RD.COM Tech Internet
Damon BeresUpdated: Feb. 10, 2023
From functional to fun: The all-powerful search engine is packed with more cool Google tricks than you realized.
Getty Images, via google.com
Fun Google tricks
Searching for information on the internet can get pretty boring, so why not make it a little more entertaining with these Google tricks? You can play games, make your search page spin, defy gravity, and so much more. Keep reading to discover all of the Google easter eggs you never knew about. For more laughs, check out these funny things you can ask your Google Home to do.
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It can do a barrel roll!
Type “do a barrel roll” into Google, click “search”, and your browser window will do a 360-degree spin. It’s a geeky reference to Nintendo’s Star Fox series, in which a wise old rabbit named Peppy (an intergalactic fighter pilot) advises your character to avoid enemy fire by pulling said maneuver. You can get the same fun Google tricks effect by typing “z or r twice” in reference to the controller buttons you’d press in the game. Don’t miss these other 12 funny Google searches that have us wondering, “who asks these questions?”
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It’s a word nerd!
Google “anagram” and the search engine will suggest “nag a ram.” Very cute. Here’s how to see (and delete) all of your Google activity.
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…a very serious word nerd!
Here’s what “recursion” means, according to Google: “the repeated application of a recursive procedure or definition.” When you search “recursion,” Google asks “Did you mean recursion?” with a link to a search for “recursion,” which then asks “Did you mean recursion?” with a link to a search for “recursion,” which then asks…you get it.
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It can read images!
Looking for something specific, but don’t have the right keywords to describe it? This is one of the more useful and fun Google tricks. You can “reverse image search” at images.google.com by clicking the camera icon, uploading an image, and then getting results of pictures that look similar. (Make sure you’re OK with your photos floating around the web first.)
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It’s overrun by the zerg!
In a manner of speaking, anyway. The “zerg” are a race of insectoid aliens in the popular Starcraft video game series. If you Google “zerg rush,” the Os in “Google” behave like zerglings, the race’s foot soldiers, and start chomping away at search results. Click to destroy them all!
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It speaks secret languages!
On the top of your Google homepage, hit the nine squares at the top and go to My Account. Scroll to the bottom to find Language under Data and Personalization. You can change your language to fun ways of speaking like Muppets (Bork, bork, bork!), Elmer Fudd (Ewmew Fudd), Klingon, and pirate. For instance, with that last one, you’ll find “moorr” instead of “more.” Follow these steps to turn off your Google voice assistant.
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It defies gravity!
Google Gravity shatters the search engine into pieces that you can drag and bounce around your screen. Here’s how you can keep Google from creeping on your location data.
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It’s a 1980s arcade!
Google celebrated the 30th anniversary of the beloved classic PAC-MAN in May 2010 with a fun in-browser version of the game. Now it uses its homepage for fun Google tricks when celebrating other famous birthdays and holidays, too. These are the things Google Home can do that Alexa can’t.
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It can boost brainpower!
ZDNet offers a handy tip to sift through university research: first type “site:edu” to limit the query to educational institutions, then try “intitle:” before your topic. For example, site:edu intitle:”American magazines” brings up results from Harvard, the University of Michigan, and more. You can also searchresults from a specificwebsite in a similar way. Site:rd.com, anyone? Find out the 9 things you should never Google.
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It can make things disappear!
If a search result contains personal information or raises a legal issue, you can request to remove a page from your or another site. Find out another surprisingly easy way to delete yourself from the Internet.
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It’s a crime-stopper!
Reverse image technology is allowing Google to assist child protection agencies in clearing the Web of child pornography. How it works: Google indexes problematic images and finds any copies online, making it easy for Internet providers to cut them down. Did you know you can also reverse image search on your iPhone too?
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It’s a little unbalanced!
Something isn’t quite right here. If you type “askew” into Google, you’ll find something funny: The whole screen tilts down a bit to the right.
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It knows the meaning of life!
Type in “answer to life, the universe, and everything,” and Google has a pretty clear answer: 42. The search results are a nod to Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which claims the number is, in fact, the answer to life. If it knows the meaning of life, then it definitely knows a lot more. Here’s how to find out all thecreepy things Google knows about you.
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It doesn’t like to be alone!
Google has hundreds of billions of web pages in its index (though someestimate it’s even more), so it probably can’t take loneliness very well. Type in “the loneliest number” in the search box and some fun Google tricks show you a calculated number—the same one you’ll get if you type “number of horns on a unicorn.”
