Never heard of Google Collections? It makes sharing links, images and plans a snap

google collections
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Google is a divisive company. Maybe you love the ease of Gmail and how easy it is to find anything you want online.

Or maybe you get a shiver up your spine thinking of all the data the search giant has on you. Tap or click to see everything Google knows about you.

You might see a few personal details when you search for yourself online. Luckily, you can ask Google to remove your phone number, address and more. Tap or click here to see what you can wipe out and how to do it.

Love or hate it, Google has a lot of handy resources to make life easier. Here’s one you might not have tried.

A simple way to save and share

Think of Google Collections as an aggregator for items you want to return to later or share with others. You can save links, images, and places from Google search results. How you use it is up to you. It works great for anything from places you’d like to visit to an online recipe book with links to your favorite meals.

It’s almost like using Pinterest … without the Pinterest account. Here are some smart uses for Google Collections:

  • Mood boards to inspire your home redecorating project
  • Quotes and ideas to set and achieve goals
  • Simple shopping lists
  • News stories you’d like to refer to later
  • Lists of your favorite places, things you would like to see, and places you want to go
  • Medical research on an ailment or condition
  • Dream boats, cars, and vacations for when you win the lottery
  • Resources for caring for a loved one
  • Everything for an upcoming wedding
  • DIY projects
  • Hair and makeup ideas

Collections are easy to share, too. Once you set up a Collection, just hit the Share icon in the top right corner. You can get a sharing link or shoot the person you want to share with a Tweet, Facebook message, or email right from your Collection page.

Now let’s take a closer look at how to set up your own Collections.

Related: Gmail tips and tricks: 10 buried settings and features to try

How to use Google Collections

You may have a collection or two saved without even realizing it. To check, go to google.com/collections.

Start a new Collection on a computer:

  • Go to google.com/collections.
  • On the left, select New collection and give it a name. Click OK to save it.
  • Now you can search for things to add.

You can save items to any Collections you create directly through Google search results.

  • Perform a search on google.com, and click the result you want.
  • At the top, click the three-dot More option and look for Add to. You cannot save this item to a collection if it’s not there.

This saves the item to your most recent Collection. To choose a different one, click Change > choose your Collection.

You can do this on your phone, too.

Start a new collection on Android or iPhone:

  • Open the Google app.
  • At the bottom, tap Collections > See your collections > New collection.
  • Give the Collection a name and tap Create.

To save items, do a search in the Google app, tap the result, and choose Add to at the top.

To save images, do a search in the Google app and tap the image. Choose More > Add to.

There you have it.

Want even more Google smarts? Use this genius Google trick to catch embarrassing errors in your emails before you send them.

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