Google’s AI Can Access Your Data: 7 Settings to Change Now

If you use Gmail, YouTube, Google Search, or any of the company’s other services, your data is being used to train and personalize Google’s AI features—by default. Many people don’t realize how much information Google’s AI tools, including Gemini, can see: your search history, location, voice recordings, YouTube watch patterns, and even your email contents in some cases.

The good news is that you don’t need to give up all of Google’s convenience. You can significantly limit what its AI can access by adjusting a handful of settings. Below are seven changes you should make on your Google Account today. Instructions apply to both desktop and mobile unless noted.

What happened

Google has steadily integrated AI into its core products over the past two years, most notably through Gemini (its conversational AI assistant) and AI Overviews in Search. These features rely on your personal data to offer personalized responses, recommendations, and contextual help. A detailed report from PCMag published in July 2026 highlighted that many users are unaware of how much data these AI features collect by default.

Google’s privacy policies allow the company to use your activity data to improve its AI models, unless you opt out. The settings below are the most direct levers you can pull to reduce that data flow.

Why it matters

When you ask Google’s AI a question, it may pull from your search history, your location, your YouTube viewing habits, and your saved preferences. That can feel helpful—but it also means Google’s models are storing and analyzing personal patterns that you might not want them to see. For example:

  • Gemini can use your Location History to tailor responses (e.g., restaurant recommendations).
  • Voice & Audio Activity stores recordings of your commands, which can be used for AI training.
  • Web & App Activity builds a detailed log of everything you do across Google services.

If you value privacy, these defaults are worth reconsidering. You can still use Google’s AI tools—just with less of your personal data feeding into them.

What readers can do

Below are the seven settings to change. All can be found in your Google Account under Data & Privacy (on desktop) or via the Google app > your profile picture > Manage your Google Account > Data & Privacy (on mobile).

1. Turn off Web & App Activity

This is the most important setting. It controls whether Google saves your searches, browsing activity, and app usage. AI features like Gemini use this to personalize responses.

  • Desktop: Go to myaccount.google.com > Data & Privacy > Web & App Activity > Turn off.
  • Mobile: Google app > Profile > Manage your Google Account > Data & Privacy > Web & App Activity > Turn off.

You can also choose to auto-delete older activity (e.g., after 3 months) if you want some history retained temporarily.

2. Disable YouTube History

YouTube’s AI uses your watch history to recommend videos and power Gemini’s video-related answers. Turning off YouTube History stops that data from being used for AI training.

  • Desktop: myaccount.google.com > Data & Privacy > YouTube History > Turn off.
  • Mobile: YouTube app > Profile > Settings > History & privacy > Pause watch history.

3. Opt out of Voice & Audio Activity

Every time you say “Hey Google” or use voice commands, your recordings can be saved and used to improve Google’s speech recognition and AI. You can prevent that.

  • Desktop/ Mobile: myaccount.google.com > Data & Privacy > Voice & Audio Activity > Turn off.

You can also download or delete existing recordings from that same page.

4. Turn off Location History

Location History creates a timeline of where you’ve been. Gemini can use this to give location-aware answers (e.g., “What’s the best coffee shop near me?”). If you don’t want that data used for AI, disable it.

  • Desktop: myaccount.google.com > Data & Privacy > Location History > Turn off.
  • Mobile: Same path, or use the Google Maps app > Profile > Settings > Personal content > Location History.

Note: turning off Location History does not stop your device from sending approximate location for other services (like maps navigation). That’s a separate setting.

5. Manage Ad Personalization

Ad Personalization uses your activity to show you targeted ads. But that data also feeds into Google’s broader AI profile of you. Turning it off reduces the data available for AI personalization.

  • Desktop: myaccount.google.com > Data & Privacy > Ad Personalization > Turn off.
  • Mobile: Same path via Google Account settings.

This won’t remove ads, but they will become less targeted and less tied to your personal data.

6. Review Google Assistant Data Permissions

If you use Google Assistant (on phones, smart speakers, or Nest devices), it collects more than just voice recordings. It also records device interactions, routines, and smart home commands. These can be used for AI improvement.

  • Desktop/ Mobile: Open the Google Home or Assistant app > Settings > Google Assistant > Data & Privacy. Review what’s enabled. You can turn off “Improve Assistant” if you don’t want your interactions used for AI training.

Also in your Google Account > Data & Privacy > Google Assistant > you can delete past queries.

7. Opt out of Gemini App Activity Logging (if available)

Some users now see a dedicated “Gemini App Activity” setting inside their Google Account. This logs interactions with the Gemini chatbot, including prompts and responses. The data may be used for model training.

  • Desktop/ Mobile: myaccount.google.com > Data & Privacy > Gemini App Activity. If the option appears, turn it off. If not, check back—Google is rolling this out gradually.

Note: As of July 2026, this setting is not universally available. Some accounts still rely on the general Web & App Activity toggle for Gemini data.

Additional tips

  • Review third-party app access: From Data & Privacy, scroll to “Third-party apps with account access” and revoke any you don’t use.
  • Set auto-delete: For any activity you do keep, enable auto-delete (3 months or 18 months) so old data isn’t retained indefinitely.
  • Check for new settings: Google frequently adds new privacy controls. Scan your Data & Privacy page every few months.

Sources

This guide draws primarily from PCMag’s July 2026 article “Google’s AI Has Access to More Than You Think. Change These 7 Settings Now to Protect Your Privacy,” which documented the default data-sharing practices and the specific settings to change. Additional context comes from Google’s official Privacy Policy and Account Help pages. Note that settings and options may vary slightly depending on your device, operating system, and region. Always verify current controls directly in your own account.