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It likes to get specific!
Thought “once in a blue moon” was just a vague expression? Not according to Google. Search that phrase and you’ll get a very specific frequency: 1.16699016 × 10-8 hertz. It’s a play off the fact that blue moons happen every 2.71 years.
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It never stops moving!
Want to see something cool? Type “bvsdf” into your Google browser. But be warned: you probably won’t be able to handle watching the blinking words for very long.Close the page and check out the most popular“how to” searches on Google instead.
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It tries to make you feel better!
There’s nothing more frustrating than that “Unable to connect to the Internet” message on Chrome. Luckily, Google knows your pain and lets you blow off some steam. Hit the space bar on your keyboard and the dinosaur will jump into action, launching a game that provides endless fun. Or at least as much fun as you can fit before remembering you had work to do.
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It can go back in time
Haven’t you always wondered what old web pages used to look like? Google lets you see what it looked like back in the day. Just type“Google in 1998” into the search bar and you’ll be brought back in time. Wow, the Internet really has come a long way. This is the truth about Google’s incognito mode.
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It can challenge you
Want a game break? Just go to Google images and type in“Atari Breakout.”The images turn into bricks and you can move the bar along the bottom of the screen to break them. Challenge on!
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It can time you
If you need to time yourself for an oral presentation or maybe you’re trying to clean your kitchen in less than five minutes, there are Google tricks to help you with that. Type“set timer for x amount of time” and the search engine will pull up a timer at the top of the screen.
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It can give you a quick conversion
Still can’t figure out how to convert inches to feet or kilometers to miles? This is one of the Google tricks that can give you answers quickly. Just type any conversion into the search bar to get your answer. For example, try typing “63 yards to feet.” Check out these hidden Google Map tricks you never knew about.
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It knows your IP address
Your IP address is a unique string of numbers that identifies where your computer is based on the Internet you’re hooked up to. If you don’t know yours, Google can tell you. Just search, “What’s my ip.”
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It can help you tip
If you’re in a food coma after inhaling your dinner and can’t figure out what 20 percent of the bill is, just type it into Google. Type, “what is the tip for $x” and a convenient calculator will show up at the top of the screen. You can adjust the percentage you want to tip and even add how many people the bill is being split among.
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It can help you win
Heads or tails? Just type “flip a coin” into Google and one will appear under the search bar.
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It celebrates Festivus
Festivus is a Google trick for the rest of us. When you type in “Festivus” to the search engine the aluminum Festivus pole appears on the side of the screen.
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It tells you when the sun rises and sets
Want to know when the sun rises in Timbuktu? Simply type “sun rise in Timbuktu” into the Google search bar and it will tell you.
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It can read out numbers
This Google easter egg can come in handy if you have to give a presentation that involves a lot of big numbers. If you don’t know how to say the number 92,720,383, just type “92720383=english” into Google. If you’re curious, it’s ninety-two million seven hundred twenty thousand three hundred eighty-three.
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It can roll a die
If you need more options that just heads or tails, this Google trick can save the day. Just type “roll a die” into the search bar.
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It converts your coins
Need to know how many Euros $300 in U.S. currency is? Type “300 USD to Euros” and it will do the conversion for you. This Google trick is great to use when you travel abroad.
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It can tell you how close someone is to Kevin Bacon
This Google easter egg is a perfect rainy day fun activity. Just Google “[celebrity] bacon number” and it will show you the degrees of separation between that celebrity and Kevin Bacon.
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It can finish the lyric
If you have a song stuck in your head and can’t remember the next verse, just type “lyrics to Somewhere Over the Rainbow (or the song you’ve been humming) into the search bar and the lyrics will pop up at the top.
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It can help you explore the sky
Type in “Google sky maps” to explore the stars, constellations, planets, and galaxies.
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It can help you pick where to go to dinner
If you want to eat at a new restaurant, simply type “restaurants near me” into Google and a list will pop up. If everyone in your house can never agree on where to eat, pick the first one that pops up and go there. Dinner problems solved!
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It can help you catch a flight
This Google easter egg can help you if you need to book a flight ASAP. Just type “find a flight to (your destination)” and it will show you a few different options for flights from your current location to where you need to go. It will also show you if you have the chance to save money by flying out of a different nearby airport.
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It can take you to a different planet
If you thought you could spend hours exploring the street view on Google Maps, try going to Google Mars to explore the planet.
