How to View Google Search Results from Different Countries

Google personalizes search results based on your location. That’s great when you’re looking for a nearby coffee shop, but it creates a major hurdle for SEOs, marketers, and business owners who want to understand how their content performs—or appears—in other countries.

If you’re trying to perform international keyword research, localize your content, or analyze competitors abroad, you need to see the actual search results users see in a specific market. Here’s how to do that without hopping on a plane.

Why location matters in Google search

Google considers many factors when ranking results, but location is one of the strongest signals. The same search term can return completely different pages depending on where you’re searching from.

For example, a search for “football” in the U.S. is likely to return NFL-related content. In the UK, expect Premier League references and articles about “the beautiful game.”

This location-based personalization affects:

• Organic search rankings
• Local pack or Google Maps results
• Featured snippets and People Also Ask boxes
• Autocompletions and related searches

So if you’re targeting or analyzing international markets, it’s crucial to see search results as they actually appear to your audience in that country.

6 ways to view Google search results from different countries

Here are six proven ways to access country-specific search results on Google:

1. Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network)

A VPN routes your internet traffic through a remote server, masking your physical location. By connecting through a server in the target country, you can simulate searches as if you’re in that region.

Pros:

• Effectively changes your IP-based location
• Works for both desktop and mobile
• Enables full use of country-specific SERP features

Cons:

• Some VPNs are slow or blocked by Google
• You may still need to tweak Google settings for accurate results

Pro tip: Use incognito mode while on a VPN to reduce personalization based on your browsing history.

2. Use Google’s ‘gl’ and ‘hl’ parameters manually

Google allows you to manually set your country and language through URL parameters:

• gl= – Geographic location; example: gl=uk
• hl= – Interface language; example: hl=en

Sample URL:

https://www.google.com/search?q=best+sneakers&gl=ca&hl=en

This simulates a search from Canada in English. Combine these parameters with incognito mode and &pws=0 (disable personalized search) for best results.

Pros:

• Quick and free method
• No tools or plugins required

Cons:

• Not as reliable for highly localized results (e.g., city-level)
• Requires manual URL edits

3. Use the Google Ads Preview and Diagnosis Tool

Google Ads includes a free tool designed for advertisers to preview how their ads appear in different locations. But you can also use it to inspect organic results.

Steps:

1. Visit ads.google.com/anon/AdPreview
2. Enter your target location, language, and device
3. Search for your keyword

Pros:

• Easy-to-use visual interface
• Supports city-level search customization

Cons:

• Requires a Google Ads account (free)
• No ability to export or inspect SERPs in bulk

4. Use a SERP checker tool

Professional SERP checking tools allow you to retrieve real-time search results from specific countries—and often specific cities. These tools are particularly helpful for SEOs working across regions.

Look for tools that allow:

• Custom geolocation by city, region, or country
• Device simulation (desktop or mobile)
• Exportable SERP snapshots or data

Pros:

• Most accurate and scalable solution
• Ideal for competitor and keyword research

Cons:

• Often paid tools (some have limited free features)

5. Use localized Google domains (not very effective anymore)

Previously, using google.fr or google.de would route your search through the French or German Google index. But today, Google’s location detection is based on your IP address, not domain.

Still, using the localized domain plus VPN or URL parameters can add another layer of targeting.

6. Adjust language and region in Google Search settings

You can manually tweak your settings to hint where you want to search:

1. Visit google.com/preferences
2. Scroll to “Region Settings” and select your target country
3. Save changes and perform your search

Important: This approach still depends on your physical location/IP, so changes are limited unless combined with a VPN.

How to verify you’re seeing accurate SERPs

Even after faking your location, there are other factors that can bias results:

• Search history and personalization
• Logged-in Google accounts
• Device type (mobile vs. desktop SERPs differ)

To get the cleanest data possible:

• Use incognito/private browsing mode
• Set search parameters like &pws=0 to disable history-based personalization
• Clear cookies or use tools that automatically do this

When to check search results from other countries

Here are common scenarios where regional search visibility matters:

• International SEO – measuring rankings and optimizing content across countries and languages
• Keyword localization – researching terms your audience actually uses in their market
• Competitor analysis – seeing which domains and brands dominate abroad
• Content strategy – building location-specific pages and matching search intent per market

Without verifying the actual SERPs, you risk optimizing for the wrong keywords—or missing opportunities entirely.

Final thoughts

Location plays a massive role in how Google shapes the SERP, and it’s a critical variable in global SEO. Whether you’re launching in a new country or auditing international rankings, simulating searches from your target location is essential.

Start with manual tricks if you’re on a budget, or use SERP checker tools for maximum accuracy and scale. The more accurate your view of the search landscape, the better you’ll be at competing in it.