Google tbs Parameter Builder & Decoder
Paste a tbs value or a Google URL to see what each token does, or build a tbs value from controls. You also get the equivalent JustSERP API request. Everything runs in your browser, and the tool is free.
Decode a tbs value
Paste a tbs value such as qdr:w,li:1, or a whole Google URL. You get each token in plain English and the matching API request.
Nothing leaves your browser. Unknown tokens are marked as unknown, never guessed.
Build a tbs value
Set the filters you want. The tbs value, the Google URL and the API request update as you go.
Pick a filter above to build a tbs value.
What is the tbs parameter?
tbs is the Google URL parameter that holds search tools: how recent the results are, whether the words must match exactly, how they are sorted, and for image search, size, color, type and license. It is a list of key:value tokens separated by commas, like qdr:w,li:1.
Google does not document these tokens, so most people copy them from a URL after clicking the filters. This tool reads the common ones, and says so when it meets one it does not know. It will not guess what an unknown token does.
In the JustSERP API you rarely need to write tbs yourself. Use time_period, time_period_min, time_period_max and verbatim on web search, and size, color, image_type, aspect_ratio and usage_rights on image search. The tool shows the matching request for whatever you build or paste.
tbs token reference
Every token this tool understands, and the JustSERP API parameter that does the same job where there is one.
| Token | What it does | Example | JustSERP API |
|---|---|---|---|
| qdr:h, qdr:d, qdr:w, qdr:m, qdr:y | Past hour, day, week, month or year. | qdr:w | time_period = last_hour, last_day, last_week, last_month, last_year |
| qdr:h6, qdr:d3, qdr:m2 | A unit with a number: the past 6 hours, 3 days, 2 months. Also qdr:n for minutes and qdr:s for seconds. | qdr:h6 | Not exposed. The API takes only the five periods above. |
| cdr:1, cd_min, cd_max | A custom date range in M/D/YYYY. | cdr:1,cd_min:1/15/2024,cd_max:3/31/2024 | time_period_min, time_period_max (web and news) |
| li:1 | Verbatim: match the words as typed. | li:1 | verbatim=true (web search) |
| sbd:1 | Sort by date. | sbd:1 | Not exposed on web search. On news, sort_by=most_recent. |
| isz:l, isz:m, isz:i | Image size: large, medium, icon. | isz:l | size = large, medium, icon |
| isz:lt, islt | Larger than a set size, such as qsvga (400 x 300), vga, svga, xga, 2mp, 4mp up to 70mp. | isz:lt,islt:xga | size = larger_than_1024x768, larger_than_2mp and so on |
| isz:ex, iszw, iszh | An exact width and height in pixels. | isz:ex,iszw:800,iszh:600 | Not exposed. Send the whole tbs on the images endpoint. |
| ic:color, ic:gray, ic:trans | Full color, black and white, transparent. | ic:gray | color = color, black_and_white, transparent |
| ic:specific, isc | One color: red, orange, yellow, green, teal, blue, purple, pink, white, gray, black, brown. | ic:specific,isc:blue | color = blue (and the other colors) |
| itp | Image type: face, photo, clipart, lineart, animated. | itp:photo | image_type = face, photo, clipart, line_drawing, gif |
| iar | Shape: t (tall), s (square), w (wide), xw (panoramic). | iar:w | aspect_ratio = tall, square, wide, panoramic |
| il:cl, il:ol | Usage rights: Creative Commons, or commercial and other licenses. | il:cl | usage_rights = creative_commons_licenses, commercial_or_other_licenses |
| ift | File type: jpg, png, gif, bmp, svg, webp, ico, raw. | ift:png | Not exposed. Send the whole tbs on the images endpoint. |
Frequently asked questions
What does tbs=qdr:w mean?
qdr stands for the recency filter, and w means the past week. The other units are h (hour), d (day), m (month) and y (year). Add a number to count more units, for example qdr:h6 for the past 6 hours.
How do I filter Google results by a date range?
Use tbs=cdr:1,cd_min:1/15/2024,cd_max:3/31/2024 with dates written month/day/year. In the JustSERP API, send time_period_min and time_period_max as MM/DD/YYYY on web or news search.
What does li:1 do?
It turns on verbatim search, so Google matches your words as typed instead of swapping, dropping or correcting them. In the JustSERP API this is verbatim=true on web search.
Can I sort Google results by date with tbs?
Yes, sbd:1 sorts by date in a Google URL. The JustSERP web search has no parameter for it. On the news endpoint you can use sort_by.
Which image filters does the JustSERP API support?
Size, color, type, shape, usage rights and a time period have their own parameters on /v1/google/images. Exact sizes and file types do not, so for those you send the whole tbs value. On the images endpoint, tbs cannot be combined with the other filter parameters.
Why does the tool say a token is unknown?
Google adds and changes tbs tokens without notice, and not all of them are public. If a token is not on the reference table, it is marked unknown and left out of the API request instead of being guessed.
More free tools: Google search URL builder, UULE generator and decoder, Google countries and domains, and Google language codes. Full request details are in the API docs.
JustSERP
JustSERP was born out of our own need to scrape google search results to parse data for analytical and processing needs. We have gone through the excruciating process of running automated web search queries by bypassing bot filters, solving captchas and parsing convoluted HTML. It is our pleasure to share our expertise with others through this affordable, fast and reliable SERP API. Don't hesitate to contact us with any questions at [email protected].