Written by the Removal Lab team.
Have you ever searched your own name and found your home address on page one? You are not the only one. The good news is that you can remove personal information from Google in many cases. Google lets you ask it to remove search results that show your contact details or ID numbers. It does not delete the page itself, so the full fix often takes two steps. Removal Lab helps people work through both.
The quick version: how to remove personal information from Google
1. Use Google’s Results about you tool to find results with your details.
2. Request removal for each result.
3. Track each request until it is decided.
4. Ask the website owner to remove the details at the source.
5. Turn on alerts so new results are caught early.
What personal information can you remove from Google?
Google says it may approve removal requests for these types of personal information.
| Type of information | Examples |
|---|---|
| Contact details | Phone numbers, home addresses and email addresses. |
| Government ID numbers | Social Security numbers, passport numbers and driver’s license numbers. |
| Professional details posted to harm you | Work details shared with the intent to cause harm. These go through Google’s detailed removal form. |
| Information about minors | Requests for people under 18 go through the detailed removal form. |
Google also has separate routes for explicit or intimate images, other personal content and legal removal requests under applicable law.
How to remove personal information from Google with Results about you
- Open the Results about you page and select Get started or Settings.
- Enter your name and the details you want Google to watch for.
- Check the To review tab for matching results.
- Select a result and choose Request to remove. If it is fine, choose Mark as reviewed.
- Follow progress under Removal requests.
If you are not signed in, or you are asking for someone else, Google points you to its detailed removal request form instead. Google also says some features are rolling out only to users over 18 in certain markets.
What happens after you send a request?
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| In progress | Google is still checking the request. |
| Approved | Google agreed. The result should stop showing. |
| Denied | Google decided not to remove it. |
| Undone | A previous removal has been reversed. |
When a request is approved, Google says the URL usually stops showing for any search. Sometimes it is only hidden for searches that include your name.
Does this remove the information from the internet?
No. This catches many people out. Google is clear that removal from Search does not mean the information is gone from the internet. The page still exists. Someone can still reach it directly or through another search engine.
To remove personal information from Google for good, you also need the website owner to delete it. Once they do, you can ask Google to refresh its copy so the old version stops appearing.
How to ask a website owner to remove your details
- Find the right contact. Look for a privacy, contact or removal page on the site.
- Be specific. Send the exact page link and quote the details you want removed.
- Keep it short and polite. Explain that the details are yours and that you do not consent to them being shown.
- Keep a record. Save the date you asked, the reply and any reference number.
- Follow up. If nothing changes after a reasonable wait, send one reminder.
A clear record also helps if you later need to escalate the request or ask for help.
What will Google usually not remove?
- Results seen as valuable to the public, such as government or educational pages, news sites and business websites.
- Information you control yourself, such as your own social media page or blog. You need to remove that at the source.
This is where many requests stall. A news article that mentions you is treated very differently from a site that simply lists your address.
Turn on alerts so new results are caught
Google says it checks regularly for new matches and can alert you by email or in the Google app. This matters because the same details often get copied to other sites. Leaving alerts on is the easiest way to remove personal information from Google again if it comes back.
If you ever want to stop, Google lets you delete the details you gave the tool from its Settings.
Removing information from Google: pick the right route first
There is no single button for removing information from Google. The right route depends on what the result shows and who controls the page. Pick the wrong route and you wait weeks for a no.
| What shows up | Best route | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| Your phone, home address or email on a random site | Results about you | |
| ID numbers, bank or card numbers, login details or a signature | Results about you or the personal information removal request form | |
| You are signed out, or you are asking for a family member | The personal information removal request form | |
| A page that was edited or deleted but still shows the old text | The Refresh Outdated Content tool | |
| A people search listing | The site opt out page first, then Google | The site owner |
| A news article or a court record | Ask the publisher or the court. Google usually keeps these | The publisher or court |
| Intimate images shared without consent | Google image removal form for this case | |
| Content that breaks the law where you live | Google legal removal request | Google, under local law |
Most people only need the first two rows. The rest matter when the details sit on a page Google sees as public interest, or when the same details keep coming back.
