How to Use Google Search Without AI: The 'udm=14' Workaround Explained

It’s hard to imagine, given its current popularity, but Google Search today is vastly different from just a few years ago.

A significant change has been the introduction of generative AI search results, now branded as “AI Overview.” This feature, previously known as the “Search Generative Experience” — accessible through Google Labs — utilizes Google’s Gemini AI models to generate summaries and highlight crucial information tailored to your search query.

Following its recent I/O conference, Google is transitioning to this AI-infused search experience as the default in the U.S. and plans to expand globally. This move aims to compete with emerging rivals like Perplexity and OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

However, many users express concerns about inaccuracies in these new AI-generated results, which can sometimes lead to misleading information.

For those craving a more traditional Google Search experience, free from generative AI results, Google has introduced a “Web” tab that removes AI and older “Featured Snippets,” which often lifted text directly from web pages. This tab also filters out most ads and sponsored posts.

Unfortunately, there is no official way to set this option as the default. Users must navigate to the Web tab after each search.

Although switching tabs can be frustrating, my former colleague Ernie Smith of the blog Tedium offers a clever workaround that many users appreciate. He points out:

“...Is there a way to minimize the hassle of clicking the ‘Web’ option every time?

The answer is yes. Despite Google's complex URLs, you can append a simple URL parameter—‘udm=14’—to your search to access Web results directly.”

By bookmarking or setting your browser's default search engine to: “https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14,” you can consistently access a Gen AI-free Google every time you search.

Users on X have embraced Smith’s discovery, showcasing widespread enthusiasm.

It will be interesting to see how this workaround gains traction. If enough users opt for this method, could Google reconsider its focus on AI-generated summaries and revert to a more streamlined “blue link” search format? Only time will reveal the outcome.