How to Remove Personal Info From Google: 7 Free, Easy Steps (2026)

To remove personal info from Google, use Google’s free Results about you tool. Open the Google app, tap your profile picture, then Results about you. It finds search results showing your phone number, home address or email and lets you request removal. Then go to the source: opt out of the people-search and data broker sites that publish your details, so they don’t come back.

Below are seven free, easy steps to remove personal info from Google and the sites behind it.

[ADD PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: one line about what you found the first time you searched your own name.]

Why Your Personal Info Is on Google

Google doesn’t create this information. It finds it on other websites. The most common sources are:

• People-search sites and data brokers that collect public records and sell profiles.
• Old social media accounts and forums.
• Business listings if you run a business from home.
• Public records, like property or court records in some countries.
• Data breaches and leaked documents.

7 Free Steps to Remove Personal Info From Google

1. Search yourself

Search your full name, your name plus your city, your phone number and your email address. Note every result that shows personal details you want removed.

2. Use Google’s Results about you tool

1. Open the Google app, tap your profile picture, and choose Results about you. Or visit myactivity.google.com/results-about-you on a computer.
2. Add the contact details you want Google to look for.
3. Review the results it finds and tap Request to remove on the ones you want gone.
4. Turn on alerts, so Google tells you when new results with your details appear.

You can also request removal directly from a search result. Tap the three dots next to it, then Remove result.

3. Opt out of people-search sites

Sites like Whitepages, Spokeo, BeenVerified and many others have an opt-out page, often linked at the bottom of their homepage as “Do not sell my info” or “Opt out.” Search for your profile on the site, copy its link, and submit it on the opt-out page. Many ask you to confirm by email.

4. Use state and country privacy tools

• California: residents can use the free DROP tool to send one deletion request to all registered data brokers.
• Other US states: several states have privacy laws that let you ask companies to delete your data.
• EU and UK: you can use the “right to be forgotten” request form with Google and ask companies to erase your data under GDPR.

5. Clean up your own accounts

Delete or make private old social media accounts, remove your phone number and address from public profiles, and update business listings to use a PO box or business address if possible.

6. Ask website owners directly

For blogs, forums or other sites, look for a contact or privacy email and politely ask them to remove your details. Once the page is removed or updated, use Google’s Refresh Outdated Content tool so Google updates its results.

7. Recheck every few months

Data brokers often add people back. Search yourself again every three to six months, keep Results about you alerts on, and repeat opt-outs when needed.

What Google Can and Can’t Remove

Google will usually remove results with personal contact information shared in a harmful way, explicit images shared without consent, and some sensitive ID or financial numbers. It usually won’t remove news articles, government records or opinions just because you don’t like them. Its full rules are in the Google Search removal policies.

For more simple guides, visit TrickieTech.

Why It’s Worth Removing Your Personal Info

Why remove personal info at all? Having your address and phone number easy to find can lead to real problems:

• Scam calls and texts that use your real name and city to seem believable.
• Identity theft, since your date of birth, relatives and past addresses help criminals answer security questions.
• Stalking or harassment, especially for people escaping abuse, public workers or anyone who’s gone viral.
• Doxxing, when someone posts your details to target you online.
• Unwanted marketing and junk mail.

You don’t need to disappear from the internet completely. Removing contact details and home address makes a big difference on its own.

DIY vs Paid Data Removal Services

	Do it yourself	Paid service
Cost	Free	Usually a yearly subscription
Time	Several hours at first, plus regular rechecks	A few minutes to sign up
Number of sites	As many as you have time for	Often dozens to hundreds of brokers
Repeats removals	Only if you remember	Usually automatic
Best for	People with time and a few results	Busy people, many results, higher risk

Well-known services include DeleteMe, Incogni, Optery and Kanary. Compare which sites they cover, what reports they give you, and the renewal price. Also note that many focus on US data brokers.

Remove Personal Info From Other Search Engines

Google is the biggest, but not the only search engine. To remove personal info everywhere, check these too.

• Bing: Microsoft has a content removal form for outdated pages and for some personal information.
• DuckDuckGo and others: many use results from Bing, so fixing the source website and Bing helps.
• Best long-term fix: remove the information from the original website. Then it disappears from every search engine over time.

Remove Explicit or Harmful Images

If intimate images or deepfakes of you are online without your consent, Google has a dedicated removal request for non-consensual explicit imagery, including AI-generated fakes. Use the form, include the links, and Google will review it. In the US, the TAKE IT DOWN Act passed in 2025 requires platforms to remove non-consensual intimate images, including deepfakes, after a valid request. Support organizations like StopNCII.org can help create hashes so participating platforms can block the images.

Protect Your Address If You’re at Risk

If you’re escaping domestic abuse or face threats, you may need to remove personal info more carefully. Take extra steps:

• Ask about address confidentiality programs. Many US states run them, giving you a substitute mailing address for public records.
• Use a PO box or mail service for deliveries and accounts.
• Ask your local election office about keeping voter registration details private, where allowed.
• Contact a support service or advocate who can help with safety planning.

Real-Life Examples

“My phone number showed up on five people-search sites”

Using Results about you to remove personal info took the Google results down within days. Opting out on each site deleted the profiles, and alerts caught one that came back later.

“My old blog showed my home address”

Editing the blog post and using Google’s Refresh Outdated Content tool updated the search result within a week or two.

