Google is ending full-web search for niche search engines
Recorded: Jan. 23, 2026, noon
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Programmable Search Engine Blog Programmable Search Engine Blog The latest news, updates and tips from the Programmable Search Engine team Updates to our Web Search Products & Programmable Search Engine Capabilities Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Evolving Programmable Search EngineProgrammable Search Engine helps hundreds of partners – from academic institutions to retail websites – serve their users’ search needs on their sites.Looking forward, we’ll be evolving our offerings to provide more focused and capable solutions for every use case. This evolution is designed to ensure a high-quality experience for users and partners.A clearer path for every search needWe're simplifying and modernizing our offerings so you can choose the best tool for your goals.For site-specific search: The Programmable Search Element (the “Search Element”) is being simplified to be the best tool for creating rich, focused search experiences on your own websites. This solution is intended for website owners who cater focused content to a specific audience.For enterprise-grade needs: For advanced features like AI-powered conversational search and enterprise-grade grounding, we continue to offer Google Vertex AI Search as a solution.For full web search needs: We understand some partners have use cases that require querying beyond a designated subset of domains. Our full web search solution is available for those requiring our entire index; please complete this form to register your interest .Planning your transition to more powerful toolsWe are excited to help you harness the full potential of these evolving solutions. As you plan for the future, here is your path forward for the transition, which can be completed any time between now and January 1, 2027.“Sites to search” feature for users of the Search Element querying 50 or fewer domains: The Search Element remains the optimal solution for delivering highly optimized and focused results. With this free feature, you can designate a maximum number of 50 domains for site-specific searches.“Search the entire web” option for users of the Search Element querying more than 50 domains: If your use case necessitates querying more than 50 domains or is set to “Search the entire web”, contact us to express your interest in the more advanced full web search solution and get more information about its capabilities and pricing. Your transition to an alternative solution needs to be completed by January 1, 2027.For users of the Custom Search JSON API: Vertex AI Search is a favorable alternative for up to 50 domains. Alternatively, if your use case necessitates full web search, contact us to express your interest in and get more information about our full web search solution. Your transition to an alternative solution needs to be completed by January 1, 2027. To prepare for this transition, as of today, all new engines must be configured to use the “Sites to search” feature. This change impacts only new engines; existing engines are not affected and can continue to use the “Search the entire web” option until January 1, 2027.This evolution will help us create more focused products, so we can provide a better search experience for our developer partners. We’re excited to build the future of search with you.Thank you,The Google Programmable Search Engine Team Google Supporting additional languages Tuesday, April 16, 2024 We’re pleased to announce that we have added support for the following 32 languages: Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Bengali, Burmese, Estonian, French (CA), Georgian, Gujarati, Icelandic, Kannada, Kazakh, Khmer, Kyrgyz, Lao, Macedonian, Malay, Malayalam, Mongolian, Marathi, Nepali, Persian, Punjabi, Serbian (Latin), Sinhala, Swahili, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, and Uzbek.Engine owners can now select one of these languages for their search engine in the Control Panel by navigating to Overview > Look and Feel > Language. Google Custom Search Site Restricted JSON API is transitioning to Vertex AI Search! Monday, December 18, 2023 The Custom Search Site Restricted JSON API endpoints will cease serving traffic on January 8, 2025. Beginning on January 8, 2025, all Custom Search Site Restricted JSON API customers must begin their transition to Google Cloud's Vertex AI Search to maintain access to their site search functionality.Why are we transitioning to Google Cloud Vertex AI Search?This year, Google Cloud has released a number of new AI products, and we are constantly working to improve our existing products with new AI features. We believe that our Custom Search Site Restricted JSON API customers will be better served by the new Vertex AI Search product, which offers a number of advanced features, including:Advanced site search: Improved latency and domain coverageGen AI features: Summarization and multi-turn queriesReverse Image searchVertex AI integration via Vertex extension platformFinally, we believe that the new Vertex AI Search solution will generally be more cost-effective and offer better value for our customers. What does this mean for me?We have made the transition to Vertex AI Search as easy as possible for our partners by providing detailed transition guidance. We are here to support you through the process. