How to Use Google Alerts

Last Updated: December 7, 2021 Tested

What if you can't watch the weekend football game or want to keep an eye on ticket sales for a specific movie? You'd normally search Google for those answers, but what if Google had already emailed you about the game or that movie ticket news? Google Alerts is a service that generates search engine results based on criteria provided by you and delivers the results to your e-mail. This service is useful for many reasons, such as monitoring the web for specific information about your company, your kids, your online content's popularity, or your competition. You can also use it to keep up to date with new advancements, celebrity gossip, or current trends. This wikiHow article will teach you how to use Google Alerts.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Creating Google Alerts

1
Go to https://www.google.com/alerts in a web browser and log in. This will bring you to the Google Alerts home page. Log in if prompted.
2
Search for the topic you would like to receive alerts for. As soon as you begin typing, a sample of your first Google alert will appear. If you are not getting the results you expected, you can change your search words to get different search results.
- For example, if you're a tech enthusiast interested in articles relating to home tech, you'd create alerts for "smart home tech", "home assistants", and "home automation."
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3
Click Create Alert. Your first basic Google Alert is now complete, and you will begin receiving your alerts via email.^{[1]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Customizing Google Alerts

1
Go to https://www.google.com/alerts in a web browser and log in. This will bring you to the Google Alerts home page. Log in if prompted.
- You'll see a list of all your Alerts under the header "My alerts."
2
Click the
next to an alert you want to customize. You'll see the pencil icon to the right of the alert's name.
3
Change the frequency. Indicate how often you would like the results to be delivered to your inbox. You have the options of once a week, once a day, or as-it-happens.
- The as-it-happens setting may deliver the results to your inbox multiple times a day, depending on how often the query appears in the news stream. If this is likely to be annoying, don't choose that option.
- Choosing to receive notifications once a day and once a week will stockpile the results and only deliver them on your schedule. The default for this option is once a day.
4
Edit the source types. There are some additional options available to tailor your search to your particular needs including choosing the type of sources you wish to search from. The default is everything, which is a good choice if you're not sure which to pick. The other options are: News, Blogs, Video, Discussions, and Books. Click to select it and you'll notice that a checkmark appears next to the source you selected. Click it again to de-select it.
- After you change a source, you'll see how the results for your alert change under the "Alert preview" heading.
5
Edit the "How many," "Language," and "Region" settings. You can filter results based on your location by using the "Region" drop-down as well as in what language you get the results. "How many" often defaults to "Only the best results" so your inbox doesn't get overwhelmed with search results.
6
Select your email or RSS feed next to "Deliver to." If you want to get an email of the Google Alert results, make sure you have your email selected.
- Select "RSS feed" if you can import it to an RSS feed reader. Otherwise, you won't be able to read the search results.
7
Delete the alerts you don't want. If you decide that you don't want an alert, click the trashcan icon next to it.

Community Q&A

Question

How can I eliminate .gov results?

Community Answer

Along with your search query, type in the search box: -site:.gov Example: public safety -site:.gov
Question

If I've not received the confirmation email, what should I do?

Community Answer

Check your Spam folder to see if it got directed there. Go to the website that should be sending the email and check if you typed in your address wrong. If it is correct re-send it. Sometimes these do take a while so be patient.
Question

Do I need a Gmail account to have Google Alerts?

Community Answer

Yes, because Gmail is the only email address associated with Google. Alerts will be posted to your Gmail account.