Four cards ready on day one, four more a switch away. Fill in what matters, leave the rest empty.
Each card writes a single piece of the query. Here is exactly what each one contributes.
Shown by default
terms
Plain words that must appear in every result. The starting point for most searches.
" "
Words that must appear together. Pages that merely mention them separately are left out of your results.
-term
Separate words with spaces and each is excluded on its own, so you stop wading past the same irrelevant pages.
site:
Restrict everything to one site when you know where the answer lives. A single button fills in the site you are currently viewing.
One switch away in Settings
( OR )
List several alternatives separated by commas, including choices that are more than one word, and get results matching any of them.
filetype:
Ask only for documents of a given kind, such as a PDF manual or a spreadsheet, and skip ordinary web pages entirely.
intitle:
Require a word in the page title, a quick way to cut past pages that only mention your term in passing.
inurl:
Require a word in the web address to zero in on section pages, docs paths, and product listings.
The rest of the popup keeps you in charge of exactly what happens.
The assembled query appears above the Search button before you run it, and the button stays disabled until a filter is filled. An operator that contributes nothing is visible rather than silent.
Drag any card by its handle, or focus the handle and use the arrow keys, to put the filters you use most at the top.
Open results in a new tab, or replace the page you are on. Set it once in Settings and forget about it.
Show only the filters you want. Hidden cards keep their place and come back exactly where they were when you switch them on.