Privacy Policy

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

Google offers a Privacy Checkup tool to review and change privacy settings

At the top of the policy Google invites you to take the Privacy Checkup if you want to change your privacy settings. The privacy-controls section later describes the same tool as an opportunity to review and adjust important privacy settings. The policy supplies only the link and this description; what settings the tool actually exposes is not described in this document.

Supporting quotations

Privacy Checkup

Looking to change your privacy settings?

Take the Privacy Checkup

which provides an opportunity to review and adjust important privacy settings

Qualifications & exceptions

• The Privacy Checkup is offered as a tool for changing settings; the policy does not say which settings it covers.

Not stated here

• The content of the Privacy Checkup page is not supplied.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

You can use many services signed out, use Incognito, and adjust settings on what Google saves to your account

Google says you can manage your privacy through how you use its services. You can sign up for a Google Account to create and manage content like emails and photos or to get more relevant search results, but many services, such as Google Search and watching YouTube videos, work when you are signed out or have no account at all. You can also browse in a private mode like Chrome Incognito, which Google describes as helping keep your browsing private from other people who use your device, not from Google. Across its services, privacy settings such as history and personalization controls let you choose whether Google saves some types of data to your Google Account and how it uses that data.

Supporting quotations

you can sign up for a Google Account if you want to create and manage content like emails and photos, or see more relevant search results. And you can use many Google services when you’re signed out or without creating an account at all, like searching on Google or watching YouTube videos.

which helps keep your browsing private from other people who use your device

you can adjust your privacy settings (like history and personalization controls) to make choices about whether we save some types of data to your Google account and how we use it

Qualifications & exceptions

• Incognito mode is described only as keeping browsing private from other people who use your device.
• The settings control whether Google saves some types of data to your account and how it uses them; the policy does not say here that all data collection can be switched off.

Not stated here

• The linked Chrome Incognito help page is not supplied.

Cross-references

• qualified by (model-proposed): Sites and apps using Google ads or analytics share data with Google in any browser mode; Incognito does not stop this — Incognito keeps browsing private from other device users only; sites integrating Google services still share information with Google in any browser mode.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

You can find and manage activity saved in your history through your Google Account

Google says you can visit your Google Account to find and manage the activity information that is saved in your history, and links to the account page. The policy does not describe here what management actions are available; those are covered in the privacy-controls section.

Supporting quotations

You can visit your Google Account to find and manage activity information that’s saved in your history.

Go to Google Account

Qualifications & exceptions

• Applies to activity information saved in your history.

Not stated here

• The linked Google Account page is not supplied.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

You have choices about collection and use: key account controls, the Privacy Checkup, and product-specific settings

Google says you have choices regarding the information it collects and how it is used. This section describes what it calls key controls for managing your privacy across its services, and points again to the Privacy Checkup for reviewing and adjusting important privacy settings. Google adds that it also offers specific privacy settings inside its products, described in a Product Privacy Guide that is referenced but not part of this source.

Supporting quotations

You have choices regarding the information we collect and how it's used

This section describes key controls for managing your privacy across our services.

In addition to these tools, we also offer specific privacy settings in our products — you can learn more in our Product Privacy Guide.

Go to Privacy Checkup

Qualifications & exceptions

• Product-specific privacy settings exist beyond the controls listed here; they are described only in the unsupplied Product Privacy Guide.

Not stated here

• The Product Privacy Guide and the Privacy Checkup page are not supplied.

Cross-references

• qualified by (model-proposed): If your account is from a school or employer, its domain administrator and resellers can access, retain and control it — On organization-managed accounts, administrators may restrict your ability to delete or edit your information or your privacy settings, limiting the controls described for individual accounts.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

Signed in, you can review and update information inside each service and in your Google Account

When you are signed in, you can always review and update information by visiting the services you use; Google gives Photos and Drive as examples of services designed to help you manage specific types of saved content. Google has also built your Google Account as a place to review and control information saved there, and the following cards list what it includes.

Supporting quotations

Managing, reviewing, and updating your information

When you’re signed in, you can always review and update information by visiting the services you use. For example, Photos and Drive are both designed to help you manage specific types of content you’ve saved with Google.

