Have you ever looked at a product on a website only to have it continuously follow you around as you browse other websites? So have we! Whilst this can be helpful on occasion, it can also feel a little intrusive and something that we believe the option to opt-out from these is important.

Fortunately, whilst it can be a little tricky, Google does offer a number of options to help significantly reduce the number of websites that can follow you around the internet.

For more on this, check out Google’s official guide below.

Online advertising

You can opt-out of personalised ads in your Ads Settings. Your opt-outs will apply across both Google ads services (ex: Search ads) and the 2+ million websites and apps that partner with Google to show ads.

Instructions

Ads Settings lets you opt-out of seeing personalised ads when you’re:

  • Signed in to your Google Account (“Ads Personalisation”)
  • Signed out of your Google Account and browsing the websites and apps that partner with Google to show ads (“Ads Personalisation Across the Web”)
  • Signed out of your Google Account and using Google Search (“Ads Personalisation on Google Search”)
If you’re signed in to your Google Account

Opt-out of Ads Personalisation

  1. Go to Ads Settings
  2. Click or tap the slider next to “Ads Personalisation”
  3. Click or tap TURN OFF

This opt-out will work across all of your signed-in devices when we recognise you as being signed-in.

If you’re signed out of your Google Account

Opt-out of Ads Personalisation Across the Web

  1. Go to Ads Settings
  2. Click or tap the slider next to “Ads Personalisation Across the Web”
  3. Click or tap TURN OFF

Opt-out of Ads Personalisation on Google Search

  1. Go to Ads Settings
  2. Click or tap the slider next to “Ads Personalisation on Google Search”
  3. Click or tap TURN OFF
If you want to turn off ads personalisation for your browser

If you want to turn off Google ads personalisation for your browser (whether or not you’re signed in), you can install a browser plugin. Learn how

What opting out doesn’t do

There are some things that opting out doesn’t do. Here are some of the most common scenarios and what you can do to address them.

Stop ads altogether

Ads are essential to fund many websites. When you opt out, you’ll still see ads by Google – they just won’t be based on topics that you like, your visits to advertisers’ websites or demographics. Instead, they’ll be based on factors such as the content of the page or your general location.

Here are some other things that you can do to control the ads that you see:

  • See fewer ads online and support the websites you visit with Google Contributor
  • Turn off ads personalisation for the Google ads you see when you’re signed out and those from 100+ other online ad networks through AdChoices
Disable other companies’ personalised ads

Opting out doesn’t stop personalised ads that aren’t served by Google. So, when you browse the internet and see a website, video or app that uses advertising services by other companies, you may still see personalised ads.

To opt-out of seeing personalised ads on other ad networks, you can use a cross-industry opt-out tool or control that works for your browser or device. Find out more

Opt you out across multiple browsers or computers at once if you’re signed out of your Google Account

Do you use a few different browsers on your computer? Even if you’ve opted out of personalised ads by Google on one browser (such as Chrome), you may still see personalised ads by Google on your other browsers (such as Internet Explorer and Safari). The same applies if you use multiple computers or devices. That’s because two of the three Ads Settings controls (“Ads Personalisation on Google Search” and “Ads Personalisation Across the Web”) only work for the browser or device that you’re using. You’ll need to opt-out of those two settings on the other browsers and devices that you use, too.

To avoid multiple opt-outs, you can sign in to your Google Account to opt-out of “Ads Personalisation”. This opt-out will work across all devices and browsers where we know that you’re signed in to your Google Account.

Keep you opted out after you’ve cleared your browser cookies

Do you delete or clear your browser’s cache and cookies? If you’ve cleared your cookies after opting out you may have undone your opt-out for that browser. You may need to opt-out of seeing personalised ads again on your browser. You can also install an extension like Protect My Choices.

Keep you opted out if your browser blocks cookies

Google uses cookies for many different purposes, including personalising ads and identifying your Ads Settings. If your browser is set to block cookies, you may see some hiccups in your experience with Google services, including with Ads Settings.

Opt you out of personalised ads in services where cookie technology may not be available

To serve ads in services where cookie technology may not be available (e.g. in mobile apps), Google may use other identifiers that perform similar functions to cookies. To opt-out of personalised ads in mobile apps:

Android

  1. Open the Google settings app on your device (called Google Settings or Settings, depending on your device)
  2. Scroll down and tap Google
  3. Tap Ads
  4. Switch on Opt out of interest-based ads or Opt out of Ads Personalisation

iOS

Devices with iOS use Apple’s Advertising Identifier. To find out more about limiting ad tracking using this identifier, visit the Settings app on your device.