What are Scopes?

A Scope is a pre-filtered search you apply on web or image results. It can set visible filters (language, country, Safe Search, date, verbatim) and silent constraints (sites, keywords, file types, providers) without changing the text in the search box.

Enable Scopes

Open Settings, expand Scopes, and set Enable Scopes to Yes. Your saved scopes stay stored if you turn the feature off; they just stop appearing on results pages.

Create and edit

You can define up to 10 scopes. Names must be unique. The URL slug is generated from the name, so renaming a scope changes the sc value that bookmarks and links would use.

Empty fields inherit your account defaults. Leave web or image providers on Account default to keep using your usual list.

Using a Scope on results

On web or image results, the Scopes dropdown is the first filter. Choosing a scope sets sc to the scope slug and writes only the visible filters the scope defines. Choosing the empty option clears sc only.

Try with keeps the current scope selected. It only overrides the scope search providers via sp . Choosing a scope clears sp so the scope uses its own providers first.

Silent site, keyword, and file constraints never enter the query string or the search box. Changing language, country, Safe Search, date, or verbatim while a scope is active clears sc so you are no longer in that pre-filtered search.

If you hide other filters in Settings, the Scopes dropdown still appears on results pages. There is no Scopes dropdown on the homepage.

Domain boosts

Account domain boosts are ignored while a valid Scope is active. Boosts apply again as soon as you leave the scope.

Suggested scopes

If Scopes are enabled and you have none yet, Settings offers a one-click import of four starters: Dev docs, Indie web, Research, and Sports. You can also download the JSON. Importing later appends missing slugs and stops at 10.

Tag shortcuts

A scope can have an optional Tag shortcut ( @s ). That applies the scope and strips the trigger from the query. Suggested scopes have no shortcut. Shortcuts cannot collide with custom tags, custom bangs, built-in bangs, or another scope shortcut.

Limits

• 10 scopes per account
• 10 restrict sites and 10 exclude sites per scope
• 5 include keywords and 5 exclude keywords per scope
• 5 include file types and 5 exclude file types per scope