We also built a place for you to review and control information saved in your Google Account.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Applies when you are signed in.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

History and personalization controls decide whether YouTube, Search and other activity is saved and used to personalize

Across many services you can adjust history and personalization controls to choose whether Google saves some types of data in your Google Account and how it uses that data to personalize your experience. With YouTube History on, the videos you watch and your searches are saved so you get better recommendations and can resume where you left off. Saving Search, Maps and Shopping activity to Search Services History lets you resume an AI Mode interaction or see past searches as Autocomplete suggestions. When Personalized Recommendations in Search services is on, those services can give results, curated feeds and AI responses personalized from information in your account, including Search Services History; the definitions add that this control, when enabled while signed in, gives results based on your previous searches and activity from other Google services. With Web & App Activity on, activity from some other Google services is saved for more personalized experiences, and a subsetting controls whether information about your activity on other sites, apps and devices that use Google services is saved there and used to improve Google services. The controls are reached through My Activity and Personalization Settings.

Supporting quotations

Privacy controls

Personalization and Activity Controls

Across many of our services, you can adjust history and personalization controls to make choices about whether we save some types of data in your Google Account and how we use it to personalize your experience. For example, if you have YouTube History turned on, the videos you watch and the things you search for are saved in your account so you can get better recommendations and remember where you left off. Saving activity from services like Search, Maps, and Shopping to your Search Services History lets you do things like resume an AI Mode interaction where you left off or see past searches as Autocomplete suggestions. When Personalized Recommendations in Search services is on, these services can provide results, curated feeds, and AI responses that are personalized to you based on info in your Google Account, including Search Services History. And if you have Web & App Activity turned on, your activity from some other Google services are saved in your account so you can get more personalized experiences. Web & App Activity also has a subsetting that lets you control whether some

is saved with Web & App Activity in your Google Account and used to improve Google services.

Go to

when you’re signed in to your Google Account and have the Personalized Recommendations in Search services control enabled, you can get more relevant search results that are based on your previous searches and activity from other Google services

Qualifications & exceptions

• Each named control (YouTube History, Search Services History, Personalized Recommendations, Web & App Activity and its subsetting) governs its own data; the policy does not say here what is saved when a control is off.
• Across many services, not all services, is the stated scope.

Not stated here

• The linked help page about other-site activity and the My Activity and Personalization Settings pages are not supplied.

Cross-references

• qualifies (model-proposed): Activity data may include searches, videos watched, ad interactions, media, purchases, contacts, third-party activity — History and personalization controls determine whether some activity data is saved to your Google Account and used to personalize.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

In My Ad Center you can change interests, choose whether personal info personalizes ads, and switch off ad services

Ad settings let you manage your preferences about the ads shown to you on Google and on sites and apps that partner with Google to show ads. You can modify your interests, choose whether your personal information is used to make ads more relevant to you, and turn certain advertising services on or off. The control is reached through My Ad Center.

Supporting quotations

Ad settings

Manage your preferences about the ads shown to you on Google and on sites and apps that partner with Google to show ads. You can modify your interests, choose whether your personal information is used to make ads more relevant to you, and turn on or off certain advertising services.

Go to My Ad Center

Qualifications & exceptions

• Covers ads on Google and on partner sites and apps; the policy says certain advertising services can be turned off, not all.

Not stated here

• Which advertising services can be turned off is not stated here; My Ad Center is not supplied.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

About You lets you manage personal info in your account and control who sees it across Google services

The About You control lets you manage personal information in your Google Account and control who can see it across Google services. The policy does not list here which fields are covered.

Supporting quotations

About you

Manage personal info in your Google Account and control who can see it across Google services.

Go to About You

Not stated here

• The About You page is not supplied.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

My Activity lets you review signed-in activity saved to your account by date and topic and delete some or all of it

My Activity lets you review and control data saved to your Google Account when you are signed in and using Google services, such as searches you have done or your visits to Google Play. You can browse by date and by topic, and delete part or all of your activity. It is listed among the ways to review and update your information.

