IOS 9 Safari Google Searches

[mike2874]

I'm sure this must have changed with IOS 9 because I don't remember Safari Google search results ever having this small of text/font. You also used to be able to enlarge search results pages by squeezing, pinching or whatever it's called but you can't do that either.

Is there a workaround?

 

[twerppoet]

Take a look at the top of your search results page and make sure you are actually getting Google results. Safari allows you to set four different default search engines.

Google
Yahoo
Bing
DuckDuckGo

You can change your default search engine in Settings > Safari > Search Engine.

Both the Bing and DuckDuckGuck go sites have smaller text than Google's, and don't work with the pinch gesture (or the double tap to expand a column). No idea what they are doing with those sites that prevents the gestures, but it's the site, not iOS 9 that is stopping you from zooming in. Or it is if this is the issue.

If not, then we'll have to dig deeper.


Edit: You can't zoom image searches in Google. All the other searches should work as normal.

 

[mike2874]

Yes definitely using Google search in Safari.

Guess I'm a little confused are you saying with Safari Google search you've never been able to zoom the results page? If so then the font is smaller on the search results page since upgrading to IOS 9 because it is so much harder to read.

 

[twerppoet]

No. For me the Google result page looks pretty much as it always has. Well, except for the new logo.

Pinch to zoom works fine.

As does double tap to zoom into a column of content.

 

[jwt873]

I don't see any difference in text size. I even put my iPad 1 (iOS 5.1.1) next to my iPad Air and brought up the same search results. The text on the Air's retina display is a bit nicer, but size wise, the text is essentially the same.

 

[mike2874]

Hmm wonder why I no longer can pinch to zoom on Google results page since updating to IOS 9?

 

[twerppoet]

Try going to Settings > Safari and clear history and data. The reset the iPad (hold down the power and home buttons until the Apple logo appears).

It's possible you are pulling up Google results in some non-standard page. Clearing data and history should stop that. If it's a glitch with Safari, then the reset should fix that.

 

[mike2874]

Thanks twerppoet clearing Safari's history & data then resetting seemed to do the trick. Text is back to normal size and pinch to zoom now works from Google search page results.

Google Chome search results has the same issues although fortunately I don't use it much. I uninstalled and reinstalled the app but that didn't help not sure why it didn't.

 

[twerppoet]

I'm glad it worked for you in Safari.

I don't use Chrome much, but I gave it a try. I was unable to duplicate your issue. Tried Google search signed in, signed out, and in incognito mode. All modes let me pinch to zoom and double tap zoom.

You can clear the catches in Chrome. Tap the vertical three dot icon at the top right, then History, then at the bottom of the screen you will see Clear Browsing Data. Tap on it then choose Clear All from the top box.

If it worked in Safari, maybe it will work for Chrome.

 

[Lila24]

Hi, I have tried clearing history and resetting ipad, and still have the same problem of being unable to adjust text size on the Google results page. If I try to pinch inward first it will then allow me to pinch outward and enlarge, but will spring back to the original size as soon as I let go, and often it will not only spring back but also kick me out of that particular window and go to the overview of open windows. I would appreciate any insights on this problem. Thank you!

 

[mike2874]

Seeing the last post prompted me to reply since I started this thread. Settings > Safari and clear history and data then resetting the iPad as twerppoet suggested worked only for a short time then it reverted back. Very frustrating to deal with I'm pretty sure this started with the latest ios update.

 

[twerppoet]

Have you installed the later updates. While I don't remember any mention of Safari bugs being fixed, it is possible they were not important enough to make the list.

The current version is iOs 9.1

I'm not saying it is a bug. I don't know. But it is something to try.

 

[mike2874]

Yep always keep it up to date.

 

[twerppoet]

I see mine is doing it now too.

I noticed it was a very clean, mobile looking sort of layout. So, on a whim I forced the desktop version of he site. The layout went back to the old look, and was zoomable again.

In iOS 9, you tap-hold the refresh icon (circle/arrow) in the URL field for the Request Desktop Site option.

The setting seems to stick as long as you keep using that tab. If you open a new tab, it reverts to the Mobile version of the site, which can't be zoomed.

I suspect this a choice Google made, and not Apple's fault. If you search for something like "dog" the first results on the mobile version are interactive; two side scrolling image lists and a Show More button. This portion of the page would not work well if you zoomed into it.

On the desktop site, the same information is in the right sidebar, and is not interactive.

 

[twerppoet]

By the way, it behaves exactly the same on my iPhone 6 Plus.