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How to Hum to Search for a Song Using Google

Oct 16, 2020

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There’s nothing quite as annoying as having a song stuck in your head and not being able to identify it. Thankfully, if you can hum the song out loud, Google Search can help you figure out what tune is stuck in your head.

The Hum to Search feature is available in the Google mobile app and works with humming, whistling, or anything else you can do to mimic a tune. The results aren’t always accurate, but it’s a good place to start if an earworm is driving you crazy.

First, open the Google app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device and tap the “Microphone” icon in the search bar. On Android devices, you can also tap the “Microphone” icon from the Google Search widget found on your home screen.

When the listening screen appears, you’ll see a “Search A Song” button. Tap it.

Start humming or whistling the song you’re trying to identify. This tool can also identify real music that’s playing.

If Google can find similar matches, the results will appear labeled with match percentages. Tap “More Results” if your song isn’t in the top results.

If Google can’t identify the song, you’ll see a screen that says “Unable To Find Match.” You can tap “Try Again” to give it another go.

In our testing, the feature is hit or miss. Hum to Search does a good job with popular songs and distinct melodies. Songs that don’t have easy to hum tunes are harder to identify.