March 6, 2012

Bring Back Keyword Highlighting to Google Cache

For some reason, Google's caching feature is more and more difficult to use. The "cached" link is hidden inside the Instant Preview box and it's no longer available in the mobile interface.


Now the keywords from cached pages aren't highlighted if you are logged in. Search pages use encrypted connections (HTTPS) when you're logged in and this disables referrals, so that's probably the reason why Google no longer includes the query in the cached pages URLs. Google suggests to sign out and you can also use a different browser or the private browsing mode, but there's another way to bring back keyword highlighting:

- click the "similar" link in the Instant Preview box instead of clicking "cached"

- replace "related" with "cache" in the URL and press Enter.

If there's no "similar" link, you can copy the query, go to the cached page and paste the query in the address bar between "+" and "&cd=".


There's also a cool Chrome extension called MultiHighlighter, but you need to copy the query, visit the page, press Ctrl+Shift+A and paste the query. If you use Internet Explorer, Google Toolbar has a cool highlighting feature.

7 comments:

  1. I blame copyright lawsuits.

    ReplyDelete
  2. i use ctrl f in chrome browser and it's ok for me

    ReplyDelete
  3. I also found that adding the keyword to the end of the regular cache query will highlight the keywords on the cache page. This works both while being signed in and in incognito mode.

    Example: cache:www.website.com website

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have a Quick Fix to Bring Back Keyword Highlighting to Google Cache.

    Use as your home page: http://74.125.227.116 in option menu in Firefox or Chrome

    You can dld a Quick search plug-in for Firefox: I've clalled it "Google Stealh" It Force Google to Use HTTP instead of HTTPS :

    Here: http://minus.com/mtQxtGqEB Feel free to modify it !


    Regards

    ReplyDelete
  5. Here is the final fix, The Keyword Highlighting to Google Cache is Back:


    Append this hosts file entry to your hosts file:
    74.125.127.114 www.google.ca google.ca google.com www.google.com

    That's it ! :)

    The Keyword Highlighting to Google Cache is Back:

    ReplyDelete
  6. any body tell how to use cache while answering the cache

    ReplyDelete
  7. For a more automated approach to adding the query terms to the URL, you could consider this userscript:

    Google Cache Highlight Search Query Terms for HTTPS
    http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/154167

    It's still in testing, so feedback is very much welcomed.

    ReplyDelete

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