Let It Snow on Google: How the Snowfall Easter Egg Works (and Does It Still Work in 2026?)

Type “let it snow” into Google and snowflakes start falling on the search results. Then the screen frosts over, and you can draw or write your name in the frost with your mouse. Google launched this winter Easter egg in December 2011, and it became one of its most-loved hidden tricks. Here’s how the Let it Snow Google trick works, whether it still works in 2026, and other Google Easter eggs to try.

Quick answer: Go to Google.com, search for let it snow, and watch the page. If it works, snow falls, the screen fogs up, and a Defrost button appears to clear it. Google has turned this effect on and off over the years, so it may not appear every time, especially outside the winter season.

How to play Let it Snow on Google

1. Open Google.com in Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari on a computer.
2. Search for let it snow (no quotes needed).
3. Snowflakes begin to fall over the results. After a few seconds the screen frosts over like a winter window.
4. Click and drag your mouse to draw or write in the frost.
5. Click Defrost to clear the screen. The snow keeps falling.

Here’s the original 2011 effect in action:

Does Let it Snow still work in 2026?

Google rotates its Easter eggs, and some festive effects only appear around December or in certain countries. If nothing happens when you search:

• Try again in December, closer to the holidays.
• Use a desktop browser. Some effects don’t show in the mobile Google app.
• Make sure you’re on Google.com, signed out, with JavaScript enabled.

Over the years Google has also added other seasonal surprises to search, such as festive animations for holidays, so it’s worth searching the name of a festival around that time of year.

More Google Easter eggs to try

• Do a barrel roll: search it and the whole results page spins 360 degrees.
• askew or tilt: the results page leans to one side.
• Google Pac-Man: play the famous Pac-Man 30th anniversary doodle right in your browser.
• Google Gravity: watch the Google homepage collapse under gravity.
• Magic Cat Academy: play the Google Halloween game, where Momo the cat casts spells at ghosts.

When it launched, Google even added a share button so you could send the snowy page to friends on Google+, which has long since closed.

Frequently asked questions

Why isn’t snow falling on my Google page?

The Easter egg may be switched off at the moment, or not available on your device or region. Try a desktop browser in December.

Does Let it Snow work on mobile?

The frost-drawing effect was designed for computers with a mouse. On phones it may not appear at all.

When did Google add Let it Snow?

Google introduced it in December 2011 as a holiday surprise, alongside other playful Easter eggs.