Search the web

Let the AI look up current information with Web Search, Wikipedia and Dictionary tools.

1 min read Updated October 19, 2026

Models only know what they learned during training. Turn on a search tool and the AI can look things up - today's news, current prices, the latest docs - and answer from what it finds.

Choose a search tool

ToolBest forSetup
Web SearchAnything on the webNeeds a Google Programmable Search Engine ID and a Google Cloud API Key
Wikipedia SearchFacts, definitions, backgroundFree, no key needed
Dictionary LookupDefinitions of English wordsFree, no key needed

The search tools come pre-installed. Wikipedia Search and Dictionary Lookup work straight away; Web Search needs two Google keys first.

  1. Open Tools in the left icon bar, then Installed → Tools.
  2. Find Web Search - it shows Setup required - and click its settings (gear) button.
  3. Enter:
    • Engine ID - create a search engine at Google's Programmable Search Engine control panel (Get Engine ID).
    • API Key - create one in the Google Cloud console (Get API Key).
  4. Save.

Removed a tool? Reinstall it from Store → Tools.

Use it in a chat

  1. Type ! in the message box, or click Tools under it.
  2. Pick the search tool. It's added to Selected Tools for this chat.
  3. Ask your question, for example "What changed in the latest Next.js release?"

While it works you'll see Searching "your query", then the answer with the sources it used.