Google Easter Eggs: The Full List of Hidden Tricks That Still Work
Type the right words into Google, and something strange happens. The page might spin. A game might load. A cartoon character might jump across your screen. These small surprises are called google easter eggs, and Google has been hiding them in Search for over 20 years.
This list covers the ones that still work today. It also flags the ones Google has quietly retired, so you don’t waste time typing a search that no longer does anything. Every trick below just needs a normal Google search. No app. No sign-in. No download.
What Is a Google Easter Egg?
A Google easter egg is a hidden feature. A developer builds it into Search on purpose. You only see it if you know the right word to type.
Some easter eggs are games. Some are jokes. Some are small animations. Google’s own engineers often build these in their “20% time,” which is time set aside for personal projects. That is also how some of the most famous ones started.
Google Search Easter Eggs Games You Can Play Right Now
These load a full game inside your search results. No extra tabs. No install.
Pac-Man Search pac-man. A working version of the arcade game appears. Use your arrow keys.
Snake Search snake game. Pick a difficulty and start moving with your arrow keys.
Tic-Tac-Toe Search tic tac toe. Play against Google or a friend.
Solitaire Search solitaire. Choose easy or hard mode.
Minesweeper Search minesweeper. Pick your grid size and start clicking.
Zerg Rush Search zerg rush. Small “o” characters attack your search results. Click them fast before they take over the page.
Atari Breakout Search atari breakout in Google Images. Your image results turn into breakable blocks.
Block Breaker This is a newer game Google added directly to the search results page in 2025. It works the same way as Atari Breakout but does not need Google Images.
Visual Tricks That Change How the Page Looks
These do not open a game. They change how the search results behave.
Do a Barrel Roll This is the most famous Google easter egg. Search do a barrel roll, and the whole page spins once.
Askew Search askew. The page tilts to one side, like it’s slightly off-balance.
67 / Six Seven Search 67 or six seven. The page shakes for a few seconds. Google added this after the phrase went viral online in 2025.
Aurora Borealis Search aurora borealis. A button appears. Click it, and colorful lights move across your screen.
Conway’s Game of Life Search conway's game of life. Small cells grow and shrink on their own, based on a real math simulation from 1970.
Chicxulub Search chicxulub. This is the name of the asteroid that many scientists believe wiped out the dinosaurs. The search triggers a falling asteroid animation.
Wordplay and Calculator Jokes
These use Google’s search bar like a small comedian.
Anagram Search anagram. Google asks, “Did you mean: nag a ram?” That is an anagram of the word itself.
Recursion Search recursion. Google asks the same question again. And again. This is a joke about code that calls itself.
The Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything Search that exact phrase. Google shows the number 42, a reference to Douglas Adams’ book The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
Once in a Blue Moon Search once in a blue moon. Google turns the phrase into a real number, measured in hertz.
Font Tricks
Type the name of a font, and your results switch to that font.
- Comic Sans
- Times New Roman
- Arial
- Impact
- Courier
- Georgia
This works for most well-known font names. It’s a small joke, but it always surprises people the first time.
Hidden Tools You Can Actually Use
Not every easter egg is just for fun. Some are genuinely useful.
| Search Term | What Happens |
|---|---|
timer | A countdown starts right away |
metronome | A working music metronome opens |
color picker | A tool to pick colors and copy hex codes |
flip a coin | Google flips a coin for you |
roll a dice | Google rolls a die, and you can set the number of sides |
breathing exercise | A short guided breathing animation |
bubble level (on mobile) | Turns your phone into a spirit level |
These tools load instantly. No app permissions needed.
Pop Culture and Character Easter Eggs
Search certain names, and a small animation appears next to the knowledge panel.
- Sonic the Hedgehog a small sprite runs and spins.
- Batman or Bruce Wayne a Bat Signal flashes across the screen.
- Superman a cape icon appears, and Superman flies past.
- Friends cast members, like Jennifer Aniston a couch icon triggers a short animation tied to the show.
Holiday and Seasonal Easter Eggs
Some easter eggs only show up around certain dates or events.
- Christmas string lights appear near the search bar.
- Hanukkah a menorah animation plays.
- Diwali floating oil lamps scatter across the screen.
- Festivus a plain aluminum pole appears, a nod to the Seinfeld episode.
- America 250 red and white fireworks, added for the US in 2026.
New Easter Eggs Added in 2025 and 2026
Google keeps building new ones. These are recent additions worth trying:
- 2025 PN7 two moons drift across the screen, based on a real near-Earth asteroid.
- World Cup searches fireworks in national colors after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- Erling Haaland animated Vikings row across the page, tied to his World Cup goal record.
Easter Eggs Beyond Google Search
Google hides easter eggs outside of Search too.
Google Maps Search for certain landmarks or click the Pegman icon in specific spots to find hidden animations.
Android Older Android versions hid a small game tied to the dessert name of that version. You could find it deep in your phone’s settings menu.
Chrome Lose your internet connection, and a small dinosaur appears. Press space, and you can play an endless runner game.
Where Did Google Easter Eggs Come From?
The idea of a software “easter egg” did not start with Google. It started with Atari. A programmer named Warren Robinett hid his name inside a 1979 game because he was not given credit for building it. Steve Wright, an Atari director at the time, is credited with naming this kind of hidden trick an “easter egg.”
Google adopted the idea early on. Many of its own easter eggs came out of “20% time,” a policy that let engineers spend part of their week on personal side projects.
Retired Easter Eggs That No Longer Work
Not every trick lasts forever. Google has quietly removed or replaced some over time:
- The old Atari Breakout inside Google Images was removed in 2020, replaced later by Block Breaker.
- The “Goooooo…gle” scrolling text at the bottom of search pages stopped once Google switched to infinite scroll.
- Some holiday-only tricks, like certain 2022 date-based jokes, only worked for a single day and never came back.
If a search does not trigger anything, it may simply be retired.
FAQ
How many easter eggs does Google have?
Google has added more than 2,000 hidden features across its products over the years, though the exact number active at any time changes as old ones are retired and new ones are added.
Do Google easter eggs work on mobile?
Most work on both mobile and desktop. A few, like the bubble level, only work on mobile because they need a phone’s built in sensors.
Why isn’t a Google easter egg working for me?
It could be retired, limited to certain countries, or only available in English. Try it again on a desktop browser in English before assuming it’s gone for good.
What is the oldest Google easter egg?
The “42” calculator joke, tied to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, is one of the earliest known Google easter eggs.
Are Google easter eggs the same in every country?
No. Some, like America 250, are limited to specific regions. Others may not appear at all outside the US.
Final Thoughts
Google easter eggs are small, but they add up to something bigger: proof that a company built around serious search results still leaves room for play. New ones keep appearing, old ones keep disappearing, and the only way to find them is to keep searching.
Bookmark this page, and check back when you want a five minute break from your usual google easter eggs hunt.
For more Software tips, you can also explore WISInsider Software.
