography, violence, and hate speech.
- The search term was mistaken for a policy violation. Our policy review process is neither perfect nor instantaneous. There might be occasions where the system aims to exclude a query in one language that would be perfectly fine in another language. For example, we might inadvertently exclude a compound word because it includes a translation of a bad word from another language.
Control personalized predictions
If you don't want to see search queries based on your web history, you can control how personalized autocomplete works. Here are your options:
- Sign out of your Google Account while you search on Google. If you aren't signed in to a Google Account, your search experience may be customized based on past search information linked to a cookie on your browser. Learn how to turn off these customizations.
- Remove particular searches from your Web History at www.google.com/history or by clicking the "Remove" links that appear beside personalized predictions.
- Remove Web History from your Google Account.
Ask a question or report a problem with autocomplete
If you see a problem in the predictions in autocomplete, it's probably caused by one of the scenarios described above and we are already working to address it. If you have feedback or questions about autocomplete, you can post them in the Google Web Search Help Forum .
