Your Data

We want you to understand what data we collect and use.

When you use Google services, you trust us with your data. It is our responsibility to be clear about what we collect and how we use it to make our services work better for you.

Here are the three main types of data we collect:

Things you do

When you use our services — for example, do a search on Google, get directions on Google Maps, or watch a video on YouTube — we collect data to make these services work for you. This can include:

Things you search for
Websites you visit
Videos you watch
Ads you click on or tap
Your location
Device information
IP address and cookie data

Things you create

If you are signed in with your Google Account, we store and protect what you create using our services. This can include:

Emails you send and receive on Gmail
Contacts you add
Calendar events
Photos and videos you upload
Docs, Sheets, and Slides on Drive

Things that make you “you”

When you sign up for a Google account, we keep the basic information that you give us. This can include your:

Name
Email address and password
Birthday
Gender
Phone number
Country

How data improves Google services

Here are a few ways we use data to make our services faster, smarter, and more useful to you.

How Google Maps gets you places faster

When you use the Google Maps app, your phone sends anonymous bits of data about your location back to Google. This is combined with data from people around you to recognize traffic patterns. For instance, Maps can detect when a lot of vehicles are moving slowly along the same street and let you know there is heavy traffic. So the next time Maps warns you of an accident and guides you to a faster route, you have data from your fellow drivers to thank for the shortcut.

How Google autocompletes your searches

You know when you search for something and you make a typo — and somehow Google knows what you meant anyway? Our spelling correction model uses data from people who have made the same mistake before to correct it for you. That is how we know when you type “Barsalona,” you most likely meant “Barcelona.”

Your search history can also help Google autocomplete your searches. For example, if you have searched for “Barcelona flights” before, we might suggest this in the search box before you even finish typing it. Or if you are a fan of the football club and often search “Barcelona scores,” we might suggest that right away.

Two people have different YouTube pages because of personalized recommendations

How YouTube finds videos you want to watch

We get cues about what is popular and trending based on what everyone is watching. This helps us suggest the latest and greatest videos across a variety of genres — like top music tracks, how-to tutorials, and breaking news.

YouTube also recommends videos you may like based on what you have watched before. If you are obsessed with watching covers of the theme song from Frozen, we can suggest more of them. Or if you are a gamer entertained by PewDiePie, we can suggest more of his videos and videos like them.

Chrome tab with a form completed by autofill

How Chrome completes forms for you

Every time you make a purchase or sign up for an account online, you spend time filling out forms with your personal information. When you use Chrome, we can save things like your name, address, phone number, email address, and payment information so that we can autocomplete these forms for you. You can always edit specific autofill fields or disable this setting altogether.

How Google Search helps you find your own information

Google Search can fetch useful information from Gmail, Google Photos, Calendar, and more, and show it in your private search results so you don’t have to do the digging yourself. Just search for things like “my dentist appointment,” “show me my photos at the beach,” or “where is my hotel reservation.” As long as you are signed in, we will pull this information from other Google services and get it to you in just one step.

Chat bubbles between a user and Google Assistant

How your Google Assistant can help you get things done

Whether you are at home, or on the go, your Assistant is always ready to help. When you ask your Assistant a question or tell it what to do, it uses data from other Google services to get you what you need. For example, if you ask “What coffee shops are nearby?” or “Do I need an umbrella tomorrow?” your Assistant uses information from Maps and Search as well as your location, interests and preferences to give you the most relevant answer. You can always visit the My Activity tool to view or delete data that is collected from interactions with your Assistant.

Take control of your Google experience

Here are some tools you can use anytime to manage your privacy.

Control your privacy settings at My Account

Whether or not you have a Google Account, you decide which types of data can make Google services work better for you. My Account gives you quick access to tools that help you manage your personal information and protect your privacy.

See what data is in your account at My Activity

My Activity is the central place where you can find everything you have searched, viewed, and watched using our services. To make it easier to recall your past online activity, we give you tools to search by topic, date, and product. You can permanently delete specific activities or even entire topics that you don’t want associated with your account.

Browse the web in private with incognito mode

Your web history can help make your search results more useful, but there are times you may want to browse in private. If you share a computer with your sweetheart, for instance, you probably don’t want your browsing history to ruin the surprise birthday gift you are searching for. For moments like this, open an incognito window on your computer or mobile device to prevent Google Chrome from saving your browsing history.