Google introduces granular privacy controls for Search and Play services

At a glance:

• Google is rolling out new privacy controls that separate history saving from personalization across Search services and Google Play
• The new Search Services History and Personalized Recommendations settings give users more direct control over their data
• Saved media from interactions, including images and audio, will be captured unless users opt out

What's changing

Google is introducing separate privacy controls for Search services and Google Play, giving users more granular options to manage their activity history and personalized recommendations. The company announced these changes via email to users, stating it is "updating our settings to give you even more control over saved history and personalized recommendations across Google Search services and Google Play."

Previously, users managed history and personalization through the broad Web & App Activity setting. Now, Google is splitting this into distinct controls: Search Services History manages what activity gets saved, while Personalized Recommendations controls whether that data is used to tailor experiences. This separation allows users to save their search history for convenience while opting out of personalized results.

The rollout affects multiple Google services including Search, Maps, Shopping, Hotels, Flights, Translate, and News. Users will see the new settings in their Google Account over the coming days, though the exact timeline varies by region.

How the new settings work

Search Services History determines whether Google saves your activity from Search services to your Google Account. This includes searches, Maps activity, Shopping queries, flight and hotel interactions, Translate usage, and News activity. Google says this makes it easier to revisit previous searches and continue using newer interactive Search experiences.

The Personalized Recommendations setting operates independently, allowing users to control whether Google uses saved data to customize their experience. This separation is significant because some users may want their history saved for reference but prefer not to receive personalized recommendations based on that data.

After the transition, changes to Web & App Activity will no longer automatically affect the new Search services settings. Each control operates independently, giving users more precise management options.

Media saving and AI development

Google's announcement reveals that saved media can include images, files, audio, and video from interactions with Search services. This encompasses visual searches conducted with Google Lens and audio from voice-based interactions. According to Google, this media saving helps support interactive product experiences.

"For example, this lets you revisit your past visual searches with Lens or continue a Search Live conversation about a song you heard," Google explained in its email. "To support these types of interactive product experiences, Google will now save your media to your Search Services History, applying robust privacy and security protections."

However, this saved media isn't just stored for user convenience. Google explicitly states that saved media, like Search Services History, is used to develop and improve Google services and technologies, including AI models and safety measures. Users can turn off the Save Media subsetting at any time and delete individual pieces of media from their history.

Google Play updates

The same privacy control updates are coming to Google Play. Users will gain access to new Play History and Personalization in Play settings, even if they have never used the service before. These settings will reflect users' most recent choices from Web & App Activity and Search Personalization settings.

Google notes that any previous choices about how long history is saved will carry over to the new settings. Users can still modify their auto-delete periods, manually review their history, or delete activity at any time. The company emphasizes that these changes provide more direct control than the previous single Web & App Activity switch.

What users should do

The changes will appear in Google Account over the next few days. Users who currently have Web & App Activity enabled should review their new settings, particularly the Save Media option which is automatically turned on after the transition. While the separation of controls provides more flexibility, it also requires users to actively manage multiple settings rather than a single toggle.

Google recommends checking these settings even for users who rarely engage with Search services or Google Play, as the new controls will be visible regardless of usage history. The company has applied privacy and security protections to the saved media, though users concerned about data collection should consider adjusting their preferences during the rollout period.

Looking ahead

These privacy updates represent Google's ongoing effort to give users more transparency and control over their data. The company faces increasing regulatory pressure around privacy practices, particularly in regions like the EU where new digital services regulations are taking effect.

The timing of this rollout coincides with broader industry shifts toward more granular privacy controls. Other tech companies have similarly moved away from broad activity tracking settings toward more specific toggles that let users choose exactly what data is collected and how it's used.

Users should expect continued refinements to these settings as Google gathers feedback and as regulatory requirements evolve. The company has indicated that future updates may bring additional privacy controls for other services beyond Search and Play.

Additional context

Google's approach to privacy controls has evolved significantly since the introduction of Web & App Activity. Early versions offered limited user control, but regulatory requirements and changing user expectations have pushed the company toward more transparent settings.

The new controls arrive as Google continues to integrate AI more deeply into its services. Features like Search Live and Lens rely heavily on historical data and media processing, making the distinction between saving data and using it for personalization increasingly important for both functionality and privacy.

Industry observers will be watching how users interact with these new settings and whether the increased complexity leads to better privacy outcomes or simply user confusion.