Choose a time window
On this page
The date menu decides how far back 4Search looks for News, Images and Videos. It can choose for you, you can set it yourself, or you can say it in your search with a phrase like last week.
#Auto, the default
The date menu starts on Auto. Auto begins with the last 30 days, then adjusts to the subject of your search:
- A weather search looks back about 3 days.
- A search about markets or sport looks back about 2 weeks.
- A search about health or cooking looks back about 6 months.
The label shows what Auto used, for example Auto (3 days) or Auto (180 days). If very few articles fit, Auto can widen the window to find more. A clearly better match from further back can also appear, for example a story about an event from last summer.
#Pick a fixed range
Choose a value in the menu to take control: 1 hour, 4 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days, 30 days, 90 days, 180 days, 365 days, 2 years or All. The range counts back from now. All looks back as far as the menu allows.
The results update as soon as you choose. Your choice is recorded in the address of the page, so copy the address after you choose if you want to bookmark or send the search with that range. See Share or bookmark a search.
#Published or Discovered
Beside the date menu on the News, Images, Videos and Websites tabs is a second menu. Published counts from the date on the article. Discovered counts from the day 4Search found it. See Narrow results with filters.
#Type a time phrase
On Auto, words in your search can set the window. 4Search reads the phrase, uses its window and searches for the rest of your words.
heat pump news this week: the date menu reads Auto (7 days), the window for this week.
- 1A time phrase typed in the search
- 2Auto shows the window it used
| You type | The window |
|---|---|
today, tonight | 24 hours |
this morning | 12 hours |
yesterday | 48 hours |
this week, past week | 7 days |
last week | 14 days |
this month | 30 days |
last month | 60 days |
this year | 365 days |
last year | 2 years |
past 3 hours, last 3 days, last 6 months | the amount you type |
The window always counts back from now, so last week looks back 14 days and includes this week so far. Where a phrase fits more than one window, the narrower one wins. About a thousand phrases are understood, among them breaking, latest news, this weekend, last monday, past few days and a month ago. Case and punctuation do not matter.
- For windows of a week or less, the newest of two equally good matches comes first.
- Names that contain a time word are left alone, for example
USA Today,Saturday Night LiveandBlack Friday. - A phrase can reach back at most two years.
- Calendar years and month names are not read as dates.
tariffs in 2019andtariffs in Marchuse the normal Auto window. To look further back, choose 365 days, 2 years or All in the menu. - Phrases work only when the menu is on Auto. If you choose a range yourself, time words in the search are treated as ordinary words.
#Where the date applies
| Tab | What the date does |
|---|---|
| News, Images, Videos | Sets the window for the articles |
| All | Sets the window for News. With Apply to web ticked it also narrows the Web column |
| Websites | Sets the window for the site's articles in a website profile |
| Web | No date menu |
#Common questions
Why does Auto show a number of days?
It tells you the window it chose for this search, so you can see how far back you are looking.
Can I search a particular year or month?
Not by typing a date. The menu offers ranges counting back from now. Choose All and add words that name the event.
I typed a time phrase and nothing changed. Why?
Phrases work only on Auto. They also need to be one that is understood, such as last week. A year like 2019 is not.
Does the date also filter the Web results?
Only on the All tab, with Apply to web ticked. See The Web column.