Google Search in 1998
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Quick Facts
A stripped-back 1998-style Google results page inside a retro browser frame.
2013-09-26
Active
(Enhanced by elgooG)
Try the Easter Egg
Google’s Official Version
How It Started
Google introduced the "Google in 1998" Easter egg for its 15th birthday in September 2013. Searching that phrase opened a throwback results page, as if Search had wandered back to its earliest public days.
For context: google.com was registered on September 15, 1997, and Google Inc. was incorporated on September 4, 1998. Google traditionally celebrates its birthday on September 27 — a date the company has officially recognized since 2006.
What It Did
The Easter egg showed a stripped-down, text-first results page typical of the era. It featured the early Google logo (exclamation point and all), basic blue links, and minimal formatting — very much in line with 1990s browsers and slower connections. Results were ordered by PageRank, the relevance system Larry Page and Sergey Brin developed at Stanford.
Impact and Reach
It delivered a fun hit of nostalgia while making the web’s evolution easy to see. Compared with today’s rich results — images, knowledge panels, instant answers — the 1998 list of links feels refreshingly bare. And this was pre-AdWords (launched in 2000), when the web felt less commercial and more academic.
What’s Enhanced Here
Google’s version mainly reskinned the page. We wanted the full vibe of using a late-’90s computer, not just the look — so we rebuilt the experience with period-accurate details that bring the era to life.
The Enhanced Experience
What’s Different Here
Our take re-creates the full 1998 search interface, not only the visuals. A pixel-style font evokes low-resolution displays, and everything sits inside an Internet Explorer 4.0–style frame for era-correct context. Google changed how the page looked; we aim to show how it felt to search in 1998.
The Easter Egg Experience
Click the button above to jump back in time. You’ll see a 1998-style results page inside an IE 4.0–inspired window, complete with pixelated type and a clean, no-frills layout. Enter a query to get modern results dressed in a faithful 1998 presentation — logo, layout, and all.
How to Try It
- Click the button above to travel back.
- A 1998 Google results page opens inside an IE 4.0–style window.
- Type your query into the retro search box.
- See results in the classic, uncluttered 1998 look.
- Note: The browser frame is decorative for authenticity and not functional.
Internet Explorer 4.0 (1997) was widely used when Google arrived, so its interface helps set the scene. Back then the results page was all function — no images, no extras — just relevant, text-based answers powered by PageRank. That simplicity helped Google feel fast, a big reason it took off early.
Final Thoughts
Our “Google Search in 1998” is a faithful, period-accurate recreation. With authentic design and a browser frame that matches the time, it’s a tidy digital time trip. Enjoy the elegant simplicity of early search — then check out our other preserved Google Easter eggs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is Google Search in 1998?
Google Search in 1998 is the results-page version of Google's 15th birthday throwback Easter egg from September 2013. This enhanced page keeps the plain blue-link results view, adds a fuller retro browser frame, and lets you search from that early-web setting.
