Videos tab in Google Search results missing? Here's the likely explanation

Update 17/10/24: What looked like one of those live experiments that Google does with Search is now under investigation. There’s still no word on whether it’s a bug or not, but there’s a potential workaround that involves adding “&tbm=vid” at the end of your search results URL. Strange but it seems to work, so you might want to try it before an official fix rolls out.

---

Original article follows:

Are you suddenly unable to find the “Videos” tab in your Google Search results? Well, you’re not alone. A number of users have reported this strange disappearance of the videos option — something that typically helps filter search results when you’re hunting for video content. But here’s the kicker: this oddity only seems to happen when you’re signed into your Google account. The moment you log out or switch to Incognito mode, the videos tab magically reappears.

So, what’s the deal?

Google’s live experiments

The most logical explanation is Google’s “live experiments.” Google frequently tests new features on small, randomly selected groups of users. These experiments are like beta tests for design changes or feature tweaks, which are implemented without notice. If you’re signed into your Google account and see a different layout — like the missing videos tab — you could be part of one of these tests.

If you see a different layout on Google Search pages when signed in to your Google account, but the page looks normal when signed out or in an Incognito window, you may be seeing a Google Live Experiment.

Google is constantly fine-tuning its search engine, running thousands of live tests every year. They’re trying to see how you interact with the search results when certain elements, like the videos tab, are removed. Do you still find what you’re looking for? Do you engage more with other types of content? It’s all data that helps Google refine the experience for everyone.

Google constantly targets random users with experimental variations to the Search and Image Search interfaces. Sometimes the differences are barely noticeable. Other variations are much more noticeable.

Since this issue only happens when users are signed in, it’s likely that the experiment is tied to your account, not just your browser. That’s why going incognito or logging out restores the videos tab. Unfortunately, if you’re part of the experiment, clearing your cache or switching browsers probably won’t help because Google has tagged your account for testing.

While Google experiments make sense, there’s a slim chance this could be a UI glitch or bug. But with reports coming from multiple users and browsers, and the issue disappearing when users log out, the experimental feature theory holds stronger ground.

Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to restore the videos tab in Google Search results when signed into your account. Google’s live experiments usually run for just a week or two, so the best approach is to wait it out. In the meantime, you can always go incognito or log out of your account if you really need that videos tab back.

Earlier this year, users also reported similar issues with search filters disappearing, including the “News” and “Maps” tabs, although the latter had a different argument to it. The Shopping filter also disappeared for a while but made a comeback later on. Just like the current videos tab situation, the news and shopping tabs issues were resolved after a short time, suggesting they were also part of Google’s live experiments. While frustrating, these changes are typically temporary and aimed at improving the overall user experience.

Featured image: Nathana Rebouças / Unsplash