Supporting quotations

Ways to review & update your information

My Activity

My Activity allows you to review and control data that’s saved to your Google Account when you’re signed in and using Google services, like searches you’ve done or your visits to Google Play. You can browse by date and by topic, and delete part or all of your activity.

Go to My Activity

Qualifications & exceptions

• Covers data saved to your account while signed in.

Not stated here

• The My Activity page is not supplied.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

Google Dashboard lets you manage information associated with specific products

Google Dashboard is the control for managing information associated with specific Google products. The policy gives no further detail here.

Supporting quotations

Google Dashboard

Google Dashboard allows you to manage information associated with specific products.

Go to Dashboard

Not stated here

• The Dashboard page is not supplied.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

The Personal Info page lets you manage contact information such as name, email and phone number

Your personal information control lets you manage your contact information, such as your name, email and phone number, through the Personal Info page of your Google Account.

Supporting quotations

Your personal information

Manage your contact information, such as your name, email, and phone number.

Go to Personal Info

Not stated here

• The Personal Info page is not supplied.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

Signed out, you can turn off search customization, pause or delete YouTube history, and set ad preferences

When you are signed out, you can manage information associated with your browser or device. The listed controls are signed-out search customization, which lets you choose whether your search activity is used to offer more relevant results and recommendations; YouTube settings, which let you pause and delete your YouTube Search History and YouTube Watch History; and Ad Settings, which let you manage your preferences about ads shown on Google and on sites and apps that partner with Google to show ads.

Supporting quotations

When you’re signed out, you can manage information associated with your browser or device, including:

Choose whether your search activity is used to offer you more relevant results and recommendations.

YouTube settings: Pause and delete your

your preferences about the ads shown to you on Google and on sites and apps that partner with Google to show ads.

Qualifications & exceptions

• These controls apply to information associated with your browser or device while signed out.
• The list is introduced with including; it is not stated as exhaustive.

Not stated here

• The linked signed-out customization, YouTube history and ad settings pages are not supplied.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

You can export a copy of the content in your Google Account to back it up or use it elsewhere

The section on exporting, removing and deleting information opens by stating that you can export a copy of the content in your Google Account if you want to back it up or use it with a service outside Google. The rest of that section follows in the next part of the document.

Supporting quotations

Exporting, removing & deleting your information

You can export a copy of content in your Google Account if you want to back it up or use it with a service outside of Google.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Applies to content in your Google Account.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

You can export a copy of your Google Account content for backup or use with an outside service

Under exporting, removing and deleting your information, Google says you can export a copy of the content in your Google Account if you want to back it up or use it with a service outside Google, and links to an export tool. The policy does not say here which content types are exportable or in what formats.

Supporting quotations

You can export a copy of content in your Google Account if you want to back it up or use it with a service outside of Google.

Export your data

Exporting, removing & deleting your information

Qualifications & exceptions

• Applies to content in your Google Account.

Not stated here

• The export tool page is not supplied; covered content types and formats are not stated here.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

You can delete content from specific services, specific items via My Activity, whole products, or your entire account

To delete your information, Google lists four routes: delete your content from specific Google services; search for and delete specific items from your account using My Activity; delete specific Google products, including your information associated with those products; or delete your entire Google Account. A combined delete page is linked. What happens to deleted data afterwards is described in the retention section, not here.

Supporting quotations

To delete your information, you can:

Delete your content from specific Google services

Search for and then delete specific items from your account using

Delete specific Google products

including your information associated with those products

Delete your entire Google Account

Delete your information

Qualifications & exceptions

• Deleting a product deletes your information associated with that product, as the policy states; the timing of removal is covered in the retention section.

Not stated here

• The linked My Activity, delete-products, delete-account and delete-information pages are not supplied.

Cross-references

• qualified by (model-proposed): Retention varies: until you delete it, auto-deleted or anonymized after a set period, until account deletion, or longer — Some data is retained for longer periods for business or legal purposes even after account or product deletion.
• qualified by (model-proposed): Deleted data is removed or kept only anonymized, with possible delays before copies leave active and backup systems — Deleting through any of the listed routes is followed by a deletion process with possible delays and possible retention in anonymized form.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

Inactive Account Manager lets you give someone access to parts of your account if you cannot use it

Inactive Account Manager allows you to give someone else access to parts of your Google Account in case you are unexpectedly unable to use your account. The policy does not say here which parts can be shared or what counts as inactivity.

