I tested Preferred Sources, and it's one of the best Google Search features in years
When we talk about Google Search in 2025, it's usually not for a good reason. AI Overviews are more prevalent than ever, despite still not being particularly good. Google widely rolled out (the very flawed) AI Mode to users in May, and the traditional Google Search experience remains cluttered with ads and low-quality results.
This has made me (understandably) hesitant when Google launches a new feature for Search, but the company's latest one — Preferred Sources — is incredible.
After soft-launching Preferred Sources as a Search Labs feature earlier this year, Google has just rolled it out widely to all users in the US and India. Preferred Sources allows you to tell Google which websites you prefer reading, customizing your Search results so links from those preferred websites appear higher up and more often.
On paper, it sounds almost too good to be true. However, after testing Preferred Sources myself, I'm here to tell you that it actually works, and it's kind of a game-changer.
Don't want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a preferred source in Google Search to support us and make sure you never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more.
How to get started with Preferred Sources
Joe Maring / Android Authority
Finding and using Preferred Sources is pretty simple, though if you don't know where to look, it can be easy to miss. To get started, open Google Search and search for any recent news topic. I'm using the Pixel 10 for this example, but it could be anything.
Once you do this, simply do the following: After searching for a recent news topic in Google Search, tap the Preferred Sources icon to the right of the 'Top Stories' section. Tap the search bar and type the name of a website or the site's URL you want to add. Tap the check box next to your preferred site. Once selected, tap Reload results near the bottom of the screen.
This will refresh Google Search with your Preferred Sources selection(s). As you can see in the screenshots above, the Android Authority Pixel 10 story is now the first result in the Top Stories carousel, which was previously a Forbes article, as shown in the first screenshot.
And that's all there is to it! You can revisit the Preferred Sources tab at any time to add or remove websites as needed, and there's seemingly no limit to how many sources you can add.
What it's like using Google Search with Preferred Sources
Joe Maring / Android Authority
That's how you set up Preferred Sources, but what's it like to use Google Search once you've configured the feature? I spent about two minutes customizing my Preferred Sources list, adding 10 websites that range from tech publications to general news sources and a few local news sites.
In practice, Preferred Sources works exactly as I hoped it would. For example, a quick search for 'OnePlus 15' highlights an Android Authority article at the front of the Top Stories section (and is also marked with a Preferred Sources badge next to the website name). There are articles from other sites, too, but the Android Authority one is front and center.
If you search for a topic with more buzz around it, your Preferred Sources are presented differently. Searching 'Pixel 10 news' once again shows the Top Stories carousel with an Android Authority article in it, though it's shown as the number three result rather than the first one. However, as you keep scrolling down, you'll find a dedicated 'From your sources' section with news articles exclusively from sites you've added to your Preferred Sources list. This doesn't always appear in search results, but when it does, it's a nice touch.
Beyond tech news, Preferred Sources works just as well for other search queries. Searching 'Michigan news' shows articles from my preferred websites as the top three results in Top Stories, in addition to the From your sources section below it.
I saw the same setup again when searching 'Detroit Lions.' The Top Stories carousel featured two articles from my Preferred Sources, once again accompanied by the From your sources tab.
Preferred Sources doesn't only show you articles from websites you select, but it does consistently make them more visible. And in a world where Google Search results seem to get worse by the day, finally having some real control over what you see is mighty powerful.
Do you like Google Search's Preferred Sources feature?
0 votes
I love it! It's exactly what I've been waiting for.
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I think it's fine, but it's not amazing.
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I don't like it/It's not working for me.
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I don't have it yet.
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This is the Google Search feature I've been waiting for
Joe Maring / Android Authority
To be clear, Preferred Sources isn't perfect. While I've been able to add almost all of the websites I want, one of the local news stations I like to follow isn't a selectable option. Google notes that 'sources not updated regularly may be unavailable,' but considering the news station publishes articles daily, there's no reason why it shouldn't be available.
I've also noticed that Preferred Sources can be finicky about displaying the From your sources section. For whatever reason, it appears just fine when searching 'Pixel 10 news,' but doesn't appear with a 'Pixel 10' or 'Google Pixel 10' search. And while it's easy enough to customize Preferred Sources as is, having to search for something first is slightly annoying; I'd love to see it added somewhere in the Google app settings, too.
Joe Maring / Android Authority
But even with those complaints, I'm still thrilled that Preferred Sources exists. With features like AI Overviews, AI Mode, and AI summaries in Google Discover, almost all of these features were created with the intent of limiting your interaction with real publications — instead making you rely on (often bad) AI writing from Google.
Not only does Preferred Sources give you real and important control over your Google Search results, but it also shines a critical spotlight on reading articles from human writers and publications you trust. It's the exact opposite feature you'd expect to see from an AI-ified Google in 2025.
Preferred Sources is rolling out now to Google Search users in the US and India. If you use Google and live in either of those countries, I can't recommend Preferred Sources enough. It really is one of the best new Google Search features I've seen in a while.
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