Web Search Help

Something isn't working right. What should I do?

If something on your iGoogle page isn't displaying properly, is taking a while to load, or is just acting weird, the first thing you should do is try the techniques in this article. We know every issue is unique. Still, we've learned from our users that these few troubleshooting techniques work pretty well for a broad range of issues.

Try these troubleshooting techniques, one at a time.

We've listed these troubleshooting techniques in order starting with the easiest ones to try. You may not need to try them all, so before moving on to a new one, see if the issue is resolved.

• Restart your computer.
• Clear your browser's cache, and delete your cookies.
  Your cache and cookies contain information about the last time you visited iGoogle. If something has changed dramatically -- or if something in your cache or cookies has broken -- they might need to be cleared. See these browser-specific instructions.

  Advanced step: In a couple of cases, we've heard from users that in addition to deleting your cookies, it can be helpful to delete the actual file in Firefox that stores your cookies. Learn more

• Disable any browser add-ons.
  If you're using any browser add-ons, try temporarily disabling them in case one of them is interfering with your iGoogle page. For instructions, please consult your browser's help information.
• Restore an iGoogle backup.
  We periodically make automatic backups of your iGoogle page (if you sign in to iGoogle using a Google Account -- learn more), so if you're concerned that a change you recently made is causing the trouble, restore the most recent backup. To revert to the most recent backup, follow these steps:
  1. Visit the iGoogle Settings page.
  2. In the 'Troubleshooting' section, click Restore Now.
• Remove a gadget that might be causing trouble.
  If you're concerned that a particular gadget is causing your page to behave strangely, remove it (and please report the gadget). If the issue is blocking your ability to access your iGoogle page and delete any gadgets, go to the iGoogle Settings page and delete the gadget from there (learn how).

  Not sure which gadget's the culprit? Try removing gadgets one at a time before resetting your whole page.

• Reset your iGoogle page, or post in the Web Search Help Forum.
  If the above suggestions didn't resolve the problem, you may need to reset your iGoogle page. Note that resetting your iGoogle page will remove any content you've added. Before resetting your page, you may want to visit the Web Search Help Forum: there you can search for discussions about similar issues, or post your question for members of the group.

  To reset your iGoogle page, follow these steps:

  1. Visit http://www.google.com/ig/resetprefs.html.
  2. Click Reset signed-in preferences. (You have to be signed in to complete this step.)