Google Search is rolling back its continuous scroll user interface and bringing back the legacy Google Search pagination bar. Google told us that starting yesterday it will stop offering continuous scroll on desktop, with the mobile search interface to follow in the coming months.
Google told us this was to make search faster and only load the results the searcher asked for.
Google launched continuous scroll on desktop in December 2022, 1.5 years ago, and continuous scroll on mobile search in October 2021, 2.5 years ago. Since then Google has been testing bringing back the old pagination options where you click next and also the more results button and has now decided to do away with continuous scroll completely.
Google told us this change enables them to serve faster results on more searches, instead of automatically loading results that users haven’t explicitly requested.
Here is what it looks like with the pagination bar:
Here is the continuous scroll screenshot, notice the loading circle in the bottom white area:
Here is a GIF of that in action:
I will say that a number of people started to see this on Monday morning and even I was able to replicate it Monday.
Anyone else seeing old school Google page navigation being tested more and more in smaller countries (only when logged out)? @rustybrick pic.twitter.com/E86UT78Ddh
— SEOwner (@tehseowner) June 24, 2024
Back when continuous scroll launched, Google told me "we’re bringing continuous scrolling to desktop so you can continue to see more helpful search results with fewer clicks. It’s now even easier to get inspired with more information at your fingertips." "Now, when you scroll down you’ll continue to find relevant results so that you can discover new ideas. When you reach the bottom of a search results page, up to six pages of results will be automatically shown until you see a "More results" button if you wish to continue further," Google added.
I guess Google changed its mind...
Glenn Gabe thinks this is related to AI Overviews, he noted on X. "I feel like this is tied to how AI overviews trigger (but that's just my initial thought)," he wrote.
Here is some of the reaction on this news:
Starting with desktop and mobile is next (soon). I feel like this is tied to how AI overviews trigger (but that's just my initial thought).
— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) June 25, 2024
"Google said this change is to allow the search company to serve the search results faster on more searches, instead of automatically… https://t.co/rFdEFS1mmV
Saving on them tech resources.
— Ori Zilbershtein (@OriZilbershtein) June 25, 2024
Feels to me, the pagination was already decided as a solution which saves resources and also help minimize choice fatigue years ago. Then years gone by, they forgot these lessons, went on a roadtip to infinite scroll and full circle back. https://t.co/mcqY3Zd8Wz
Uhhh What?!?!!? https://t.co/NUyYv0vIak
— Anthony Higman (@AnthonyHigman) June 25, 2024
Continuous scroll allows everyone to be on page one.
— Google Search Honesty (@googlehonesty) June 25, 2024
We prefer to crush your spirit.
It’s far more humiliating to be on page 6.
Pagination in search allows this ✅ https://t.co/IeUDLz6CzG
FINALLY! @Google can still occasionally make a good user experience decision! https://t.co/CEAve78oYU
— SEO-Theory.Com (@seo_theory) June 25, 2024
John Mueller from Google commented on this on LinkedIn - he wrote:
#AlwaysBeOptimizing*Any* website / service / product needs to be optimizing regularly. The world keeps moving, the world seems to move even faster online, if you don't keep optimizing, keep rethinking, continue to take down things after the time has past - to make room to build up something new, the world will move on. What made sense last month, might not make sense next month. And also, the assumption you took last month might turn out to have been incorrect. Balance short-term & long-term metrics. Rethink metrics. Always be optimizing.
Forum discussion at X.