[ADD PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: add a short real example of a removal you did.]

Simple Words You’ll See

• Data broker: a company that collects and sells personal information.
• People-search site: a website that shows personal profiles to anyone who searches.
• Doxxing: posting someone’s private details to harm or harass them.
• Opt-out: a request asking a company to stop using or showing your data.
• Right to be forgotten: an EU and UK right to ask search engines to remove certain results.

Quick Checklist

1. Search your name, phone, email and address.
2. Use Google’s Results about you tool and turn on alerts.
3. Opt out of people-search sites.
4. Use DROP (California) or local privacy rights.
5. Clean up your own profiles.
6. Ask websites to remove your details.
7. Use Refresh Outdated Content after changes.
8. Recheck every three to six months.

How to Write a Removal Request That Works

When you contact a website owner directly, a clear, polite message gets the best results. Include:

• The exact link to the page with your information.
• What you want removed, for example “my home address and mobile number in the second paragraph.”
• A short reason, like safety, privacy or that the details are out of date.
• Your name and a way to reply, using an email address you don’t mind sharing.

Keep a copy of your message and the date you sent it. If there’s no reply after two weeks, send a short follow-up. In the EU and UK, you can mention that you’re making an erasure request under data protection law, which gives companies a legal deadline to respond.

Stop New Personal Info From Appearing

• Think before sharing your address, birthday or phone on social media.
• Use a second email and number for shopping, contests and newsletters.
• Turn off “people may find you by phone number” settings on social media apps.
• Untick data sharing boxes when you sign up for loyalty cards and apps.
• Check privacy settings on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and others once a year.
• Keep Results about you alerts on, so you know quickly when something new appears.

How Long Does It Take?

Google requests through Results about you are often reviewed within a few days. Data broker opt-outs can take anywhere from a day to several weeks, depending on the site. Once a website removes your details, Google may take a few days to a few weeks to update its results, and the Refresh Outdated Content tool can speed this up. Plan for about a month to remove personal info from the main sources, then regular checkups to keep it that way.

How to Write a Removal Request That Works

When you contact a website owner directly, a clear, polite message gets the best results. Include:

• The exact link to the page with your information.
• What you want removed, for example “my home address and mobile number in the second paragraph.”
• A short reason, like safety, privacy or that the details are out of date.
• Your name and a way to reply, using an email address you don’t mind sharing.

Keep a copy of your message and the date you sent it. If there’s no reply after two weeks, send a short follow-up. In the EU and UK, you can mention that you’re making an erasure request under data protection law, which gives companies a legal deadline to respond.

Stop New Personal Info From Appearing

• Think before sharing your address, birthday or phone on social media.
• Use a second email and number for shopping, contests and newsletters.
• Turn off “people may find you by phone number” settings on social media apps.
• Untick data sharing boxes when you sign up for loyalty cards and apps.
• Check privacy settings on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and others once a year.
• Keep Results about you alerts on, so you know quickly when something new appears.

How Long Does It Take?

Google requests through Results about you are often reviewed within a few days. Data broker opt-outs can take anywhere from a day to several weeks, depending on the site. Once a website removes your details, Google may take a few days to a few weeks to update its results, and the Refresh Outdated Content tool can speed this up. Plan for about a month to remove personal info from the main sources, then regular checkups to keep it that way.

Remove Personal Info From Google Maps and Business Listings

If you’ve ever run a business from home, your address might appear on Google Maps or in a Business Profile. To change it, sign in to the Google account that manages the profile and edit the address, or choose to hide it if you serve customers at their location. If you don’t own the listing but your home is shown as a business by mistake, open the place on Maps, choose Suggest an edit, and report the problem. You can also request blurring of your house on Street View by opening the image and using Report a problem, which is permanent once done.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove my personal information from Google for free?

Yes. Google’s free Results about you tool lets you request removal of search results that show your phone number, home address or email address, and in some places other sensitive details. You can also contact websites directly and use free data broker opt-out pages.

Does removing a result from Google delete it from the internet?

No. Google only stops showing the result in its search. The page still exists on the original website and can appear in other search engines. To delete the information itself, ask the website or data broker to remove it.

How long does Google take to remove personal info?

Google usually reviews requests within a few days, and you can track the status in Results about you. Some requests are approved quickly, others need more review. If a request is denied, Google explains why, and you can sometimes resubmit with more details.

What are data brokers?

Data brokers are companies that collect and sell personal information, like names, addresses, phone numbers, relatives and age. People-search sites show this data publicly. They’re the main reason your details appear on Google, so opting out of them is an important step.

Are paid data removal services worth it?

They can save time. Services like DeleteMe, Incogni and Optery send opt-out requests to many data brokers for you and repeat them over time. You can do the same yourself for free, but it takes hours and needs regular rechecks. Choose a well-reviewed service with clear pricing.

What is the California DROP tool?

DROP (Delete Request and Opt-out Platform) is a free California state tool. California residents can send one deletion request to all registered data brokers. Brokers had to start processing requests from August 1, 2026, and then delete matching records within 90 days.

The Bottom Line

To remove personal info from Google, start with the free Results about you tool and turn on alerts. Then opt out of people-search sites and data brokers, which is where most of your details come from.

Clean up your own profiles, use privacy tools like California’s DROP if they apply to you, and recheck every few months.