Google loves incorporating a plethora of hidden tools and features into Google Search, such as rolling dice, a colour picking tool, a metronome and even some games like Snake. However, one classic Google Search tool, the timer and stopwatch, has suddenly and mysteriously disappeared.
Typically, when you search for ‘timer’ or ‘stopwatch’, one of the first results is Google’s in-built timer and stopwatch widget on your browser. The same goes for the other tools like metronome and the Snake game. But users began reporting earlier this week that the timer and stopwatch widget no longer appears when you search for it. Instead, it just leads to regular search results for websites offering timer and stopwatch functions.
Google’s public liaison for Search, Danny Sullivan, has since replied to Twitter queries about the missing timer and stopwatch widget, stating that they are looking into it. However, as of time of writing, the timer and stopwatch feature has yet to be restored, which is a shame really as I myself actually quite handy and was faster than whipping out my smartphone and setting up a timer in there.
We’re still looking into it
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) July 21, 2022
On the bright side, this does seem to be an accident rather than an intentional removal of the feature by Google. Google also just recently made a u-turn after removing the permissions list off app listings on the Google Play Store, only to restore it later following community backlash; you can read more about that here.
