Google announced Tuesday, April 15, that it will redirect country code top-level domain names (ccTLD) for Google Search to its primary domain, Google.com, in the coming months. The company stated in a blog post that this change aims to “streamline people’s experience on Search.”
What will users see in Google Address Bar
This Google update means that users who previously accessed Google Search through country-specific domains such as google.in (India) or google.com.br (Brazil) will now see google.com in their browser address bar.
What the change means for Google users
In the blog post, Google assures users that this change will not impact how Search functions or how the company handles obligations under national laws. “It’s important to note that while this update will change what people see in their browser address bar, it won’t affect the way Search works, nor will it change how we handle obligations under national laws,” the company emphasized.
In the blog post Google said that the roll out will occur “gradually,” in the coming months and that users “may be prompted to re-enter some of your Search preferences in the process.”
Country-level domains deemed no longer necessary
Google explained that this move is possible because it has provided “the same experience with local results for everyone using Search” since 2017, regardless of whether they used their country’s ccTLD or google.com. “Because of this improvement, country-level domains are no longer necessary,” the company stated.
