Google takes a step back to simplicity with text-only search filter

Google is rolling out a new feature for its search engine that's sure to delight anyone who longs for the simplicity of Google's past iterations - back when the search results were purely a list of links. This addition is another search result filter akin to the existing "images" or "news" options.

The update introduces a filter for text-only web pages, stripping away sales pitches, suggested images, news articles, videos, and AI-generated overlays recently announced at Google I/O 2024. As reported by The Verge, the result is a Google that resembles its much simpler form from years ago.

What's even better is that this feature is available right now. Google has announced via social media that the rollout has begun, and the "Web" button, which reverts the search results page to a straightforward list of links with summaries, will be accessible to users globally, not just in the US but across other regions, including Europe.

However, the "Web" filter might not be immediately visible in the primary results tab alongside the "All" filter. Users may have to navigate the "More" dropdown to locate it, at least for now. Whether Google plans to make this filter more prominent remains to be seen.

Despite its appeal, The Verge notes that this new filter might not always be optimal. In instances where up-to-date information on political events or local news is sought, the standard Google interface – which offers easy access to related queries and articles – could prove more beneficial.

Google has confirmed that the deployment of this new feature is currently in progress and is being rolled out globally. The new filter might take a few days to become visible to all Google users, but it's expected to be available to everyone imminently.