How to use the personal information removal request form on Google
The personal information removal request form is the route when you cannot use Results about you. It also handles a few cases the tool does not, such as doxxing and content about minors.
- Open the form from Google Search Help. Choose the option to remove personal information from Google Search.
- Pick what the result shows, for example contact details or ID numbers.
- Paste the exact URL of each page and the search words that bring it up.
- Add a screenshot that shows your details on the page.
- Submit and keep the confirmation email. Google sends its decision to that address.
Tip
Keep a simple sheet with each URL, the date you asked and the status. It saves hours when a result comes back or you need to appeal.
How to remove your address from Google
Your home address is the detail people worry about most. It usually shows up in four places. Clear each one.
- Search results. Run Results about you with your address added. Request removal for each match.
- People search sites. These sites copy each other. Opt out on each one, then ask Google to refresh the result.
- Street View. Open your home in Street View, select Report a problem, choose My home and add proof of address. Google says a blur is permanent, so be sure before you send it.
- Old listings you made. A past business profile, a resume site or an old for sale ad can all carry your address. Delete them at the source.
If your home shows on Google Maps as a business by mistake, suggest an edit or report the listing from Maps.
How to remove public records from Google
Public records include court cases, property sales, arrest logs, business filings and licences. Google usually keeps results from government sites because it treats them as valuable to the public. So the fix starts at the source, not with Google.
| Record | Where to start | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Court records | Ask the court or a local lawyer about sealing or expungement | Rules differ by country and state. Many cases qualify after a waiting period |
| Property records | Ask the county or land registry about address shielding | Often limited to groups such as judges, police officers or people at risk |
| Arrest records and mugshots | The police site first, then the copy sites. See mugshot removal | Copy sites often keep the record after the source changes |
| Copies on private sites | Ask each site to update once the source is sealed or fixed | Then use the Refresh Outdated Content tool on Google |
Be honest with yourself about this one. A sealed record is the strongest reason a site will agree to take a copy down. Without it, most private sites will say no.
How to remove outdated information from Google
Sometimes the site owner already deleted your details but Google still shows the old snippet. That is a caching delay, not a refusal. Use the Refresh Outdated Content tool. Paste the URL. If the page is gone or the text changed, Google updates the result or drops it.
This is also the last step after any successful source removal. It turns a slow fix into a quick one.
Remove info from Google search: a worked example
This is a made up example to show the steps. It is not a client case.
Maria searches her name and finds 7 results with her details. 4 are people search sites. 1 is an old forum post with her phone number. 1 is a county property page. 1 is a Street View image of her home.
| Result | What she does | Likely outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 4 people search sites | Opts out on each site, then uses Results about you | Listings removed at the source. Google drops them after a refresh |
| Old forum post | Asks the forum admin to edit the post, then uses the Refresh Outdated Content tool | Number gone from the post and from Google |
| County property page | Asks the county about address shielding | Stays on Google unless she qualifies |
| Street View image | Reports the image and asks for a blur | House blurred |
In this example 6 of 7 results can be cleared with free tools and some patience. The seventh depends on local rules. That split is common.
Why your details come back after removal
- People search sites rebuild profiles from new public data and from each other.
- New sites copy old pages long after the original is gone.
- Data breaches push fresh copies of emails and phone numbers online.
The fix is routine, not a one time job. Keep alerts on in Results about you. Search your name and address once a month. Opt out again when a listing returns.
Country notes
| Where you live | What helps |
|---|---|
| United States | Results about you and site opt outs do most of the work. California residents can send one free deletion request to registered data brokers under the state Delete Act. |
| European Union and United Kingdom | Data protection law gives you the right to ask Google to delist results about you that are inaccurate, irrelevant or outdated. Google weighs this against public interest. |
| Canada | Google rules on personal information apply. If a business refuses to delete your data, you can complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. |
| Australia | Google rules on personal information apply. Complaints about businesses go to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. |
Mistakes that slow down efforts to remove personal information from Google
- Only asking Google. The page stays live and still shows on other search engines.
- Vague requests. No exact URL and no screenshot means a slow or failed review.
- Paying the site that posted you. Some sites post records and then charge to take them down. Many US states restrict this model.
