Google search operators are commands that filter search results with precision. The highest-value ones still working in 2026: site:, intitle:, inurl:, filetype:, "exact phrase", -exclude, before: and after:. Several classics are now dead: cache: (removed 2024), link: and info: (2017). Use the working ones to run technical SEO audits and to check your own AI search footprint.
Most operator lists you will find are years out of date. They still tell you to use cache: and link:, which Google killed long ago. This is the corrected 2026 reference: what works, what is dead, and the operator combinations I actually use for SEO and AI search audits.
Google search operators that still work in 2026
Every operator below is currently functional. Combine them freely. No space after the colon.
| Operator | What it does | Example | 2026 status |
|---|---|---|---|
site: | Limit results to one domain or path | site:lawrencehitches.com | Working |
intitle: | A word in the page title tag | intitle:cheatsheet | Working |
allintitle: | All words in the title | allintitle:ai seo guide | Working |
inurl: | A word in the URL | inurl:cheatsheet | Working |
allinurl: | All words in the URL | allinurl:seo tools | Working |
intext: | A word in the body text | intext:"answer engine" | Working |
allintext: | All words in the body | allintext:search operators list | Working |
filetype: / ext: | A specific file type | filetype:pdf seo | Working |
"exact phrase" | Exact-match a phrase | "google search operators" | Working |
- | Exclude a term | seo -jobs | Working |
OR / | | Either term | seo OR sem | Working |
* | Wildcard for an unknown word | "best * for seo" | Working |
( ) | Group terms | (seo OR sem) tools | Working |
.. | A number or price range | seo course $50..$200 | Working |
before: | Published before a date | ai seo before:2024-01-01 | Working |
after: | Published after a date | ai seo after:2025-01-01 | Working |
define: | Dictionary definition | define:entity | Working |
AROUND(X) | Two words within X words of each other | seo AROUND(3) ai | Working (unofficial) |
source: | A source inside Google News | apple source:the_verge | Working (News) |
related: | Sites similar to a domain | related:ahrefs.com | Unreliable |
inanchor: | A word in anchor text linking to a page | inanchor:"ai seo" | Unreliable |
Operators that are dead or unreliable in 2026
These still appear in nearly every "ultimate list". They no longer work. Stop using them and use the replacement.
| Operator | What it used to do | What to use instead | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
cache: | Viewed Google’s cached copy of a page | Removed February 2024. Use the Wayback Machine instead. | Dead |
link: | Found pages linking to a URL | Retired 2017. Use Search Console or a backlink tool. | Dead |
info: | Showed Google’s info about a URL | Retired 2017. Use site: on the exact URL. | Dead |
+ | Forced a term to be included | Removed 2011. Use "quotes" around the term. | Dead |
~ | Included synonyms of a term | Removed 2013. Google expands synonyms automatically now. | Dead |
phonebook: | Returned phone listings | Long dead. | Dead |
# | Hashtag search on the web | Unreliable on Google web Search. | Dead |
Audit your AI search footprint with operators
This is where operators earn their keep in 2026. Before a page can be cited in an AI Overview or by ChatGPT, it has to be indexed and free of cannibalisation. Operators check both in seconds. See the AI search engines cheatsheet for where each engine grounds.
| The goal | The search string |
|---|---|
| See everything Google has indexed (the AI-eligible set) | site:yourdomain.com |
| Find pages competing for the same query (cannibalisation that confuses AI) | site:yourdomain.com intitle:"your keyword" |
| Find where AI grounds its answers (the forums it leans on) | site:reddit.com "your topic" |
| Find unlinked brand mentions to reclaim as entity signals | "Your Brand" -site:yourdomain.com |
| Check a competitor’s indexed footprint for a topic | site:competitor.com intext:"ai seo" |
| Spot indexation bloat (thin or junk URLs) | site:yourdomain.com inurl:tag |
Operator combinations for real SEO tasks
The power is in stacking operators. These are the recipes I reach for most.
| The goal | The search string |
|---|---|
| Find guest-post and link targets | "your niche" inurl:write-for-us |
| Find resource pages to pitch | intitle:resources "your topic" |
| Find PDFs and original data to cite | filetype:pdf "your topic" statistics |
| Find duplicate or scraped copies of your content | "a full sentence from your page" |
| Audit a competitor minus their blog | site:competitor.com -inurl:blog |
| Find recent coverage of a topic only | "topic" after:2025-06-01 |
Bookmark this search operators primer: keep it handy for your next audit.
Frequently asked questions
What are Google search operators?
Google search operators are special commands (like site:, intitle: and filetype:) that you add to a search to filter results with precision. They turn Google into a fast research and SEO audit tool.
Which Google search operators still work in 2026?
The reliable ones are site:, intitle:, allintitle:, inurl:, intext:, filetype:, "exact phrase", -, OR, *, before:, after:, define: and AROUND(X). The cache:, link:, info:, + and ~ operators are dead.
Does the Google cache: operator still work?
No. Google removed the cache: operator and cached-page links in February 2024. To view an old version of a page, use the Wayback Machine at web.archive.org instead.
How do I use search operators for SEO?
Combine them. Use site:yourdomain.com to see your indexed pages, site:yourdomain.com intitle:"keyword" to find cannibalisation, "Your Brand" -site:yourdomain.com to find unlinked mentions, and "niche" inurl:write-for-us to find link targets.
Can search operators help with AI search and AI Overviews?
Yes. A page must be indexed and non-cannibalising before it can be cited in an AI Overview or by ChatGPT. Use site: to confirm indexation, site: plus intitle: to find competing pages, and site:reddit.com "topic" to find the sources AI engines lean on.
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