Make 4Search yours
4Search lets you set it up the way you use it: the look of the pages, the stocks, topics and places you follow, the place your weather opens on, and an icon on your phone. You do not need an account for any of it, and none of it is tied to one.
#How personalizing works here
Your settings live in the browser you made them in, on your own device.
- No account. There is nothing to sign in to, so there is nothing to lose or to reset by password.
- One browser at a time. A list you build on your laptop does not appear on your phone, and a second browser on the same laptop starts empty.
- Some of it needs your permission. The lists and places you save are kept only if you switch on the optional Saved preferences choice. The first time you follow something, 4Search asks. See Saved preferences.
- Clearing site data clears it. If you clear this site's cookies and data, the theme goes back to Hybrid and your lists are gone.
#What you can set up
| What | What it does | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Colour theme | Switch the whole site between Hybrid, Light and Dark. | Choose Hybrid, Light or Dark |
| Following | Star stocks, topics, places, bills, members of Congress and markets so you can find them again on one page. | Follow stocks, topics, places and more |
| Home place and units | Open the Weather overview on your own place. Choose °F or °C, miles or kilometers, and how odds are written. | Set a home place and choose your units |
| Install as an app | Put 4Search on your phone's home screen. | Install 4Search as an app |
| Saved preferences | The one privacy choice that lets the site keep your lists and places. | Saved preferences |
Which of these you see depends on the site. Following topics works on a site that has topics; the stock watchlist, Politics, Predictions, Weather and Maps lists appear only on the sites that have those services.
#A quick way to start
- Look at the top right of any page and select the theme button until the site looks the way you like. See Choose Hybrid, Light or Dark.
- Open something you check often, such as a stock, a topic or your city's weather, and select Follow. If 4Search asks about cookies, read the box and choose.
- Come back tomorrow. Your theme, and the items you followed, are waiting.
#Common questions
Do I need an account to personalize 4Search?
No. 4Search has no sign-in for visitors. Your settings are kept in your browser, not in an account.
Will my settings follow me to my phone or another computer?
No. They stay in the browser where you made them. To get the same setup somewhere else, set it up there too.
Why does 4Search ask about cookies when I follow something?
Because the list has to be saved somewhere. It is saved in your browser, and the browser keeps it only if the Saved preferences choice is on. The box that appears turns that choice on for you if you agree. See Saved preferences.