Some users are seeing new visual changes to search result URLs. Dotted underlines and shaded backgrounds are being tested. The update affects both organic and sponsored snippets. Google has not confirmed a wider rollout.
Google is running a new test that changes how URLs appear in search result snippets, introducing dotted underlines and shaded backgrounds for website addresses. The experiment, spotted by Radu Oncescu and later confirmed by other users, affects both organic search results and sitelinks within sponsored listings. Screenshots shared online show three variations: the traditional snippet, one with a blue dotted underline beneath the URL, and another with the URL highlighted by a shaded background.
These visual tweaks are designed to make source URLs stand out more clearly within the search engine results pages (SERPs), especially on mobile devices. Some users have reported seeing only the dotted underline, while others have encountered the shaded background. The changes appear to be part of a limited test, as not all users are seeing the new designs.
Community discussion about the update has surfaced on X, with some users expressing a preference for the classic snippet style. The move follows other recent interface experiments by Google, such as the introduction of new analytics features for Search Profiles. For example, a recent test of Insights analytics for Search Profiles gave creators and publishers more data on user engagement within Google Search.
Google has not provided an official statement on whether these visual changes will become permanent or when they might roll out more broadly. For now, the test remains visible to a subset of users, and feedback from the search community continues to shape the direction of these interface updates.
