What you can actually delete from Google
Google Search does not store copies of your personal information — it only indexes what already exists on the web and points people to it. You cannot delete information from Google's servers the way you delete a file from your computer. What you can do is remove links to that information from Google Search results, or ask Google to stop showing outdated versions of pages.
The distinction matters because it changes what tools you use and what actually happens. If you delete a page from your own website, Google will eventually stop showing it in search results — but that takes time. If someone else published information about you on their website, you can ask Google to remove the link from search results, but the original page stays on their site. If you want the information gone entirely, you need to contact the website owner first.
Google offers three main routes: removing your own content, requesting removal of outdated or sensitive information, and asking for removal of pages that violate Google's policies.
Key Takeaways
- Google Search indexes pages that already exist elsewhere on the web — deleting from Google does not delete the original page.
- If you own the website, delete the page there first, then use Google Search Console to tell Google to remove it from results.
- If someone else published the information, you can request removal through Google's removal tool, but the page itself stays on their site.
- Removal requests for sensitive personal information (addresses, phone numbers, financial details) are usually processed within days.
- Pages that violate Google's policies — revenge content, hacked sites, spam — can be reported separately and may be removed faster.
Removing your own pages from Google Search
If you published something on your own website and want it out of Google Search results, the fastest route is to delete the page on your site first, then tell Google about it. Deleting the page alone is not enough — Google's crawlers may not visit your site for weeks, and the old link can stay in search results for months.
Use Google Search Console to speed this up. Sign in with the Google account associated with your website, navigate to the "Removals" section, and select "Remove URLs". Paste the full web address of the page you deleted and submit. Google usually processes this within days. You can also use the "Temporary removal" option if you want the page hidden from search results for six months while keeping it on your website — useful if you are taking a page down for editing.
If you do not have Google Search Console set up, you can still request removal through Google's general removal tool at google.com/webmasters/tools/remove-urls, but it works slower and requires you to verify you own the site. Setting up Search Console takes about ten minutes and gives you other useful information about how Google sees your site.
Removing links to someone else's page
If information about you appears on someone else's website and shows up in Google Search, you can ask Google to remove the link from results without removing the original page. This is useful when the information is outdated, inaccurate, or sensitive — but the page itself stays on their site.
Go to google.com/webmasters/tools/removals and select "Remove information from Google Search". You will need to sign in with a Google account. Paste the full URL of the page containing the information and describe why it should be removed. Google's removal tool accepts requests for outdated contact information, financial details, addresses, phone numbers, and pages that violate their policies.
Processing usually takes a few days to a week. Google will send you a confirmation email when they have reviewed your request. If approved, the link disappears from Google Search results, though the original page remains on the other website. If you want the information actually deleted, you will need to contact the website owner directly and ask them to remove it.
Requesting removal of sensitive personal information
Google has a faster track for sensitive information: home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, financial account numbers, and government ID numbers. If this type of information about you appears in search results, you can request removal without waiting for the standard review process.
Use the same removal tool (google.com/webmasters/tools/removals) and select the category that matches your situation — "Personal information" for addresses and phone numbers, "Financial information" for bank details, or "Government ID" for Social Security numbers and similar documents. Provide the URL and specify exactly what information needs to be removed. Google prioritizes these requests and usually responds within a few days.
This tool removes the link from Google Search results only. If you want the information deleted from the original website, contact the site owner directly. Many websites have a contact form or privacy policy with instructions for removal requests.
Reporting pages that violate Google's policies
Some content should be removed faster: hacked websites, revenge content, spam, and pages impersonating you. Google has a separate reporting process for these.
If a page contains content that impersonates you, uses your identity to deceive people, or was published without your consent (such as intimate images), report it through google.com/webmasters/tools/report-cloaking-hacking. Describe what the page does and why it violates Google's policies. Google reviews policy violations within hours to a few days and may remove the link when ready.
If you believe a website has been hacked and is showing malware or spam, you can report it the same way. Google will flag the site as dangerous in search results and may remove individual pages faster than the standard removal process.
What happens after you request removal
When you submit a removal request, Google sends you a confirmation email with a reference number. You can check the status of your request by signing back into the removal tool and looking at your history. Most requests show a status of "Pending review", "Approved", or "Denied".
If your request is approved, the link disappears from Google Search results within a few hours to a few days. The original page stays on the internet — you have only removed it from Google's index. If the page is re-published or the website owner re-uploads it, it may reappear in search results, and you would need to submit another removal request.
If your request is denied, Google sends an explanation. Common reasons include: the page does not violate their policies, the information is newsworthy or in the public interest, or the page is still active on the original website. You can submit another request if circumstances change.
Removing old cached versions of pages
Google keeps cached copies of web pages — snapshots of how they looked when Google's crawler visited them. Even if a page has been updated or deleted, the old cached version can still appear in search results. You can ask Google to remove the cached version without removing the current page.
In Google Search, find the page you want to clear the cache for. Click the three dots next to the result and select "About this result". Look for the cached version link and click it. On the cached page, click "Remove this result" at the top. Google will remove the cached version from search results within a few days, though the current version of the page stays in the index.
This is useful if a page contained sensitive information that has since been deleted or corrected. The cached version shows the old, problematic content, but removing it does not affect the current page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take Google to remove something from search results?
Standard removal requests usually take three to seven days. Sensitive personal information (addresses, phone numbers, financial details) is processed faster, often within one to three days. Policy violations like hacked sites or impersonation may be reviewed within hours. You can check the status of your request in Google Search Console.
If I delete a page from my website, will it disappear from Google when ready?
No. Google's crawlers visit websites on their own schedule, which can take weeks. Use Google Search Console's removal tool to tell Google about the deletion — this speeds up the process to days instead of weeks. You can also use the "Temporary removal" option to hide it from search results for six months while keeping the page on your site.
Can I remove information that someone else posted about me?
You can remove the link from Google Search results through the removal tool, but the original page stays on their website. To actually delete the information, contact the website owner directly. If the content violates Google's policies — such as revenge content or impersonation — you can report it for faster removal from search results.
What if the website owner will not remove the information?
You have two options: keep requesting removal from Google Search (the link will disappear from results even if the page stays online), or contact the website directly with a formal takedown request. Some websites have privacy policies or contact forms for removal requests. If the content is illegal in your location, you may be able to file a legal complaint, though this varies by country and type of content.
Does removing something from Google Search remove it from the entire internet?
No. Removing a link from Google Search only affects what appears when people search on Google. The page stays on the original website, and other search engines like Bing or DuckDuckGo may still index it. To remove information from the internet entirely, you need to contact the website owner and ask them to delete the page.