- Keeping no records. Without dates and replies you cannot appeal or escalate.
- Turning alerts off. Copies return quietly. Alerts catch them early.
Want the name side of this covered too? Read how to remove your name from Google. For articles and posts that name you, see Google search result removal and news article removal.
How to remove information from Google: what each official tool can and cannot do
Most guides stop at one tool. Google actually runs several routes and each one fits a different problem. This table puts them side by side, using only what Google and the state of California publish.
| Route | Use it for | It cannot | Timing Google or the state publishes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Results about you | Your home address, phone number or email address in search results | Delete the page on the other site | Alerts and the confirmation email arrive within a few hours |
| Personal information removal request | ID numbers, bank or card numbers, pictures of your signature or ID, private records, passwords and doxxing | Usually remove newsworthy content | None published. Google emails you if it removes the result |
| Exploitative removal practices request | A page about you on a site that wants payment to take it down | Help with business review sites | None published |
| Refresh outdated content | A page that was deleted or changed but still shows the old text | Remove a page that still shows your details | None published |
| Report content for legal reasons | Content that breaks the law or your rights, such as copyright or a court order | Remove copies on other search engines or sites | No fixed time. Google says it tries to answer valid notices as soon as it can |
| Right to be forgotten | Search results about you in the European Union that are inaccurate, inadequate, irrelevant or excessive | Delist outside the countries that apply European data protection law | None published |
| Removals tool in Search Console | Hiding a page on a site you own, quickly and for a short time | Help with a site you do not control | None published |
| California DROP | Deletion requests to registered data brokers if you live in California | Reach sites that are not registered data brokers | Brokers must check it at least once every 45 days. Status can take up to 90 days to update |
Two rules hold for every route. Google only hides results in its own search. The page itself stays live until the site owner removes it.
Remove a result straight from Google Search with About this result
You do not have to open a separate form for contact details. Google lets you start a request from the result itself.
- Sign in to your Google Account.
- Search your name.
- Next to the result, select More to open About this result.
- Select Remove result.
- Choose It shows my personal info and I don’t want it there, then Contact Info.
- Answer the questions, submit and select I’m done.
Google says results on government, educational, online newspaper or business sites may not show a remove option. If a request is denied, Google emails you and shows the reason on the Results about you page. If you are asking for someone else, use the detailed removal form instead. Google says requests made for another person through your own account may be denied.
The full list of personal information Google may remove
Google’s personal information policy goes further than contact details. Its help page lists these types:
- Your address, phone number or email address.
- Confidential government ID numbers, such as Social Security or tax ID numbers.
- Bank account or credit card numbers.
- Pictures of your signature or your ID.
- Private records, such as medical records.
- Confidential usernames and passwords.
The same policy covers doxxing. Google describes doxxing as sharing your private information to harm you. A page can qualify when it shows your personal details along with threats against you, or calls for others to harm or harass you. It can also qualify when it gathers a large amount of personal information about you with no legitimate purpose.
Full removal or partial removal
Google says an approved request ends in one of two ways. A full removal means the page no longer shows on Google Search at all. A partial removal means it stops showing for searches that contain your name or another identifier, but it may still show for other searches.
Google also weighs other things before it decides, such as whether other people are involved. If the content is newsworthy, Google says it might not take it down. That is why a news story about you is far harder to clear than a page that lists your bank details.
How to remove information from Google for legal reasons
Some content is not a privacy problem at all. It may copy your work without permission, break a court order or break the law where you live. Google handles these through a separate legal route in its Legal Help Center.
- Pick the product. Select the Google product where the content appears, such as Google Search.
- Pick the reason. Select why you are reporting it.
- Add every URL. Include the exact address of each item.
- Be specific. Say exactly which part of the page breaks the law or your rights.
- Submit. Google sends an email confirmation and a reference number. It may contact you with questions.
Use a separate notice for each Google product. Google says it reviews the material and considers blocking, limiting or removing access to it. For copyright, it says it follows notices under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Even when Google acts, the content may still exist elsewhere on the web, so Google suggests contacting the site owner too. If the problem is a false statement about you, read our page on defamation removal before you file.
