Google launched Instant Previews few days ago – a feature which adds screenshots along with the search results. Though they claim that Instant Previews will help the users to find the results more precisely, personally, I found this feature to be annoying. Unfortunately, there is no option available yet to turn off “Instant Previews”. Turning off “Instant” search feature has no effect on “Instant Previews” either. I am surprised that not many technical journalists have raised concerns about this UI clutter so far. I have written a simple script to toggle the Instant Previews.
Compatible Browsers: Firefox 3+, Chrome 4+
Firefox
- Install the GreaseMonkey add-on for Firefox from here and restart the browser.
- Get the script by pointing your browser to this.
- GreaseMonkey Installation dialog box will appear. Please click on the “Install” button.
- You are all set to use the script. Open Google and perform a search. Click on the link “Disable Instant Previews” at the right top to disable the Instant Previews.
Chrome
- Chrome has native support for GreaseMonkey scripts.No additional extensions are needed to use the script.
- Get the script by pointing your browser to this.
- You will be prompted with a security alert. Please click on the ‘Continue’ button.
- The script will be installed as an extension. Open Google and perform a search. Click on the link “Disable Instant Previews” at the right top to disable the Instant Previews.
Please write to me if you find any issues with the script.
Update:
New version (V 1.1) is available now.
- Instant Previews will be disabled by default.
- Remember 'Instant Previews' setting across sessions. For e.g., if you have disabled the Instant Previews in the current session, the same setting will be remembered for the next session as well.
Userscripts.org seems to go down frequently these days. Here is an alternate link to the script.
-- Varun
nice one, it would be nice to know what the script actually does and how it works?
ReplyDeletethx
@kmlsh The script just hides the canvas which shows the preview. I shall update the same in the post.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Varun
Checked newer version of your script - and it works great.
ReplyDeleteKeep on great work!
As far as my understanding the preview is only made active when we press the search button for any one link. If we do not want that preview feature we can click it again to disable it. I think that is how it is done. Anyway y see the feature if we are not gonna use it.. :-) Its better to turn it off.
ReplyDeleteYet another script from you ... and nice one indeed
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to find this script, I was about to start to write my own because this instant preview 'feature' is terrible! I don't see any option to disable this in Google preferences, so we must turn to userscripts :)
ReplyDeleteThanks!! That useful but undisableable feature was driving me mad. The script works great!
ReplyDeleteWonderful!
ReplyDelete