Google is always looking for ways to help find information faster and easier. That’s why when you look up “NBA draft recap,” for example, you’ve always seen short text snippets for each result. These text snippets help give you a snapshot of the site's content, making it easier to decide whether you’d like to click through to read more. For videos, Google has traditionally shown a static image thumbnail in search results. But as more information moves to video, Google is working on new ways to give you useful glimpses, helping you quickly find what you’re looking for across video, too.
Rolling out more widely next week, on the Google app for Android and Chrome on Android, when video results show up in the video carousel, just like text snippets for text results, you’ll see video previews. So whether you’re trying to learn some new salsa dance steps or you’re stuck on the side of the road trying to change a flat tire, and need a video that uses the tools you have on hand, you now have access to video previews directly in search results, giving you a better idea of what you’re about to watch before you tap.
By default, previews only play when you’re on a Wi-Fi connection. To enable previews on mobile networks or to opt out of this feature, visit the settings menu within the Google app or settings for Android Chrome.
A few months back, Google introduced video versions of Featured Snippets for quick answers to queries like “how to kickflip”. Video previews is the next step in helping you find information faster.
