Home
Search
Basics
Windows Tips
Applications
Customize
About
When you search on Google, often you click on an applicable result – to find that you arrive at a registration page.
The reason is that there are some websites that allow Google to browse for content, but not you.
With this easy hack, you can disguise yourself as Google by changing your browser’s identity (named user agent) to Googlebot.
I will explain how to do this in the major two browsers: Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer – I am unsure of how to do this in Safari, Opera etc. Please send me a message if you know how to.
Firefox
- Type in about:config in the address bar.
- Scroll down to “general.useragent.extra.firefox“.
- Double click on it and type in “Googlebot 2.1“.
- This will change Firefox user agent to the google bot.
- When you are done, click Reset to restore the property to its default value.
Internet Explorer
- Download this zip file, and extract the .reg file.
- Now double-click the .reg file to merge it into Windows registry.
- When you are done, merge this reg file into the Windows registry. This will return the user agent to the default.
Have fun.
About Rich
Rich is the owner and creator of Windows Guides; he spends his time breaking things on his PC so he can write how-to guides to fix them.
- Web
- |
- |
- |
- |
- Google+
- |
- More Posts (1019)
Nice! It worked
Nice! It worked
This works for so many sites. I wonder how long it will work for…
This works for so many sites. I wonder how long it will work for…
Good advice – many thanks
Good advice – many thanks
I believe the firefox method you mentioned, is the same concept used in this firefox add-on(which should make it more simple for users).
Anyway, its still a good tip. Thank you for the info!!
I believe the firefox method you mentioned, is the same concept used in this firefox add-on(which should make it more simple for users).
Anyway, its still a good tip. Thank you for the info!!
Thanks AKMA :)
Thanks AKMA :)
Good hack
Good hack
ohhhhhhhhhh good, thank you so much, it really works!
ohhhhhhhhhh good, thank you so much, it really works!
Nice trick – of course there are many other tools that will enable you to do the same things but user agent switcher is a great tool.
Nice trick – of course there are many other tools that will enable you to do the same things but user agent switcher is a great tool.