How to remove your personal information from Google
Google has free tools to pull your personal details out of search results. Here’s how to use them — and the crucial bit most guides skip: de-indexing a result isn’t the same as deleting your data.
Step by step
- 1
Use Google’s “Results about you” tool
Go to Google’s “Results about you” (in your Google account or at the dedicated page). It scans search results for your name, phone, address and email, and lets you request removal of pages that expose your contact details.
- 2
Submit removal requests for specific results
For results that show personal contact info, doxxing, or non-consensual content, use Google’s removal request forms directly. Google evaluates each against its policies and de-indexes qualifying pages.
- 3
Understand what de-indexing does — and doesn’t
Removing a result from Google hides it from search. It does NOT delete the underlying page. If your data sits on a people-search site, the page is still live and still sold — you’ve just made it harder to find.
- 4
Remove the source
To actually get rid of it, opt out of the site hosting the data (the broker or directory). Once the source page is gone, the Google result disappears permanently rather than lingering in the cache.
- 5
Re-check and repeat
New pages appear as brokers refresh. Re-run “Results about you” periodically, or use monitoring that re-checks for you.
Remove the source, not just the result
We find every broker exposing your data and remove it at the source across 268+ sites — so the Google results don’t just hide, they disappear. Start with a free exposure check.
Run my free exposure checkFAQ
How do I remove my personal information from Google for free?
Use Google’s free “Results about you” tool to find and request removal of results showing your contact details, plus Google’s removal request forms for specific pages. It’s free — but it de-indexes results, so also remove the underlying source site.
Does removing from Google delete my data?
No. Google de-indexing hides a page from search results but the page itself stays live on the broker’s site. To delete the data you must opt out of the source.
How long does a Google removal request take?
Typically a few days to a couple of weeks for Google to review and action a qualifying request.
Why does my information keep reappearing on Google?
Because the source broker re-publishes it. De-indexing one URL doesn’t stop new URLs appearing. Remove the source and opt out upstream to stop the cycle.