April 2025 — In a move aimed at streamlining its user experience, Google has announced that it is phasing out country-specific domains such as google.co.in, google.co.jp, and google.ae, in favour of a single, unified domain: google.com. This global transition began rolling out on April 15 and will continue over the coming weeks.
Under the new system, the domain entered will no longer dictate the regional version of Google Search a user receives. Instead, search results will be automatically localised based on the user’s real-time physical location. For instance, a user in the United States will receive US-relevant results even if they enter google.com, and once back in India, results will reflect Indian local context without any manual domain changes.
Google has relied on location-based customisation since 2017 to provide geographically relevant results, regardless of the domain used. This change merely aligns the web address with how the system has already been functioning behind the scenes for years.
Once fully implemented, regional domains such as google.co.uk or google.ca will automatically redirect to google.com. While the core functionality of Search will remain unchanged, users with specific language or regional settings are advised to review their preferences, as the update may require adjustments.
Google has clarified that this domain unification will not impact its compliance with country-specific legal requirements or content policies. Local laws and content restrictions will continue to apply based on the user’s location.
By standardising its domain structure, Google aims to offer a more seamless and consistent search experience, particularly as Search continues to evolve with mobile-first usage patterns and AI-driven personalisation. With location data now central to customisation, the domain name has become largely symbolic — and soon, universally so.
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