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Google Check out Vertex AI Search! Monday, October 9, 2023 We’re excited to share news of a new product our partners over at Google Cloud just announced, Vertex AI Search! If you use the Custom Search Site Restricted JSON API we believe this product is likely a good fit for you. Vertex AI Search allows you to set up and deploy a Google-grade site search engine in minutes at a competitive price. In addition to the basic search experience, Vertex AI Search provides an advanced option, which includes:Gen AI features: Summarization & Follow upsImproved latency & site coverageReverse Image SearchAccess to search in Vertex AI LLM extensionsBecause we believe Vertex AI Search best serves the needs of site restricted search use cases, we are no longer receiving new customers for the Custom Search Site Restricted JSON API. This has no effect on existing customers. If you are interested in moving from the Custom Search Site Restricted JSON API to Vertex AI Search, you can find transition guidance here. Google Retiring the Legacy Control Panel Wednesday, June 21, 2023 Last July, we introduced the new Programmable Search Engine control panel. While we continued to provide the option to use the legacy control panel, we’re glad to see that the vast majority of customers have found value in the new control panel and made the switch permanently. During this time, we’ve worked diligently to respond to feedback and ensure the new control panel has all the features customers need and expect from Programmable Search Engine. Today, we’re confident that the new control panel is more user-friendly and intuitive, making it easier than ever to create and manage your search engines. Therefore, the legacy control panel will be retired on June 21, 2023 and all remaining traffic will be redirected to the new control panel.We’re confident you’ll like the new control panel as much as we do. As always, your feedback is welcome and encouraged as we continue to improve Programmable Search Engine. Google Removing the Popular Queries API Monday, August 8, 2022 As the search space continues to evolve, we want to make sure that Programmable Search Engine continues to evolve to meet the needs of your users. We’ve decided to remove the Popular Queries JavaScript API (https://cse.google.com/api/<Search Engine ID>/popularqueryjs). Starting on November 11, 2022, this feature will no longer be available. If you’ve been showing Popular Queries on your website, we’re glad to let you know that the Stats tab of the Statistics and Logs page in the Control Panel still shows popular queries for your Programmable Search Engine. We know this may be disruptive, so if you have questions or need assistance, please check out the Help Center or reach out to us on the Community Forums. Google Introducing the New Control Panel Thursday, July 28, 2022 While the current control panel has served our customers well over the years, the time has come for a refresh. Today, we’re excited to announce the launch of the new Programmable Search Engine control panel! The new experience will make the creation and management of your programmable search engines easier and more intuitive. While you get comfortable with the new layout, your feedback is welcome and encouraged as we continue to build to reach feature parity with the legacy control panel and make improvements to the new design.We hope you like the improvements we’ve made, but if not we’ll continue to make the legacy control panel available through the remainder of the year. 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The Programmable Search Engine team is undergoing a significant evolution, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence and a focus on providing more tailored solutions for its partners. This evolution centers around simplifying offerings and increasing capability, evidenced by a series of announcements over the past several years. Initially, the team aimed to cater to a diverse range of use cases, including site-specific search and full web search. The “Sites to search” feature, allowing users of the Search Element to query up to 50 domains, represents an effort to optimize focused search experiences. Simultaneously, the team offers more advanced options like “Search the entire web” through a registration process designed to attract users requiring a broader index. A key strategic shift involves transitioning users away from the Custom Search Site Restricted JSON API, which is being replaced by Google Cloud’s Vertex AI Search. This transition is being facilitated by Vertex AI Search’s expanded functionality, including AI-powered conversational search, enterprise-grade grounding, improved latency, and enhanced domain coverage. The rationale behind this move is compelling, reflecting Google Cloud’s investments in advanced AI products and the desire to provide partners with access to cutting-edge capabilities. The shift also promises greater cost-effectiveness and value. A critical component of this transition is the requirement for all new engines to be configured to utilize the “Sites to search” feature, a measure aimed at fostering consistency and streamlining deployments. Throughout its history, the Programmable Search Engine team has proactively addressed user needs through various updates and features. The introduction of the new control panel, followed by the removal of the Popular Queries API, demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement and adaptation to the evolving search landscape. The team's commitment to ensuring a smooth transition is evident in the detailed guidance and support provided. The team is emphasizing a phased approach, offering choices to suit different use cases. The emphasis now is focused on providing advanced, intelligent search solutions and leveraging AI to enhance user experiences. The ongoing evolution underscores the team’s dedication to innovation and support for its partners. |