Moz explains Google search operators through 67 examples covering content research and site audits.
Search Operators
Moz’s guide lists 62 Google search operators and use cases for refining queries, research and site audits.
About Search Operators
Moz's guide explains Google search operators, special characters and commands that refine regular text searches. It covers operators for exact matches, exclusions, site, title, URL, body text, file type, and dates, with examples for research and site audits.
Operators are grouped as Basic, Advanced, and Unreliable, with notes on working status. Some operators are identified as unreliable, such as daterange:, which can be inconsistent.
Key features
- Exact-match searches using quotation marks
- Exclude terms from results with minus sign
- Limit searches to specific website with site:
- Filter by file type using filetype: or ext:
- Search page titles using intitle: or allintitle:
- Filter results by date with before: and after:
Best for: People doing content research or technical SEO audits who need more targeted Google results.
Good for
- Each operator includes what it does, working status, and example
- Operators grouped into Basic, Advanced, and Unreliable categories
- Provides ready-to-use search strings for real-world tasks
Watch out for
- Some listed operators are marked as unreliable
- daterange: can be inconsistent and requires Julian dates
Search Operators at a glance
- Category
- Search & Reference › How-To Guides
- Type
- Website
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Platforms
- Web
- Open source
- Not stated
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 5, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
Search Operators alternatives
Tools and sites you could use instead, ranked by how closely they match.
This article lists Google search operators that filter results, with examples for making queries more precise.
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Search Operators FAQ
What are Google search operators?
Special characters and commands that extend the capabilities of regular text searches.
What does the guide include for each operator?
What it does, whether it is still functional, and a ready-to-use example search string.
What can search operators be used for?
Refining search results, from content research to technical SEO audits.
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