How to Remove Your Personal Information from Google Search

Google does not host most of the personal information that appears in its search results. It indexes pages on other websites that contain your name, address, phone number, and other details. That distinction matters because removing your information from Google search results is a different process from removing it from the underlying websites, and the two are often confused.

This guide covers both: how to remove personal information from Google’s search index using Google’s own tools, and how to address the underlying sources so the information does not reappear. All guidance reflects Google’s current policies as of 2026, including the February 2026 expansion of the Results About You tool to cover government ID numbers.

What Google Will and Will Not Remove

Google has specific removal policies for specific types of content. Understanding what qualifies before you submit a request saves time and produces better results than submitting vague requests and waiting for denials.

Content type	Does Google remove it?	Tool to use
Home address, phone number, email address	Yes, when used in a context that could facilitate harm	Results About You / Personal information removal form
Government ID numbers (SSN, passport, driver’s license)	Yes: expanded coverage as of February 2026	Results About You / Personal information removal form
Bank account or credit card numbers	Yes	Personal information removal form
Non-consensual intimate images	Yes: simplified process as of February 2026	Non-consensual intimate image removal tool
Medical records	Yes	Personal information removal form
Login credentials exposed in a data breach	Yes	Personal information removal form
Your own outdated pages on your website	Yes, after you have updated or removed the page	Google Search Console URL removal tool
Content a court has ruled defamatory	Yes, with court documentation	Legal removal request
Accurate negative news coverage	No	No Google tool applies; contact publisher or pursue suppression
Legitimate reviews	No	No Google tool applies

Results About You: Google’s Main Privacy Tool

Results About You is Google’s dedicated dashboard for monitoring and removing personal information from search results. It is available at myactivity.google.com/results-about-you and requires a Google account.

The tool monitors Google search results for your personal information and sends alerts when new results containing your details appear. When you find something you want removed, you can submit a request directly from the alert rather than navigating to a separate form.

As of February 2026, Google expanded the tool’s coverage to include government ID numbers, passport numbers, driver’s license numbers, and Social Security numbers. This was a significant expansion: previously these fell into a gray area that required using the general removal form. They now qualify for removal directly through Results About You.

To use Results About You effectively:

1. Sign in to your Google account and go to myactivity.google.com/results-about-you
2. Add your personal details you want monitored: your name, address, phone number, and email
3. Google scans its search results for these details and shows you what it finds
4. For any result you want removed, select “Request removal” and follow the prompts
5. Google reviews the request and emails you the decision, typically within a few days

Results About You also allows you to check the status of previously submitted requests and to re-submit if removed content reappears in search results. Our dedicated guide on how to use Google’s Results About You tool covers the setup and monitoring process in detail.

The Personal Information Removal Request Form

For personal information that requires a more detailed explanation or documentation than the Results About You workflow handles, Google’s personal information removal request form at support.google.com/websearch/troubleshooter/9685456 provides a structured process.

When submitting through this form, you will need to provide the exact URL of the search result containing your information, the type of information you want removed, why you want it removed, and any context about potential harm. The more specific you are, the better your outcome. Vague submissions like “I want my information removed” are routinely denied. Specific submissions that name the exact information type and explain the specific harm are more likely to succeed.

For financial information, medical records, or login credentials appearing in search results, this form is typically the correct path. Include documentation where you have it.

Removing Images From Google Search

Images containing your personal information, including photos of documents, non-consensual intimate images, and images that expose your home address or financial information, can be removed through Google’s image removal tools.

For non-consensual intimate images, Google simplified and expedited the removal process in February 2026. The updated tool at support.google.com/websearch/answer/6302812 handles both real photos and AI-generated intimate images. Google commits to reviewing these requests quickly and applies SafeSearch filters immediately while the review is underway.

For images that expose your home address, financial documents, or other sensitive personal information rather than intimate content, use the standard personal information removal form and specify that the information appears in an image.

DMCA Takedowns for Copyright Violations

If content appearing in Google search results uses photos, videos, or written material you created and own, you can file a DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) takedown notice. Google processes these through its copyright removal form at support.google.com/legal/troubleshooter/1114905.

