In Chrome, Google search reverted to the old format. How do I change this back to the new format?

Question

So the title is a little confusing and I don’t think it’s going to get much better without specific example, so I’ve got two images to show exactly what changed. This is all happening in Windows.

Using the search “sine” in both Firefox and Chrome gives me the following difference in results. In the image below, the top two windows are in Chrome and using the old format. The bottom two windows are in Firefox and use the new format, the one I wish to return to. This is also the style in which everyone around me and my other devices still see Google image search.

This also happens when browsing incognito mode, so I have no idea what weird setting I must have accidentally changed to cause this… But I would really like the new format back.

Update: I've yet been unable to solve the problem. I tried clearing browsing data, logging out of google, setting settings back to their defaults, re-installing chrome using revo-uninstaller.

None of these have been successful in mitigating the problem.

Solution 1

So since nothing worked, I asked around on the google forum and it turns out the solution is incredibly simple: Malware.

Simply running a malwarebytes scan showed a bunch of registry keys which weren't set well and some software. Quarantining these fixes the problem. Thanks to everyone for your help!

Solution 2

For Google Search Images, you can specify the parameter with different value in the given URL. Whether you need the new format or old format, it can be done as following.

New format

https://www.google.com/search?q=sine&sout=0&tbm=isch

Old format

https://www.google.com/search?q=sine&sout=1&tbm=isch

Parameters explained

&tbm=isch is to switch search tab to "Images";

&sout=0 is to switch search result output, whereby 0 will show "New format" and 1 will show "Old format" as hinted in above screenshots.

Add search engine in web browser

Go to Google search page of either format. In the search text field, right-click and select "Add a Keyword for this Search..." (Firefox) or "Add as Search Engine..." (Vivaldi) or something similar.

The custom search engine may have this kind of settings:

• URL: https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&sout=0&tbm=isch
• Keyword or shortcut: gi (or any text of choice)

whereby %s is used instead of static text string

Additional information

The original information was found in this public thread (dated 2010) on Google Search and Assistant Help Forum. That has no mention of &tbm=isch parameter, which I had noticed by comparing URL for each type of search pages.

That being said, the parameter &sout=0 or &sout=1 makes no difference for other type of search pages. To this answered date, the parameter trick works only with Google Search Images.

Solution 3

Try the Chrome Cleanup Tool, described as:

This application will scan and remove software that may cause problems with Chrome, such as crashes, unusual startup pages or toolbars, unexpected ads you can't get rid of, or otherwise changing your browsing experience.

If that doesn't help, you could try to Completely Uninstall & Re-Install Google Chrome, by:

• Uninstall Chrome via Control Panel / Programs and Features

• Delete Chrome folders from the computer :

  C:\Users\<YourUserName>\AppData\Local\Google
  C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome
  

• Install Chrome again.

Comments

[Maxim]

Which ones are the "old"?

[Mitchell Faas]

The top ones are the old. This is how google was a few years ago. Mostly noticeable in the image search.

[Maxim]

My image search looks exactly like yours, so I guess that's what Google is right now

[Mitchell Faas]

This would be remarkable, seeing as my other devices - which also run the latest version of chrome - still have the bottom result page. That's also the only one I've seen with colleagues and friends.

[harrymc]

Try the Chrome Cleanup Tool. If that doesn't help, you could try to Completely Uninstall & Re-Install Google Chrome.

[Vomit IT - Chunky Mess Style]

If applicable a simple solution in your particular case could be to simply uninstall Google Chrome from the OS and then reinstall it.

[Mitchell Faas]

@JakeGould This is happening on Windows.

[HackSlash]

Looks like you are logged in to Chrome. Try logging out and doing the search again. This will narrow down the problem to your profile and not the browser.

[Scrambo]

It might be a case of some A/B testing on google's side, in which case I'm not sure there's much you would be able to do.

