Engineer builds custom Google search shortcuts to filter AI slop and ads

The author created two custom search shortcuts in Chrome or Edge to restrict Google results to specific site collections. One shortcut limits searches to official Microsoft sites such as Support and Learn. A second shortcut expands the list to include GitHub, Super User, the Stack Exchange network, and selected Subreddits. This change was motivated by frustration with AI summaries, ads, and low-quality links cluttering normal Google searches.

To build a shortcut, the user opens the browser’s search engine settings and adds a new site search with a name, shortcut keyword, and a URL containing a query placeholder. The URL is formulated to return results only from the selected domains. Activating the shortcut uses the chosen keyword to send the query to that URL. The resulting page shows a plain list of links without AI summaries, sponsored content, or unrelated links.

The shortcut only returns information from the preselected sites, so any authoritative content outside that list is omitted. The method depends on the static list of sites the author chose. Broad or exploratory queries that benefit from diverse perspectives may be less useful when limited to a fixed set of sources. The approach does not eliminate AI slop from general Google searches outside the shortcut.

The technique described is applicable to any field of specialized knowledge by curating a personal set of trusted sites. No alternative framing of the event appears in the single feed, so there is no conflicting interpretation to note. Thus the primary value is the reduction of noise in search results for technical queries. Engineers who rely on official documentation and vetted community sources can regain a cleaner search experience.