What to know
- Google Search has started displaying links in orange instead of the traditional blue color for some users.
- The change appears in both the Google Search app and Chrome browser on Android and iOS devices.
- This appears to be a test primarily affecting users in dark mode and might be connected to Chrome themes.
Google has surprised users with an unexpected change to its search results page by testing orange-colored links instead of the familiar blue that users have known for years. This modification has caught many users off guard, as they encounter a brownish-orange hue while browsing search results. Is Google having a Halloween hangover?
A user had posted about this change on the Google Help Search Help page (via 9to5google) which was later followed by a post on Reddit, also confirming that the color change is visible to a growing number of users across both the native Google Search application and the Chrome browser. Moreover, this is happening regardless of whether they’re using Android or iOS devices.
Interestingly, the new orange shade appears to be more prevalent among users who have dark mode enabled on their devices.
Some users have suggested that the link color might be connected to Chrome themes, with one user reporting success in reverting to blue links by switching their Gmail desktop theme to default. However, this explanation doesn’t fully account for the change appearing on mobile devices where Chrome theming typically doesn’t apply.
The burnt orange color bears similarity to what some users see at the top of the page when searching for actors on mobile devices. This could indicate Google’s broader experimentation with color schemes across its search interface.
Currently, this appears to be a limited test rather than a full rollout, as many users still see the traditional blue links. For those experiencing the orange links, there’s no official way to switch back to blue, though signing out or switching to light mode might help.
Google, known for frequently testing new features and designs, hasn’t made any official announcement about this change or whether it plans to implement it permanently. The company continues to experiment with various aspects of its search interface to potentially improve user experience.
Discussion