Google X-ray search for LinkedIn profiles: the 32-word limit
An X-ray search uses Google to find public LinkedIn profiles. It works without LinkedIn search limits, but Google has a limit of its own: it reads only the first 32 words.
The 32-word limit
- These count as words: each plain word, each word inside quotes, each word with a minus, and each site: or -site: operator.
- These do not count: OR, | and AND.
- Put site:linkedin.com/in first, so that it is always inside the first 32 words.
Google reads the first 32 words of a search and drops the other words without a message. In May 2025, two observers reported that Google removed the limit. Our test on 22 October 2026 shows that the limit still applies: a site: operator in word 32 worked, and the same operator in word 33 had no effect.
Operators that work
- Quotes for an exact phrase.
- OR in upper case, or |. Both work the same way.
- A minus before a word excludes it, for example -recruiter.
- -site: excludes a path. In our test, -inurl: did not work for the same task.
- AND adds nothing: Google requires every word by default.
What to expect in the results
- site:linkedin.com/in also returns country pages such as uk.linkedin.com and in.linkedin.com.
- In our test on 22 October 2026, site:linkedin.com/in also returned a LinkedIn product page from business.linkedin.com, so the generator adds -site:business.linkedin.com.
- A city name can match a person's name. For example, Austin is a city and a first name.
Example
Google X-ray
site:linkedin.com/in -site:business.linkedin.com ("Software Engineer" OR "Software Developer") Python (Django OR FastAPI) Seattle -intern
11 of 32 words
Sources
- Google Search Help: Refine Google searches
- Google Search Central: site: operator
- SERoundtable recap, 5 May 2025 (report that the limit was removed)
- Our test in Google search, 22 October 2026
- Our Google X-ray test through the Serper API, 22 October 2026