How to get your information out of Google Search

Short answer: use Google's own free "Results about you" tool at myactivity.google.com/results-about-you. It removes the link from Google Search results — it does not delete the information from the website that published it. Google also will not remove results it considers valuable to the public, such as government, educational, newspaper or business pages. Google's removal is free.

First, see what is actually there

Before making requests, look at what is exposed. Search your own name in quotes, add your town, and read the first few pages of results. Note the specific URLs that show your address, phone number or other personal details — you will need them, because Google reviews only the URLs you list.

That check also tells you which results are realistic targets. A directory page listing your address is a candidate; a newspaper article mentioning you is usually not.

What Google can and cannot do

Google controls Google Search. It does not control the websites it indexes. That single distinction explains almost everything confusing about "removing yourself from Google":

• Delisting removes a page from Google's search results.
• Deletion removes the page from the website that hosts it.

Google can do the first. Only the website itself can do the second. If you want the information gone altogether, you have to pursue both — delisting at Google, and an erasure request to the site (see below).

Step-by-step: "Results about you"

1. Sign in to your Google Account and open Results about you at myactivity.google.com/results-about-you.
2. Enter your name and the personal information to monitor — home address, phone number(s) and email address(es). Google also accepts a nickname, maiden name, and ID numbers.
3. Turn on notifications so Google alerts you when new matches appear.
4. Review matches in the "To review" tab. Each match shows the site and the information it contains.
5. Request removal from an individual result (expand the result, then choose Request to remove), or report it directly in Search via About this result → Remove result → "It shows my personal info and I don't want it there".
6. Confirm by the email Google sends, and track progress under "Removal requests".

Two other Google routes worth knowing

• The general personal-info removal form — for address, phone and email, confidential ID numbers, bank or card numbers, signature or ID images, medical records, login credentials, and doxxing content: support.google.com/websearch/answer/9673730.
• The "right to be forgotten" request (delisting results about your name under UK data protection law, on the basis that they are "inaccurate, inadequate, irrelevant or excessive", balanced against the public interest): the form is at reportcontent.google.com/forms/rtbf?product=websearch, explained at support.google.com/legal/answer/10769224.

When Google will not remove a result

• Public-interest results are kept. Google states you will not find a "Remove result" option for results it considers valuable to the public — government or educational websites, online newspapers, and business websites.
• Only the URLs you list are reviewed. Google does not sweep the whole web on your behalf.
• There is no published fixed timeframe for a decision. Google reviews requests and confirms the outcome by email, but does not state how long it will take.

What about other search engines?

Google's removal tools cover Google only. Bing and other search engines have their own processes and their own forms, and you would need to submit separately to each. Google is the one to start with because it is where most people search, but delisting from Google does not delist you anywhere else.

What this does not do

• It does not remove the information from the source website. The page stays up; only its appearance in Google Search results changes.
• It does not remove you from other search engines. Each has its own process.
• It does not override public-interest content. News, government and business pages are generally kept.
• It does not guarantee invisibility. Delisted pages can still be reached by direct link, and other search engines may still surface them.

If the website will not remove your data

Delisting is about Google; the underlying page is the publisher's responsibility. To get the page itself removed or amended, use your right to erasure under Article 17 of the UK GDPR. It is not absolute, but it applies in defined situations — for example where the data is no longer necessary, where consent was withdrawn, or where you have successfully objected to the processing. Put the request in writing, identify yourself and say what you want erased. Organisations must normally respond within one calendar month (extendable by up to two further months in complex cases, with notice inside the first month), and there is normally no fee. If the organisation refuses, it must explain why and tell you how to complain to the ICO or go to court.

Information, not legal advice. This page describes published processes and does not promise any particular outcome.

Last reviewed: 28 September 2026

Sources

All links accessed 2026-09-28.

• Google — Find and remove personal info in Google Search results ("Results about you" steps and limits): support.google.com/websearch/answer/12719076
• Google — Results about you tool: myactivity.google.com/results-about-you
• Google — Remove my private info from Google Search: support.google.com/websearch/answer/9673730
• Google — Right to be forgotten overview: support.google.com/legal/answer/10769224
• Google — Right to be forgotten request form: reportcontent.google.com/forms/rtbf?product=websearch
• ICO — Your right to get your data deleted: ico.org.uk/for-the-public/your-right-to-get-your-data-deleted
• ICO — Right to erasure (organisational guidance): ico.org.uk — right to erasure

Disclaimers

General information, not legal advice. This guide explains how UK data-protection and public-register processes work. It is general information only and is not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, consult a solicitor or a recognised advice service.

We are not a data-removal service. cyberawareuk.co.uk does not remove anyone's personal data, does not act on your behalf, and does not handle your personal information in connection with these steps. Everything described here is done by you, directly — usually for free.

Not affiliated with any organisation named. 192.com, the Electoral Commission, your local council, Companies House, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), Google and any other organisation named on this page are independent of cyberawareuk.co.uk. Naming them does not imply any endorsement, partnership or approval.

No guarantee of outcome. These are the published processes. The result depends on the organisation you contact. Some records cannot be removed at all, and some organisations may refuse a request or take longer than expected.

Accuracy and change. Public-register processes, fees and legal deadlines change. Last reviewed: 28 September 2026 — always confirm the current requirement at the official source before relying on it.

External links. Links to official websites are provided for convenience only. We are not responsible for the content, accuracy or availability of other sites.

Limitation of liability. To the fullest extent permitted by law, cyberawareuk.co.uk excludes all liability for any loss or damage arising from your use of, or reliance on, this page. We are not liable for the acts, omissions or services of any third party, including any provider we link to. Nothing here excludes or limits liability that cannot lawfully be excluded — including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, or for fraud — and nothing affects your statutory rights as a consumer. See the full disclaimer at /disclaimer/.

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