[Mitchell Faas]

I'm not sure what you mean with the internet icon. But resetting the settings, clearing browsing data and uninstalling chrome has not been effective. I have a 400/40 internet connection that's pretty reliable. The google problem has remained consistent, so this would seem very strange.

[Mitchell Faas]

Resetting the settings, clearing browsing data and uninstalling chrome has not been effective.

[Mitchell Faas]

Did this. I uninstalled chrome completely, deleted these folders, reinstalled chrome (did nothing) so I uninstalled chrome via Revo, deleted all left over registry keys and folders, restarted pc twice, reinstalled chrome and changed network ports on my PC just to be sure. None of this helped.

[Mitchell Faas]

Windows 10, fully up to date (last checked for updates 40 minutes ago).

[harrymc]

Did this happen when Chrome was freshly reinstalled without login or sync and without any installed extensions?

[Mitchell Faas]

Yeah it did, that's what confounds me.

[harrymc]

I made a mistake above and the first folder should have been C:\Users\<YourUserName>\AppData\Local\Google. When uninstalling, use Revo, but also Everything to search the entire disk for "google" and for "chrome", as well as the registry. If this scrubbing doesn't help, then the source of the problem might not be in your PC - try connecting via a VPN service (long shot).

[Mitchell Faas]

I also just deleted the google folder in program files. Uninstalled with revo, used Everything and hand-selected everything that didn't seem needed.(lots of files with google/chrome in anti-virus folders, windows folders, adobe reader, etc. Mostly images though.) This did not work. Connecting through a VPN also didn't work; connecting through hide.me did.

[Mitchell Faas]

Oh I forgot to mention that. I always use Google as primary/secondary and Open as tertiary. Other devices on the same network are not affected, even when their DNS servers are manually changed to the ISP's.

[harrymc]

So it's not their DNS that forwards you to a non-google site, but they may be modifying either your search request or the answer, but I admit I don't know if this is at all possible. There is also the possibility that Google itself marked you as wishing a simpler format (more wild guess), so it only works when you hide your IP. You could ask your ISP to change your IP address, if they practice static addresses. If they only have dynamic IP, then turning off your router/modem for the night should get you a new IP. Check using https://whatismyipaddress.com/.

[Mitchell Faas]

But then my laptop on the same network should have the same problem, and I should be able to solve the problem by connecting through a VPN; Neither of which is the case. I figured Google being Google, maybe they can identify the specific MAC adress of my Ethernet port, so I'm already using a different Ethernet port to no avail. PS: Asking google "What is my ip?" Will also give you your IP :)

[harrymc]

You are right about the laptop. It can be the MAC address and Google, but it can also be your router/modem - I would suggest to factory reset it. It can also be some Windows software used by Chrome - so do SFC & DISM tests. If we don't find any reason for the problem, I don't think the problem is worth reinstalling Windows from scratch as ultimate test. I also suggest we delete all our comments above before some moderator moves it to chat.

[Mitchell Faas]

Yup, tried this: i.imgur.com/XosQvPi.png

[Mitchell Faas]

Did both of these. Neither router nor SFC did anything.

[harrymc]

Try this: Start Windows 10 in Safe Mode with Networking which only allows Microsoft products and drivers. If the problem disappears, then it's caused by some installed third-party product and I can give further advice. If the problem still happens, and as it doesn't happen when using hide.me, then probably this problem is not on your side and may be beyond your power to fix - try then to change your IP in the hope it will hide you as well as hide.me.

[Mitchell Faas]

I finally had time to try this. But I can't even go to any site in safe mode. Firefox, edge, IE, they're all fine. But Chrome says there's no internet connection and I have to change my proxy settings (which are non-existent, I don't use proxy).

[harrymc]

Perhaps a problem with the firewall?

[confetti]

Your Javascript is disabled or not working.

[confetti]

This is an issue with Javascript. I use NoScript and Google has no permissions to execute Javascript on my system and I get exactly those "old" results you've shown. Something probably messed up your Javascript (purposely or not) and malwarebytes must've fixed that.