How to stop Google from using your search data to train AI

Google search history will store media files uploaded during your interactions to help train AI models. So how to Block Google from using your search activity to train AI?

Google’s AI doesn’t automatically know how to answer your questions. It learns from your searches—and those of millions of others. Its mechanism of action is as follows:

When you type a question into Google, your query is fed into a giant database. AI analyzes patterns in these searches to improve response quality. For example, if thousands of people search for “how to unclog a clogged drain“, AI will become more adept at guiding plumbing repairs. Everything sounds fine—until you realize that your search might contain personal information.

Imagine searching for terms like “symptoms of [một căn bệnh hiếm gặp]”. These sensitive queries can help shape how Google’s AI responds to others when they ask similar questions. And even though Google claims your data has been “anonymous“, experts warn that combining your search history with other information (such as your YouTube viewing history) can make it easier to determine your identity.

If you’re really concerned and don’t want Google to save your search history, you can easily turn off this feature in the activity settings of your Google account. You need to turn off three different options to prevent Google from using your data to train services and personalize experiences.

How to block Google from using search data to train AI

• Turn off the media saving option so Google doesn’t save the data you used to search.
• Turn off your search history setting so Google doesn’t save your search activity.
• Turn off search personalization settings.

Turn off Save Media

Google’s search service history section now has a secondary option that allows saving media files that users upload. If this feature is enabled, any media files you upload to Google search products—such as Google Lens or voice recordings used for live search—will be saved and used by Google to train their products and services.

You can choose to disable only the media file saving setting while keeping the search history setting enabled; This allows Google to save your activities, but not the media files you upload. Here’s how:

Step 1: Visit the page myactivity.google.com/myactivity on mobile device or computer.

Step 2: Scroll down and tap “Search service history” (Search Service History).

Step 3: Keep scrolling down; In your Search Service History settings, you’ll see a new option called “Save media files” (Save Media). If this option is on, uncheck it to turn it off.

Search Service History – Search Service History

When this feature is enabled, Google will save all your activities related to search services. This includes data from Google Lens, Google Translate and many other services. If you turn this feature off, Google will stop saving your activity on those apps.

Disabling the search history setting will also disable the media file saving setting, so Google won’t save your data.

Step 1: Visit myactivity.google.com/myactivity on your mobile device or computer.

Step 2: Scroll down and tap “Search Service History“.

Step 3: In section Search Service Historytap the drop-down menu and choose one of the following options:

• Turn off: From now on, Google will not save your data.
• Turn off and delete activities: Google will not save your search activity and will also delete your previous searches.

Personalized recommendations – Personalized recommendations

Here, Google will use your search history and collected service data to provide ads and recommendations that are personally relevant to you.

If you turn this feature off, Google won’t use search data to provide personalized recommendations. This is a standalone setting and it just disables that personalized suggestion; it will not affect the history settings of the Google search service. Google can still use your search data to improve the service if you just turn this setting off but keep the search service history setting turned on.

Step 1: On your mobile device or computer, visit myactivity.google.com/myactivity

Step 2: Scroll down and tap the item Search Service History.

Step 3: Scroll down and tap settings Search Services Personalization.

Step 4: Now, tap on settings Personalized recommendations vChoose to turn off this feature.

Previously, the search history setting was part of the Web & App Activity settings, but it has now been moved to a different setting.

If you’ve turned off web & app activity settings, or turned off saving Google Search History, this new option won’t be turned on by default.