What is Google Alert?

Google Alert is the web's leading automated search and web intelligence solution, allowing you to catch new information as it appears. Google Alert uses its unique Web Intelligence technology to track the entire web for your personalized topics and send you new results by daily email.

What do I use it for?

You can use Google Alert to keep track of anything, including information regarding yourself, your work, or your interests. Read these testimonials to learn how others are using Google Alert to meet their needs.

How do I get my results?

Google Alert will email you every time new results appear. You can also view your results online by clicking "Browse Results". Google Alert results are also available as HTML or RSS feeds or via TrackBack from the Feed Settings page.

How is Google Alert different from news clipping services?

Google Alert watches for new content across the entire web by monitoring billions of web pages indexed by Google on a regular basis. This gives it a far greater reach than most news clipping services that watch only a specialized set of news sites.

How often does Google Alert perform my searches?

Google Alert performs your personalized searches up to once per day. You can change this frequency by clicking 'More Options' in your search settings. Remember of course that Google Alert is dependent on Google for its results, so you will only hear from Google Alert when Google updates its index (this generally happens once every day or two).

Why is there a limit on the number of searches?

Google Alert's operations take up significant bandwidth and CPU time. If you would like to track more search terms with greater depth, you can upgrade your account to the advanced Google Alert services.

Why have I not received any search updates?

Ensure that you have entered a valid email address. If you are using a spam filter or challenge service, ensure that you have added 'alert@googlealert.com' to your white list. Also, if you have selected 'More Options', please check you have set more than zero results for your desired searches in your search settings, and that you have set the search frequency to "automatically" and not to "only when I click 'run now'".

How do I refine my search to get more relevant results?

You can refine your searches using the Search Settings and the Advanced Search pages. The search tips page contains useful advice on refining your search to get more relevant results. You might also find the basic search tips on Google's site helpful.

What are the numbers before each search result?

Google Alert displays the Google ranking for each result reported next to the page title. The rank is shown in both the alert emails and in the online browser.

What are the stars before each search result?

Using its revolutionary SightPoint personalization technology, Google Alert displays the personalized relevance of each result based on the results you have clicked on in the past, from one to five stars. The SightPoint feature can be turned off in your 'Search Settings'.

How do I remove a specific search?

To remove a specific search, erase the search term in your 'Search Settings' and click 'Update'. If it is an advanced search, you should first click 'Edit' near your search term, and then click 'Reset this search to simple interface' at the bottom of the advanced search page. You may then proceed to erase your search term and click 'Update'.

Why do I sometimes get old results?

Google Alert will notify you of relevant new pages as they appear on the web and are indexed by Google. Sometimes the importance of an older existing page can increase significantly, causing its Google ranking to rise. Google Alert's FreshSearch technology automatically filters out most of these results, but occasionally one will come through.

What if I have forgotten my username or password?

When you log in, click on 'I forgot my username or password' and enter your username or email address to have your password emailed to you. Your username also appears at the bottom of each Google Alert email.

How do I change my password or email address?

Click on 'User Settings' in the main menu. You can then click on 'Change Password' to change your password. You can also type in a new email address in the area provided, and click 'Update'.

How do I unsubscribe and stop receiving search updates?

Each Google Alert email contains a link at the bottom that allows you to unsubscribe from the service and stop receiving Google Alert messages.

What is Google Alert's relationship with Google?

Google Alert is unaffiliated with Google, although we are in regular contact with them. Google Alert uses Google's Web APIs to perform its searches. Google has generously provided Google Alert with a high-capacity Web APIs key for our needs, and agreed to the use of the Google Alert name and googlealert.com domain. Google has agreed to our release of professional paid Google Alert services.

Why do I sometimes get different results from Google Alert and Google?

Google maintains multiple search servers, which may provide different search results while the Google index is being updated. Since the choice of server is random, the results you see from a Google search may be different from those your receive via Google Alert. Once Google's update is complete, the results should be the same.

Does Google Alert work with Google News, Images or Groups?

Unfortunately, Google Alert cannot currently support News, Images and Groups, since Google's Web APIs only provide access to the main Google web search. We hope in the future to integrate these and other services into Google Alert.

What are the terms and conditions of use?

Click to see the official Terms and Conditions of Use. Google Alert's services are provided "as is" with no warranties whatsoever. Use of Google Alert is entirely at your own risk. Google Alert disclaims any and all warranties for all services and information provided by Google Alert.

What is Google Alert's privacy policy?

Click to see the official Privacy Policy. Google Alert respects the privacy of its users and takes the privacy of all user information seriously.

How can I contact Google Alert?

Send in your comments or suggestions using the Google Alert feedback form. Your views (positive or otherwise) are very welcome.