The right to be forgotten in the European Union
If European data protection law applies to you, you can ask Google to delist results about you. Google weighs whether the information is inaccurate, inadequate, irrelevant or excessive against the public interest in keeping it. Your public role matters too. Google says the less the information relates to how you are known publicly, the more likely it is to delist it.
Google also looks at the age of the content, how sensitive it is, whether it comes from a government or news source and whether it involves a criminal conviction. In your request, give the exact URLs, explain how each one relates to you and why it should go, add the search words that bring it up (such as your full name) and an email address. Google only delists for searches related to your name, on the versions of Google that serve countries applying European data protection law. Companies usually do not have this right.
Data brokers: where most personal information on Google starts
Most home addresses and phone numbers in search results sit on people search sites, also called data brokers. Google can hide the result. The profile stays live until you opt out on the site itself. Other search engines still show it too. So the order matters.
- Opt out at the source. Start with the biggest sites: Spokeo, Whitepages, MyLife, Nuwber, Radaris and FastPeopleSearch.
- Clear what is left on Google. Use Results about you or the removal form for any result that still shows your details.
- Refresh the old snippet. Once a profile is gone, use Refresh outdated content so Google drops the old text.
- Check again. Profiles rebuild, so keep your Results about you alerts switched on.
Our data broker removal hub lists every opt out guide we have written, sorted by site.
Live in California? Use DROP
California runs a free tool called DROP, the Delete Request and Opt Out Platform. It lets you send one deletion request to over 600 registered data brokers. You must be a California resident and you confirm this through the California Identity Gateway. Data brokers must check DROP at least once every 45 days. The state says your status could take up to 90 days to update.
How to remove public records from Google when copies spread
The record on a court or county site is only half the problem. Copy sites pick it up and some ask for money to take it down. Google has three free routes that help here.
| Situation | Google route | What Google says |
|---|---|---|
| A copy site wants payment to remove the record | Request for sites with exploitative removal practices | You must be a subject of the page, the site must not be a business review site and it must require payment to remove the content |
| The source record was sealed and the copy site deleted it | Refresh outdated content | Use it when content was deleted from a site but still comes up in Google |
| The record sits on a government site | Usually none through Results about you | Results on government sites may not show a remove option |
| You live in the European Union | Right to be forgotten request | Google weighs the public interest, the source and whether a conviction is involved |
For the exploitative sites request, select Start removal request, list each URL that mentions you and explain how the site is exploitative. Google only reviews the URLs you list. Take screenshots on the same device you use to send the request. Google says you can edit them so only your face shows. If Google agrees, the URL no longer appears in its results. The page can still be reached through shared links, social media or other search engines. For mugshots and court files, see when mugshot removal is free and court record removal.
Remove information Google keeps in your own account
Sometimes people asking how to remove information from Google mean their own history, not results about them. That lives in My Activity. This clears your own history. It does not change what other people see when they search your name.
| What you want | Steps Google gives |
|---|---|
| Delete everything | Go to myactivity.google.com, select Delete, then All time, Next and Delete |
| Delete a date range | Select Calendar, choose a preset period or your own start and end dates, then select Delete and Delete Results |
| Delete it automatically from now on | Open Data & privacy, choose the history setting under History settings, select Auto delete, pick how long to keep it, then Next and Confirm |
Google says it may keep certain types of data for an extended period. Your activity might also stay saved in your browser, so clear that too.
If you own the page: hide it from Google quickly
When the information sits on a site you control, the fix is in your hands. Google points site owners to the Removals tool in Search Console to hide a page quickly and temporarily. To remove information for good, delete or change it on your site. Then ask Google to look at the page again so the new version shows. The same goes for old profiles, blogs and listings you made yourself.
Removal timelines: only what Google actually publishes
Plenty of sites quote days or weeks. Google publishes very little, so be wary of anyone who promises a date Google itself does not give.
| Route | What is published |
|---|---|
| Results about you | Alerts arrive within a few hours of a new match. The confirmation email arrives within a few hours of a request |
| Personal information removal request | No timeline. Google emails you if it removes the result |
| Exploitative removal practices request | No timeline |
| Refresh outdated content | No timeline |
| Legal removal request | No fixed timeline. Google says it tries to respond to valid notices as soon as it can |
| Right to be forgotten | No timeline. Google may email you for more details and waits for your reply |
| California DROP | Brokers check at least every 45 days. Status can take up to 90 days to update |
Removal Lab can do the slow parts for you: finding every copy, filing the right route and following up. The review is free and confidential. There is no upfront payment on qualifying cases and Google always makes the final call. Start with a free case review.
