You'd be amazed at how much information Google knows about you: How do you get rid of it?

If you've ever wondered how Google seems to read your mind, the answer lies in its massive and incredibly detailed collection of data. In fact, you can see what Google knows about you—and delete it if you want to get rid of it.

How much does Google know about you?

There's no denying how deeply Google has become embedded in our lives—and how much data it collects along the way. If you use services like Search, YouTube , Gmail , Chrome, Google Maps , or Android (which, in fact, most people do), you're sharing parts of your digital life every day.

Google knows what you search for, the videos you watch, the places you go, the websites you visit, the apps you use, and even how long you use them. Google records the voice commands you give to Google Assistant (if voice activity is enabled), tracks your purchases through email receipts, and builds an advertising profile based on your behavior. Your interests, habits, and even important life events are all stored and analyzed.

Google isn't necessarily doing anything shady with this data. But it's collecting more information than most people realize, and it's doing so all the time. This information doesn't just sit there. It's analyzed, categorized, and used to personalize your experience and deliver highly targeted advertising.

Where does Google collect your data?

While most people know that Google tracks their searches, few realize how much more Google collects behind the scenes. Here's a breakdown of what Google services collect:

It's like a mosaic: Each service adds a few more tiles. Over time, that mosaic becomes a detailed portrait of who you are and what you do online.

How to See What Google Knows About You

If this sounds daunting, there's good news: Google actually gives you tools to see what Google knows about you—though you might not be prepared for the level of detail.

Start at myactivity.google.com , where you'll find a searchable timeline of your interactions across Google services: Search, YouTube views, Maps activity, Assistant voice commands, and more.

Try searching for specific terms like 'weather' to see how often you check the forecast, or scroll through your search history to see searches you might have forgotten about. You might discover that Google knows about your 3 a.m. shopping trip or your sudden interest in learning French last year.

Next, go to adssettings.google.com . Here, you'll see the profile Google has built based on your behavior: Age, gender, interests, and even life events like moving house or changing jobs. It's not always exact — but it's usually close.

Want to see where you've been? Open the Google Maps app and tap You . Scroll down and tap Explore Timeline . You'll get a map of the restaurants you've visited, the trips you've taken, and your daily commute, sometimes down to the exact route. It's fascinating how Google can deduce exactly what kind of transportation you used to get from place to place, pinpointing exactly when you flew, walked, or took public transit based on your speed and travel patterns.

How to delete and limit what Google tracks

Once you see how much data Google stores, you might want to clean things up. Luckily, Google offers tools to delete old data and limit future tracking. To delete activity or set up automatic deletion:

1. Go to myactivity.google.com
2. Select the three vertical dots menu > Delete activity by
3. Select time period or set up auto-delete (3, 18 or 36 months)

To pause activity tracking, go to Google Account > Data & Privacy . Under History settings , select the activities you want to pause ( Web & App Activity , Location History , YouTube History ).

To pause ads personalization: Go to adssettings.google.com > Turn off Ad personalization .

Note that turning off some tracking may reduce functionality. For example, turning off location history may affect Google Maps suggestions or commute time estimates. But for many people, the trade-off is worth it.

Can you really delete everything Google knows about you?

You can delete a lot, but completely removing yourself from the Google ecosystem is much more complicated.

Deleting activity from your Google account will remove it from your personal dashboard. However, this does not mean that the data is immediately deleted from Google's systems. Some data may be stored in backups or retained for legal or operational reasons, as outlined in Google's privacy policy.

There's also data collected by third-party sites using Google tools. Even if you clear your personal history, those profiles may still exist elsewhere. And if you're using an Android phone, background data collection may continue unless you take advanced steps to block it.

Certain data—like emails in Gmail or files in Drive—must be deleted manually. And unless you completely delete your Google account, some tracking may continue.

However, taking action is important. Adjusting your settings, deleting what you can, and limiting future tracking can significantly reduce your digital footprint.

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David Pac

Update 07 June 2025