Google Introduces ‘Preferred Sources’ to Let Users Customize Search News

Key Takeaway.

• Google Search’s new Preferred Sources feature allows users to customize news results by prioritizing outlets they trust most.
• Even with preferences set, Search still surfaces a variety of credible perspectives to ensure balanced coverage.
• This update could significantly enhance visibility for smaller, niche, and local publishers in competitive news feeds.

Google is giving users a powerful new tool to personalize their news feed in Search: the Preferred Sources feature. Rolling out now in the U.S. and India, this feature aims to elevate stories from publications you trust by prioritizing them in the Top Stories section.

What Is “Preferred Sources”?

Rather than relying solely on algorithmic selections, Preferred Sources allows users to choose which news outlets they want to see more often. Once enabled, relevant articles from your chosen sources will appear more prominently in Top Stories, often marked with a star indicator. In some cases, a new dedicated “From your sources” carousel may also display content from your preferred outlets.
This rollout marks the feature’s graduation from Labs to public access in English-language Search across the U.S. and India, with more regions expected to follow.

How to Set Up Preferred Sources

1. Perform a Google Search for a current news topic.

2. Tap the star icon next to the Top Stories header.

3. Search for and select your favorite publications to include as preferred.

4. Refresh the results to see your selected outlets featured more prominently.

Users can select unlimited sources, and if they had previously opted into the feature via Google Labs, their preferences will carry over automatically.

The Preferred Sources feature gives users the ability to take back control of their news consumption by prioritizing content from providers they trust. Instead of relying solely on Google’s algorithm, users can shape their news feed to better reflect their own interests and values.

At the same time, the feature still preserves variety in the Top Stories section. Even with your preferred outlets set, other relevant publications will continue to appear alongside them, ensuring a balanced mix of perspectives.

For publishers, especially niche or local voices, Preferred Sources can be a visibility boost, helping their stories surface more frequently to readers who have actively chosen to follow them. This approach also acts as a timely countermeasure to concerns that AI-powered Search features may reduce site traffic, bringing a greater level of transparency and user agency to the news discovery process.

Recently, Google Discover added a new 'Follow' feature and content expansion.