Google rolls out new search page look, moves navi bar

Google is rolling out a new search page layout that moves its navigational tools from the upper left of the page to the top of the page, the company announced today in a blog post.

Those included in the rollout so far will see a more streamlined search page. Removing the tools from the side doesn't give the results more real estate though. Curiously, some of the results don't have any advertisements displayed with them, but that may be a glitch from the testing as Google assures CNET the advertising placements remain the same.

A recent search for "ponies" or "election" didn't bring up ads, while words like "camera" and "insurance" bring up Google's product listings and advertisements as usual.

Google said it's been focused on creating a "simpler, cleaner design" for its results page, starting with tablets last year before moving to smartphones a few weeks ago and now the desktop. The advanced search functions are now hidden away. They appear in a drop down menu when you click the "Search tools" button.

"With the new design, there's a bit more breathing room, and more focus on the answers you're looking for, whether from web results or from a feature like the Knowledge Graph," Jon Wiley, the lead designer for Google Search, wrote in the blog post. The new design will go out to U.S. users first before it hits other countries.

The company started testing the new look in July, but not everyone got a peek.

Update, 6:12 p.m. PT: Updated with more information from Google.