Google now lets you delete personal info directly from Search – here's how

If you find your personal information online, like your phone number, address, or email, Google is making it easier to make sure it doesn’t show up again.

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Several years ago, Google introduced a “Results about you” tool that lets you track your personal information online and remove it from search results. It wasn’t exactly easy to find this tool, though, because you had to dig deep into the settings menu to see it.

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Now, you can request removal straight from Google Search. Here’s how to do it.

How to remove your information from Google Search

When you see a result with your personal information, click the three dots next to it, and you’ll see a menu with information about the link, including a “Remove result” button. Choose that, and you’ll see different options for why you want it removed. 

At the top is “It shows my personal information and I don’t want it here.” Choosing that option sends the page to Google for review. If Google decides it violates policy, it will be removed from search. 

The original site will still be there, but most online directory sites have options to request the removal of your information. That’s something you’ll want to take advantage of, as information like this is increasingly being used in scams.

Also: 9 ways to delete yourself from the internet (and hide your identity online)

The three-dot menu also has options to remove illegal content like phishing, violence, or explicit content and to refresh outdated search results (that’s for when you’ve requested information removal and Google is still indexing an old page).

Proactive monitoring help

Google is also making it easier for you to sign up for proactive monitoring from Results about you. Visit the hub, sign in with your Google account, and you’ll be able to receive a notice when your personal information shows up online. Previously, the page to sign up and the page to see where your information was found were in different locations.