Originally Published: September 30, 2020
Originally Published in Reader's Digest
FAQs
What are some fun Google Hacks? ›
- Offline dinosaur game. The game appears whenever the internet connection is cut off and help the users to pass the time. ...
- Askew/Tilt. ...
- Flip a coin. ...
- Rush Zerg. ...
- Google Orbit. ...
- Google Pacman. ...
- Google gravity. ...
- Shake It Trick.
- Googly Eyes. Type 'Googly Eyes' and hit enter or click search, and you'll see the Google logo get a pair of eyes which will follow your cursor around the page!
- This is how Google rolls! ...
- DVD screensaver. ...
- Loch Ness Monster. ...
- Old-fashioned Google. ...
- Diwali. ...
- Anagram. ...
- Animal Sounds.
- Do a Barrel Roll. It is the best opportunity to surprise your friends with this. ...
- Askew/Tilt. ...
- Zerg Rush. ...
- Blink HTML. ...
- Party Like It's 1998. ...
- Shake It Trick. ...
- Atari Breakout. ...
- Recursion.
What does the Fox say?” – Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding. Or: “Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!”
Do a Google magic trick? ›The trick works by covering the o's with your fingers and telling the person you are trying to trick that you will now make the o's disappear. Click your mouse and wait a few moments. Then remove your fingers and the o's from the Google logo will be gone.
How do you tilt Google trick? ›If you type “askew” into Google, you'll find something funny: The whole screen tilts down a bit to the right.
How do I find hidden games on Google? ›- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Play Games app .
- Tap More Settings.
- Under "Your data," select Review hidden games.
- Optional: To show a game, tap the game. Show game.
If you type "Google in 1998" into the search field on Google.com, the website will transform into the design it had 15 years ago when the company first launched. If you're horrified by the retro look — and its Yahoo-esque exclamation point — don't worry.
What are the 6 Google Easter eggs? ›...
- The Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything. ...
- Baker's Dozen. ...
- Bletchley Park. ...
- Conway's Game of Life. ...
- Play Atari Breakout in Google Images. ...
- Askew. ...
- Flip a Coin.
- Atari Breakout. Search for 'Atari Breakout' then click Images. ...
- Snake. Type 'Google Snake Game', hit enter, then click the top result. ...
- Zerg Rush. Type in 'Zerg Rush' then hit Enter. ...
- Google Earth Flight Simulator. ...
- Pacman. ...
- T Rex Dash.
What is Hey Google cheat code? ›
If you do a voice search for "up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right", Google will speak back "Cheat mode unlocked. Unlimited free Google searches." Of course, Google searches are free (not counting ads and personal data) and unlimited anyway, but it is still a fun trick.
Will a fox steal eggs? ›Foxes will indeed take eggs from nesting gulls or from any other bird. Their powerful jaws can be amazingly gentle.
Is the Fox sneaky? ›Foxes have a reputation of being cunning, or sly. Now scientists think they have an uncanny ability to use Earth's magnetic field to hunt their prey.
Does Google have an Easter egg? ›Well, the secret queries are Google Easter eggs that the company has strewed across its platform. If you've recently come across one of them and have been on the hunt for more Google Easter eggs, we have compiled a list of 55+ hidden Google Easter eggs right here.
Do a gravity trick Google? ›Type “google gravity” into the search on the Google homepage, then click on the “I'm Feeling Lucky” button. A single click anywhere on the screen, and watch it drop!
How do you flip the Easter Egg on Google? ›20. Flip a coin. How to trigger this Easter Egg: Type [flip a coin] into Google. What happens: A coin-flipping game appears at the top of the search results page, where you can click to keep flipping.
What is the best Google trick? ›- Offline dinosaur game. The game appears whenever the internet connection is cut off and help the users to pass the time. ...
- Askew/Tilt. ...
- Flip a coin. ...
- Rush Zerg. ...
- Google Orbit. ...
- Google Pacman. ...
- Google gravity. ...
- Shake It Trick.
To use Google Gravity, start by visiting the Google homepage in a web browser. Type “Google Gravity” in the search bar, then click on “I'm Feeling Lucky” to load the Google Gravity page. While this trick was first introduced way back in 2009, it's still a good one!
What is the most Googled word? ›According to a blog post from Google on its annual Year in Search Report, "Wordle" is the most-searched word on Google for 2022.
What Google searches have cool effects? ›- Search for Askew.
- Search for Recursion.
- Search for the answer to life the universe and everything.
