How to limit what Google collects about you

Google is everywhere. You search on Google, watch videos on YouTube, navigate with Google Maps, and manage email through Gmail. These tools are incredibly useful, and most of them are free. But that convenience comes with a cost.

Google collects data across its platforms to personalize services and target ads. You cannot completely stop data collection and still use Google normally. However, you can reduce what Google saves, delete what is already stored, and limit how much your activity is used for ads and personalization.

This guide walks you through exactly how to do that, step by step, whether you’re using a PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, or Android device.

Before you start

What you’ll need:

• Your Google account email and password
• A few minutes of uninterrupted time
• A web browser or the Google app

Step 1: Open your Google account settings

Choose the instructions that match your device.

On a PC or Mac

• Open a web browser like Chrome, Safari, Edge, or Firefox.
• Type myaccount.google.com into the address bar.
• Press Enter and sign in if prompted.
• Click Data & privacy in the left-hand menu.

On an iPhone or iPad

Using the Google app

• Open the Google app.
• Tap your profile picture or letter in the top right.
• Tap Manage your Google Account.
• Tap Data & privacy.

Using Safari

• Open Safari.
• Go to myaccount.google.com.
• Sign in and tap Data & privacy.

On Android

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer 

• Open the Google app or Chrome.
• Tap your profile picture or letter in the top right.
• Tap Manage your Google Account.
• Tap Data & privacy.

Step 2: Run Google’s Privacy Checkup

Privacy Checkup is Google’s guided walkthrough of key privacy settings. It is the easiest place to start.

• From Data & privacy, scroll until you see Privacy Checkup.
• Select Privacy Checkup or Take Privacy Checkup.
• Review each section and choose the level of privacy that feels right for you.

This tool points you to the same controls you can manage manually in the steps below.

Step 3: Turn off Google’s main tracking settings

Most Google tracking happens under History settings.

Where to find History settings

• Open Data & privacy.
• Scroll to History settings.
• You will see three main categories:
  • Web & App Activity
  • Location History
  • YouTube History

Turn off Web & App Activity

This setting saves your searches and activity across Google sites and apps.

On a PC or Mac

• Click Web & App Activity.
• Click Turn off.
• Confirm by selecting Pause.

On iPhone, iPad, or Android

• Tap Web & App Activity.
• Tap Turn off.
• Tap Pause to confirm.

Turning this off reduces how much Google uses your searches and app activity for personalization.

Turn off Location History (Maps Timeline)

This setting saves where your devices go.

On a PC or Mac

• Click Location History.
• Click Turn off.
• Confirm by clicking Pause.

On iPhone, iPad, or Android

• Tap Location History.
• Tap Turn off.
• Tap Pause to confirm.

In Google Maps, this may also appear as Timeline. Turning it off stops new locations from being saved.

Turn off YouTube History

This setting saves the videos you watch and search for on YouTube.

On a PC or Mac

• Click YouTube History.
• Click Turn off.
• Confirm by clicking Pause.

On iPhone, iPad, or Android

• Tap YouTube History.
• Tap Turn off.
• Tap Pause to confirm.

YouTube recommendations may feel less accurate, but your viewing habits stay private.

Step 4: Delete what Google already saved

Turning settings off only affects future activity. To remove existing data, you need to delete it.

How to delete saved activity

On a PC or Mac

• From Data & privacy, open My Activity.
• Click Delete.
• Choose Last hour, Last day, or All time.
• Confirm deletion.

On iPhone, iPad, or Android

• From Data & privacy, tap My Activity.
• Tap Delete.
• Select All time or your preferred range.
• Confirm.

If you are helping someone who is less tech savvy, choosing All time is often the simplest option.

Step 5: Set auto-delete for ongoing protection

Auto-delete removes older data automatically.

• Go back to History settings.
• Open Web & App Activity, Location History, or YouTube History.
• Select Auto-delete if available.
• Choose a time frame and save.

This keeps data from piling up again.

Step 6: Turn off ad personalization

Google now manages ad controls through My Ad Center.

On a PC or Mac

• Go to Data & privacy.
• Scroll to Ad settings or My Ad Center.
• Find Personalized ads.
• Turn the switch off and confirm.

On iPhone, iPad, or Android

• Go to Data & privacy.
• Tap Ad settings or My Ad Center.
• Tap Personalized ads.
• Turn it off and confirm.

You will still see ads, but they should no longer be tailored to your Google activity.

Step 7: Reduce personalized results in Google Search

This limits certain account-based search suggestions.

On iPhone, iPad, or Android

• Open the Google app.
• Tap your profile picture.
• Tap Settings.
• Tap Personal results.
• Turn the setting off.

On a desktop, this setting may be easier to manage from the mobile Google app.

Pro Tip: Remove personal information from Search results

If your phone number, email address, or home address appears in Google search results, Google offers a removal tool.

• Open the Google app.
• Tap your profile picture.
• Look for Results about you.
• Follow the steps to monitor and request removals.

If you want to go a step further, a data removal service like Incogni can help remove your personal information from dozens of data broker sites that Google’s tool does not cover, reducing how often your details show up online in the first place.

Is your personal information exposed online?

Run a free scan to see if your personal info is compromised. Results arrive by email in about an hour.

Related Links: 

• Millions of AI chat messages exposed in app data leak
• Your phone shares data at night: Here’s how to stop it
• 5 myths about identity theft that put your data at risk

Kurt’s key takeaways

Google’s privacy tools are not perfect, but they do give you meaningful control. You can reduce how much data is stored, limit how it is used, and clean up what has already been collected. Privacy works best in layers. Adjust these settings, delete old data, and revisit them once or twice a year. You do not need to be an expert. A few small changes can make a big difference in how much of your digital life is tracked.

Have you ever checked your Google privacy settings before, or was this your first time? Let us know in the comments below. 

FOR MORE OF MY TECH TIPS & SECURITY ALERTS, SUBSCRIBE TO MY FREE CYBERGUY REPORT NEWSLETTER HERE

Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.  CyberGuy.com articles and content may contain affiliate links that earn a commission when purchases are made.