It’s just google.com for everyone now, regardless of where you live

Google Search is undergoing a significant change aimed at streamlining the user experience globally. The company has announced that it will begin redirecting traffic from its various country code top-level domain names (ccTLDs) like google.co.uk or google.de and begin pointing them to the singular google.com domain. This transition will occur gradually over the coming months.

Historically, these ccTLDs served as a mechanism to deliver locally relevant search results to users in specific regions. For example, a user in Nigeria would typically access google.ng, while someone in Brazil would use google.com.br. However, Google’s ability to provide localized search experiences has evolved considerably. In 2017, they implemented a system that delivers local results regardless of the domain being used. This advancement made the necessity for country-specific domains obsolete in terms of providing relevant local information.

So as a result, Google is now consolidating its search presence under the globally recognized google.com domain to simplify the overall user experience. While the change will be visible in the browser’s address bar, Google assures users that the fundamental way Search operates will remain unchanged. Furthermore, the company emphasizes that this update will not impact its obligations under national laws.

During this transition period, users may encounter a prompt to re-enter some of their saved Search preferences. This is a necessary step to ensure a consistent and personalized experience under the unified google.com domain. Google says the roll-out of this change will be gradual, allowing users time to adapt to the new URL structure.