- Search for do a barrel roll.
- Search for zerg rush.
- Search for “text adventure“
- Search for “conway's game of life“
- Search for “anagram“
Do a Barrel Roll two times? ›
Do a Barrel Roll(Z or R twice, or Do a Backflip) is an Easter egg which will cause the search results performing a 360-degree somersault before your eyes.
How can I find hidden apps? ›- Visit your app drawer section.
- Tap on the three dots that are present at the upper-right of the device screen.
- Click on the home screen settings. It will navigate you to the Hide apps menu; tap on it.
- Here, you will see the hidden apps that are not showing in the app list.
You can play games on all Assistant supported devices. To start a game, you can say: “Hey Google, play a game.” “Hey Google, talk to Are You Feeling Lucky.”
How do I access hidden games? ›You can view your hidden games on Steam by clicking "View" in the menu bar at the top, followed by "Hidden Games."
What is the I'm feeling lucky Easter egg? ›The Google homepage has an I'm Feeling Lucky button, which takes you directly to the top result for your search query. But if you don't have a search query, you can roll over I'm Feeling Lucky to get different feelings -- I'm Feeling Adventurous, I'm Feeling Trendy and I'm Feeling Stellar are just some of the options.
What is the 2 22 22 Easter egg? ›Type in 2/22/22 into Google's search bar and your computer screen will be showered with a graphic of confetti and a bunch of twos, followed by a message that reads “Happy Twosday 2You!” A palindrome is a word, phrase or numerical sequence that can be read the same backward and forward.
Is the Thanos Google trick gone? ›This is a fully functional replica of the Thanos Infinity Gauntlet Snap Google Trick. It was an interactive Easter egg originally created by Google but got removed since 2020. Play the Thanos hand magic effect online for free and have fun!
Who created elgooG? ›It was created by All Too Flat "for fun", which started to gain popularity in 2002.
Why does Google show a pizza? ›The doodle game marks the 14th anniversary of the culinary Art of Neapolitan 'Pizzaiuolo' being inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Why is there a pizza in Google? ›According to Google, on this day in 2007, the culinary Art of Neapolitan 'Pizzaiuolo' was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. To celebrate the day, Google released a fun game for its users.
What is a hidden Easter egg? ›
Easter egg (media) is a term used to describe a message, image or feature hidden in a video game, film, or other that's usually an electronic medium. It's those little sneaky hidden messages in your favourite film that you love to spot and makes you go “ahhhh, clever!”.
What is the funnest Google game? ›- Rubik's Cube. As just about anyone will tell you, Rubik's Cubes are incredibly difficult to solve. ...
- Pony Express. ...
- Pac-Man. ...
- Coding for Carrots. ...
- Doodle Champion Island Games. ...
- Baseball. ...
- Scoville (Spicy Peppers) ...
- Celebrating Garden Gnomes.
Having Fun with Hidden Google Games
Thanks to hidden Google games, you don't need to download Steam or buy a console to have some casual gaming fun. Make the most of Google games like Solitaire, Tic-Tac-Toe, and Flight Simulator to kill some time on mobile and PC.
Google had initially intended to develop in-house games in addition to hosting games produced by third parties, but abandoned this plan in February 2021, shutting down its studios. The service continued to sell third party games, and Google offered the game-streaming technology as a white-label product.
How do you unlock cheat mode? ›Cheat Mode can be enabled that way by simply typing "cheat" in the console. After that it can be closed by typing the "q" command, and Cheat Mode should be unlocked afterwards.
What does the Konami code do on Google Assistant? ›If you recite the Konami Code ("Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right") to Google Now, the app will respond, "Cheat mode unlocked!
Do a barrel roll fast? ›It's a popular Google search trick released in 2011 and is still active today. To experience an authentic Google-style barrel roll, just type the words “do a barrel roll” into Google's search engine, hit enter, and watch your screen do a 360-degree turn! Classic. Isn't it?
How do you flip the Easter egg on Google? ›20. Flip a coin. How to trigger this Easter Egg: Type [flip a coin] into Google. What happens: A coin-flipping game appears at the top of the search results page, where you can click to keep flipping.
How do I access Google Secret games? ›- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Play Games app .
- Tap More. Settings.
- Under "Your data," select Review hidden games.
- Optional: To show a game, tap the game. Show game.
According to Google, on this day in 2007, the culinary Art of Neapolitan 'Pizzaiuolo' was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. To celebrate the day, Google released a fun game for its users.