These fields are not so reliable tbh.
Advanced Search
Content Types
Filter By Type
Caution! Overrides "Duration" and "Sorting"
Video Features
Duration
Sort by
Date Range
Before Date:
After Date:
(Does not contain all search operators)
Frustrated with YouTube’s basic search? YouTube Super Search gives you powerful filters to find exactly what you need. Filter videos by precise date ranges, duration, and content type. Force keywords to appear in titles, exclude unwanted terms, and sort results how YOU want. No more wading through irrelevant videos or shorts – find those long-form tutorials, old documentaries, or specific content from your favorite channels within seconds. Take control of your YouTube searches and discover content that the standard search keeps hidden from you.
From the creator
Hello! 🙂
Look, I’m just a total noob who cobbled together this tool to make Youtube search results more reliable.
I use it to find Stephen Colbert clips uploaded before 2016 or news and podcasts on a specific channel within a specific time frame sorted by View Count.
I also like to make sure that my search topic is present in the video title and that it even matches my exact wording. See the main two checkboxes.
The “advanced” section is really not advanced at all. Any combination could lead to weird or no results. Bummers – but that’s Youtube’s fault.
As for the rest: Play around with it and feel free to report your disappointment.
Search User Guide
Important Notes
Most important: This tool might break any moment! When Youtube updates its search "logic", this tool badly needs an update. This could happen in two years or in two days. Can't be helped.
- YouTube search operators are not as powerful or precise as they might appear
- Multiple filters may interact in unexpected ways
- The search algorithm prioritizes engagement and relevance over exact operator matching
Text Search Operators
| Operator | Description | Common Misconception |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Search | Main search field at the top of the tool | |
| Main Search | Searches video titles, descriptions, and tags | No misconceptions, works as expected |
| Title checkbox | Converts main search to use allintitle: |
Will only match videos with ALL words in title |
| Exact Match checkbox | Wraps your entire search query in quotes | Forces YouTube to search for the exact phrase rather than individual words |
Advanced Search
| Operator | Description | Common Misconception |
|---|---|---|
Hashtags |
Automatically converts your terms into hashtags | Adds # symbol to each word, great for finding trending content |
description: |
Searches for words in video descriptions | Less precise than expected; YouTube may still return results that prioritize title matches |
- (minus) |
Excludes videos containing the specified term | Sometimes doesn't exclude all instances, especially for common words |
channel: |
Finds videos from a specific channel | Must match the channel name exactly; partial matches may not work |
Date and Time Filters
| Operator | Description | Common Misconception |
|---|---|---|
before: / after: |
Filters by upload date | Works as expected, no misconceptions |
| Uploaded Last Hour/Today/Week/Month/Year | Quick filters for recent content | These use YouTube's internal time filters and generally work well |
Since |
Lets you specify a custom time period (e.g., "3 weeks ago") to filter content | This uses the after: operator with a calculated date based on your specified time period |
Content Types and Features
| Operator | Description | Common Misconception |
|---|---|---|
| Content Types | Radio buttons in the Content Types section | |
| Videos | Shows only video results | May still include Shorts in results |
| Channels | Shows only channel results | Works as expected |
| Playlists | Shows only playlist results | Works as expected |
| Movies | Shows only movie results | Limited to official movie content on YouTube |
| TV Shows | Shows only TV show results | Limited to official TV content on YouTube |
| Video Features | Checkboxes in the Content Types section | |
| These are very fuzzy filters YouTube claims (!) to regard when they're added to the search text, but in reality they often give bad results. | ||
hd |
Filters for HD videos | Often includes non-HD content; YouTube's implementation is inconsistent |
cc |
Filters for videos with closed captions | Unreliable; sometimes shows videos with auto-generated captions despite claiming otherwise |
live |
Shows live and upcoming streams | Frequently includes regular videos and ended streams; filter application is inconsistent |
3d |
Shows 3D videos | Very inconsistent results; often includes regular 2D videos with "3D" in title or description |
spherical |
Shows 360° videos | Better than other feature filters, but still includes non-360° content regularly |
Duration and Sorting
| Operator | Description | Common Misconception |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | Options in the Duration section | |
| Short (< 4 min) | Filters for videos less than 4 minutes long | May include very short videos |
| Medium (4-20 min) | Filters for videos between 4 and 20 minutes | Works as expected |
| Long (> 20 min) | Filters for videos longer than 20 minutes | Works as expected |
| Sort By | Options in the Sort by section | |
| YT Default | YouTube's default sorting (relevance-based) | Influenced by your watch history and engagement |
| Newest | Sorts by upload date (newest first) | Works as expected |
| Highest Rated | Sorts by rating (likes, engagement) | YouTube's algorithm factors in more than just likes |
| View Count | Sorts by number of views (most viewed first) | Works as expected |
Filter Interactions
Understanding how filters interact is key to effective searching:
- Content Type + Duration/Sorting: When Content Type is selected, it OVERRIDES both Duration and Sorting options completely. The UI warns you about this with an orange caution box.
- Multiple Time Filters: Only one time filter can be applied (Before/After/Since/Hour/Day/etc.)
- Sort Options + Other Filters: Sort options may override or be affected by certain content filters
YouTube's search algorithm may interpret multiple filters in ways that don't strictly follow operator syntax. When in doubt, try using fewer filters for more predictable results.
Pro Tip: Your search settings will be saved between sessions, so you can pick up where you left off!
support
YouTube’s search system evolves constantly, changing how search operators work behind the scenes. When this happens, our search tool needs timely updates to stay accurate and helpful. Your contributions help me monitor these changes and keep the tool working properly for everyone. Whether you spot something that’s not working quite right, have an idea for a cool new feature, or simply want to support ongoing development, your involvement makes a real difference.
Thank you so much!
get the chrome extension!
(coming soon)