A DMCA notice requires you to be the copyright owner or authorized representative, to identify the infringing content specifically with its URL, and to identify the original content you own. False DMCA claims carry legal risk, so only use this path when you genuinely own the material. Our guide on filing a DMCA complaint covers the full process and requirements.

Google Search Console for Your Own Pages

If the page containing your personal information is on a website you own or control, the fastest path to removal is to update or delete the page on your own site and then use Google Search Console’s URL removal tool to request that Google de-index the outdated version immediately rather than waiting for Google’s next scheduled crawl.

This is the most reliable removal path because you control both the source and can request the index update simultaneously. The URL removal tool at search.google.com/search-console is available to any verified site owner.

Address the Underlying Sources

Removing content from Google search is only half the work. If the underlying page still exists and contains your personal information, the content can reappear in Google results after the next crawl. For complete removal, you need to address the source page as well.

The right approach depends on where the information is hosted:

Websites you control: Delete the page or remove the information directly, then request de-indexing through Google Search Console.

Data broker and people-search sites: These sites can only be addressed through each platform’s own opt-out process, not through Google’s tools. Google can de-index the search result, but the underlying page on Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified, or similar sites will remain until you submit an opt-out request to that specific platform. Our guide on how to remove yourself from people search sites covers every major platform.

News sites and other publications: Contact the publisher directly and request removal or an update. Many publishers will correct factual errors or outdated information when contacted professionally with documentation. Accurate content is generally more difficult to have removed, though some publishers have editorial policies for removing articles about private individuals. Our guide on removing news articles from Google covers the publisher outreach process in detail.

Social media: Delete the posts or update your privacy settings to prevent public indexing. Platform-level privacy settings affect what Google can index going forward.

Remove Yourself From Data Broker Sites

Data broker and people-search sites are the most common source of personal information appearing in Google results. Sites like Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified, MyLife, Radaris, and dozens of others publish your name, address, phone number, relatives’ names, and sometimes property records collected from public record databases.

Each site has its own opt-out process. Most involve finding your listing, submitting an opt-out request, and confirming by email. Processing times range from 24 hours to several weeks depending on the platform. Most listings reappear within 90 to 180 days as the sites re-scrape public records, which means opt-outs require ongoing maintenance rather than a one-time effort.

The highest-priority platforms to address first are those whose pages rank on the first or second page of Google results for your name, since those are the ones most people actually encounter. Our guide on how to remove personal information from the internet covers the complete framework including all major data brokers and the prioritization strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I remove my personal information from Google search?

Google’s main tool for removing personal information from search results is Results About You, available at myactivity.google.com/results-about-you. It monitors Google search results for your personal details and lets you submit removal requests directly. As of February 2026, it covers home address, phone number, email address, financial information, medical records, login credentials, and government ID numbers including Social Security numbers, passport numbers, and driver’s license numbers. For non-consensual intimate images, Google has a separate simplified removal tool. For content that does not fall under these categories, contact the publisher or use suppression strategies.

Does Google remove personal information for free?

Yes. All of Google’s removal tools are free. There are no fees associated with submitting removal requests through Results About You, the personal information removal form, or the non-consensual intimate image removal tool. Third-party services that charge to submit Google removal requests on your behalf are not necessary for standard removal requests, though professional reputation management services can be worth the cost for complex situations involving multiple types of content across many platforms.

How long does it take Google to remove personal information?

Google typically reviews personal information removal requests within a few days to two weeks for standard requests. Non-consensual intimate image requests are prioritized and reviewed faster. After a removal is approved, Google de-indexes the content, which means it stops appearing in search results. The underlying page on the original website is not affected. If the source page still exists, the content may reappear in Google results after subsequent crawls.

What if Google denies my removal request?

Denials usually happen because the submitted request does not clearly establish that the content falls within Google’s removal policies. Review the reason provided in Google’s response and resubmit with more specific documentation if possible. Alternatively, escalate through Google’s support channels or address the underlying source directly. For content that does not qualify for removal, content suppression through building stronger competing results is the practical alternative.

Can I remove my address from Google search results?

Yes. Your home address qualifies for removal under Google’s personal information policies when it is presented in a way that could facilitate harm. Submit a request through Results About You or the personal information removal form with the specific URLs where your address appears. Also address the underlying sources: address information that appears in Google results typically comes from data broker sites, which require separate opt-out requests on each platform.