Supporting quotations

allows you to give someone else access to parts of your Google Account in case you’re unexpectedly unable to use your account.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Access is to parts of your account and applies in case you are unexpectedly unable to use it.

Not stated here

• The Inactive Account Manager page is not supplied; inactivity conditions and shareable parts are not stated here.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

Signed in or not, browser cookie settings and device settings limit collection, but services rely on cookies to work

Google lists further ways to control the information it collects whether or not you are signed in to a Google Account. Browser settings: you can configure your browser to indicate when Google sets a cookie, or to block all cookies from a specific domain or from all domains; Google reminds you that its services rely on cookies to function properly, for things like remembering your language preferences. The cookie definition repeats that you can configure your browser to refuse all cookies or be told when one is sent, and that some website features or services may not function properly without cookies. Device-level settings: your device may have controls that determine what information Google collects, for example modifying location settings on an Android device.

Supporting quotations

There are other ways to control the information Google collects whether or not you’re signed in to a Google Account, including:

Browser settings: For example, you can configure your browser to indicate when Google has set a cookie in your browser. You can also configure your browser to block all cookies from a specific domain or all domains. But remember that our services rely on cookies to function properly, for things like remembering your language preferences.

Device-level settings: Your device may have controls that determine what information we collect.

You can configure your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, some website features or services may not function properly without cookies.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Blocking cookies may stop services working properly; this is Google's stated trade-off, not a prohibition.
• Device-level controls are stated as may have and depend on your device; the Android location example is linked, not described.

Not stated here

• The linked Android location settings page is not supplied.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

You can export a copy of your information from your Google Account at any time

The standalone exporting and deleting section states that you can export a copy of your information or delete it from your Google Account at any time, and repeats that you can export a copy of your account content to back it up or use it with a service outside Google through the linked export tool. The Google Account definition adds that you can edit or delete your account at any time through your account settings.

Supporting quotations

Exporting & deleting your information

You can export a copy of your information or delete it from your Google Account at any time

You can export a copy of content in your Google Account if you want to back it up or use it with a service outside of Google.

Export your data

You can edit or delete your account at any time through your Google Account settings.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Stated as available at any time for your Google Account.

Not stated here

• The export tool page is not supplied.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

To delete, you can remove content from services, delete items in My Activity, delete products, or delete the account

The standalone section repeats the four deletion routes: delete your content from specific Google services; search for and delete specific items from your account using My Activity; delete specific Google products, including your information associated with those products; or delete your entire Google Account, with a combined delete page linked. The retention section that follows explains what happens after deletion.

Supporting quotations

To delete your information, you can:

Delete your content from specific Google services

Search for and then delete specific items from your account using

including your information associated with those products

Delete your entire Google Account

Delete your information

Qualifications & exceptions

• Deleting a product deletes your information associated with it; timing of removal follows the deletion process described in the retention cards.

Not stated here

• The linked deletion pages are not supplied.

Account & Service Control · Procedure

You exercise these rights through account tools while signed in, or by contacting Google, and can ask it to reconsider

Google says the choices in Your privacy controls let you access, review, update and delete your information and export and download a copy of it, and that you can control what information it uses to show you ads, or turn off personalized ads, in My Ad Center. When you use these tools, Google validates your request by verifying that you are signed in to your Google Account. For questions or requests about your rights under U.S. state privacy laws, you or your authorized agent can also contact Google through a linked page. If you disagree with the decision on your request, you can ask Google to reconsider by responding to its email. Google also points to more information on its handling of CCPA requests.

Supporting quotations

These tools allow you to access, review, update and delete your information, as well as

a copy of it. You can also control what information we use to show you ads, or turn off personalized ads, by visiting

When you use these tools, we’ll validate your request by verifying that you’re signed in to your Google Account. If you have questions or requests related to your rights under U.S. state privacy laws, you (or your authorized agent) can also

And if you disagree with the decision on your request, you can ask Google to reconsider it by responding to our email.

