• How is Search Assist helpful?
  
• When is Search Assist helpful?
  
• How does Search Assist work?
  
• Are the Search Assist suggestions from my Search History?
  
• How can I disable Search Assist?
  
• How can I offer suggestions or feedback about Search Assist Beta?
  
• How can I change my homepage to Yahoo!?
  

Search Assist is Yahoo! Search’s latest innovation to help you effortlessly find exactly what you’re looking for. As you type, it automatically offers search terms and phrases in real time. After you’ve searched, it suggests additional search terms to try as well as new topics to consider.

How is Search Assist helpful?

• It saves time. By offering great suggestions, often exactly what you had in mind, it reduces the need to complete your search or enter repetitive searches.
• It's smart. By making suggestions as you type, it eliminates one of the hardest parts of searching — coming up with the right query.
• It gives you ideas. By suggesting additional search terms and topics related to what you type, it triggers ideas you hadn’t thought of to help you zero in on what you’re looking for or further explore a topic.

When is Search Assist helpful?
Each time you search, Search Assist suggestions can make searching the Web faster, easier, and more efficient. But you're always in control — use it when you want, ignore it when you don't want it. It's there to help.

• When you're not sure how to spell a word: Start typing and Search Assist lists complete words that match what you type. For example, typing "pulc" generates suggestions like "pulchritudinous," "pulcinella," and "pulchritude."

• When you type a very general term: For example, type "san francisco" and Search Assist offers "Also try" suggestions that include completed searches like "san francisco giants" or "san francisco chronicle." One click makes your search more specific.

• When you're having difficulty expressing the intention of your search: Search Assist lists suggestions that help put your search in context. For example, a simple search for "yoga" generates suggestions like "yoga basics," "yoga mats," and "yoga poses" — concepts which help you confidently explore or refine your search.

It's a big improvement on having to type one search after another to get the results you want.

How does Search Assist work?
As you type into the search box, Search Assist compares it to searches all other Yahoo! users have composed and offers suggestions in real time.

Let's say you're searching for "abraham lincoln." Clicking the arrow below the search box expands Search Assist and lets you to see all suggestions.

To the left, "Also try" suggests completed searches that may be exactly what you are looking for:

• "abraham lincoln gettysburg," "abraham lincoln quotes," or "uss abraham lincoln"

To the right are concepts that are related to Abraham Lincoln to help you further explore:

• Show abraham lincoln +
• presidents of the united states
• library of congress
• civil war

Both options are useful and help you express what you are searching for.

• Use "Also try" suggestions to complete your search query.
• Use the suggestions to the right to explore and refine your search based on related concepts.

Each time you select a suggestion, Search Assist displays search results for that search term and a new set of suggestions.

Are the Search Assist suggestions from my Search History?
No. Search Assist does not base its suggestions on the searches you in particular make and is not related to the Search History feature. Search Assist simply makes suggestions based on what all users in general tend to find helpful.

Your Search Assist searches are covered under Yahoo! 's privacy policy. For more information about how Yahoo! treats your personal information, please see our privacy policy.

How can I disable Search Assist?
You can change your Search Assist setting at anytime. When Search Assist is turned off it no longer automatically displays search suggestions. When you want to see search suggestions, clicking the arrow below the search box expands Search Assist and shows all the suggestions for that search.

To change your Search Assist setting:

On the Yahoo! homepage:

• Click the arrow below the search box to expand Search Assist.
• Select “Off”or "On."

On a Yahoo! search results page:

• Click the arrow below the search box to expand Search Assist.
• Click “Settings” to go to Search Preferences.
• At "Show me the Search Assist layer," select:
  - Always
  - Never
  - When you detect I need help

• When signed in to Yahoo!: The setting you select is saved as a permanent preference.
• When not signed in to Yahoo!: The setting you select will be lost when the associated browser cookie is cleared.

How can I offer suggestions or feedback about Search Assist Beta?
If you have an idea for a new feature you’d like to see on Search Assist, please let us know in the Search Suggestions Board.

If you have a question or complaint about a specific suggestion, please click the "Contact Customer Care" button below.

How can I change my homepage to Yahoo!?
We were hoping you'ld ask! For helpful step-by step instructions, go to: Change my homepage to Yahoo!.