When does it make sense to get help?
Most people can handle a few contact detail results on their own. Help is worth it when the results come from many sites at once, when site owners ignore you or when the content is an article, a forum thread or a post that names you and causes real harm.
Removal Lab reviews the results, the platforms involved and the evidence at no charge. We tell you honestly which routes apply. There is no upfront payment on qualifying cases. See our personal reputation removal service, or read how to deal with Reddit content and mugshots.
Need to remove personal information from Google?
Tell us what shows up. We review your case in confidence and reply within one business day.
Related: Mugshot on a site that wants money? Read mugshot removal cost to see when it is free.
Related: Listed on people search sites? See our opt out guides for Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified and TruePeopleSearch, and set up Google Results about you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I remove personal information from Google for free?
Yes. Google’s Results about you tool and its removal request form are free to use. You can ask Google to remove results that show details such as your phone number, home address or email address.
Does Google delete the information from the website?
No. Google says removal from Search does not mean the information is gone from the internet. To remove it at the source, you need to contact the site owner.
What personal information can Google remove?
Google says it may approve removal of phone numbers, home addresses, email addresses and government ID numbers such as Social Security, passport and driver’s license numbers.
What will Google usually not remove?
Google generally keeps results it sees as valuable to the public, such as pages from government or educational sites, news sites and business websites. Information on pages you control, like your own social media, must be removed at the source.
How do I track my removal requests?
In Results about you, open the Removal requests section. Google shows statuses such as In progress, Approved, Denied and Undone.
How do I remove info from Google search for free?
Use Google Results about you if you are signed in. Use the personal information removal request form if you are not. Both are free. Then ask the site owner to delete your details at the source.
How long does Google take to remove personal information?
Google does not publish a fixed time. You can watch the status of each request in the Removal requests section of Results about you.
Can I remove my address from Google Maps?
You can ask for a Street View blur of your home through Report a problem. If your home shows as a business by mistake, suggest an edit or report the listing.
Can I remove public records from Google?
Rarely through Google alone. Google usually keeps government pages. Start at the source, for example sealing a court record, then ask copy sites to update and refresh Google.
Can Google delete personal information about me completely?
No. Google can stop a page from showing in its results. Only the site owner can delete the page itself.
How do I remove information from Google that is about me?
Use Results about you or the About this result menu for contact details. Use the personal information removal request for ID numbers, bank details, private records or doxxing. Use the legal removal request for content that breaks the law. Then ask the site owner to delete the page.
What is the difference between a full and a partial removal?
A full removal means the page no longer shows on Google Search. A partial removal means it stops showing for searches with your name or another identifier but may still appear for other searches.
Can I remove information from Google if I live in Europe?
Yes. Under the right to be forgotten you can ask Google to delist results for searches on your name. Google weighs your privacy against the public interest, the source and the age of the content.
How do I remove my information from data broker sites?
Opt out on each people search site, then ask Google to remove or refresh any result that still shows. California residents can use the free state tool DROP to send one deletion request to over 600 registered data brokers.
Does deleting my Google activity remove search results about me?
No. Deleting activity in My Activity clears your own history. Results that other people see when they search your name need the removal routes on this page.
Sources: Google Search Help, find and remove personal contact info in Google Search results. Also Google Search Help, remove private info from Google Search and Google Maps Help, blur Street View imagery. Also used: Google Search Help, remove web results from Google Search, Google Search Help, refresh outdated content, Google Search Help, exploitative removal practices, Google Legal Help, report content for legal reasons, Google Legal Help, right to be forgotten overview, Google Account Help, delete your activity, California Privacy Protection Agency, DROP and CPPA information for data brokers. Removal Lab does not work for Google and cannot remove results directly. Every decision is made by the platform.