We also provide more information on Google’s handling of CCPA requests.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Requests through the tools are validated by your being signed in; the policy does not describe verification for signed-out or agent requests here.
• Reconsideration is requested by replying to Google's email.

Not stated here

• The contact page, the CCPA request information and the export page are not supplied.

Account & Service Control · Context

Further resources: Google Account settings, Privacy Checkup, safety center, Teen Privacy Guide, technology pages

Google highlights resources for learning about its practices and privacy settings: your Google Account as the home of many account settings; the Privacy Checkup, which guides you through key privacy settings; Google's safety center on built-in security, privacy controls and family tools; Google's Teen Privacy Guide answering common privacy questions; Privacy & Terms for more context on this policy and the Terms of Service; and Technologies pages on how Google uses cookies, technologies used for advertising, and how Google uses information from sites or apps that use its services. These are references; none of the pages is part of this source.

Supporting quotations

Other useful resources

The following links highlight useful resources for you to learn more about our practices and privacy settings.

is home to many of the settings you can use to manage your account

guides you through key privacy settings for your Google Account

helps you learn more about our built-in security, privacy controls, and tools to help set digital ground rules for your family online

provides answers to some of the top questions we get asked about privacy

Privacy & Terms provides more context regarding this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Service

Technologies includes more information about:

How Google uses cookies

Technologies used for Advertising

How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services

Not stated here

• The linked resource pages are not supplied.

Account & Service Control · Context

A Google Account is created with name, email and password, authenticates you, and can be edited or deleted anytime

You may access some Google services by signing up for a Google Account and providing some personal information, typically your name, email address and a password. Google uses this account information to authenticate you when you access its services and to protect your account from unauthorized access by others. You can edit or delete your account at any time through your Google Account settings.

Supporting quotations

Google Account

and providing us with some personal information (typically your name, email address, and a password). This account information is used to authenticate you when you access Google services and protect your account from unauthorized access by others. You can edit or delete your account at any time through your Google Account settings.

Qualifications & exceptions

• An account is needed for some services, not all.

Account & Service Control · Company practice

If Google detects spam, malware, illegal content or other abuse, it may disable your account or report to authorities

When Google detects spam, malware, illegal content, including child sexual abuse and exploitation material, and other forms of abuse on its systems in violation of its policies, it may disable your account or take other appropriate action. In certain circumstances it may also report the violation to appropriate authorities. The detection itself comes from the automated content analysis described in the purposes section.

Supporting quotations

detect abuse

When we detect spam, malware, illegal content (including

, and other forms of abuse on our systems in violation of our policies, we may disable your account or take other appropriate action. In certain circumstances, we may also report the violation to appropriate authorities.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Action follows abuse on Google's systems in violation of its policies; both account disabling and reporting are stated as may.
• Reporting to authorities applies in certain circumstances, which the policy does not specify.

Not stated here

• Which authorities, and in which circumstances, are not stated; the linked child-protection page is not supplied.

Account & Service Control · Company practice

An added phone number may be used, by your settings, for account recovery, helping people find you, and ad relevance

If you add your phone number to your account, it can be used for different purposes across Google services depending on your settings: to help you access your account if you forget your password, to help people find and connect with you, and to make the ads you see more relevant to you. A help page about these uses is linked but not supplied.

Supporting quotations

phone number

If you add your phone number to your account, it can be used for different purposes across Google services, depending on your settings. For example, your phone number can be used to help you access your account if you forget your password, help people find and connect with you, and make the ads you see more relevant to you.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Uses depend on your settings; ad relevance is one of the listed uses.

Not stated here

• Which settings govern each use is not stated here.

Account & Service Control · User right or choice

Deleting from specific services includes removing a Blogger blog, a Google Site you own, or Play Store reviews

As examples of deleting content from specific Google services, you can delete your blog from Blogger or a Google Site you own from Google Sites, and you can delete reviews you have left on apps, games and other content in the Play Store. The linked help pages are not supplied.

Supporting quotations

specific Google services

For example, you can delete

from Google Sites. You can also delete

you’ve left on apps, games, and other content in the Play Store.

Not stated here

• The linked Blogger, Sites and Play review help pages are not supplied.