Do you ever use Google Gemini? If so, you’ve probably noticed that the AI chatbot is eager to learn as much as possible about you to better personalize its responses. But how much does this AI chatbot really need to know?
First, you should know what information Google’s AI collects. This list includes prompts, shared files, videos, photos, browser pages, transcripts, Gemini Live recordings, the names and custom instructions of your Gems, and any additional instructions you give Gemini to tailor its responses. Keep in mind that Gemini also powers many of Google’s base features now, so even if you don’t use the chatbot, you’re likely interacting with the AI model in some way.
Google offers a few ways to control your privacy, but it does make certain changes difficult. For example, you can delete past conversations and revoke Gemini’s access to Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Calendar. You can also use Gemini in temporary mode so it won’t save your chats. However, the only way to prevent Gemini from training on your chats is to turn off Google’s history retention for them. And if you do that, it means you won’t be able to view or refer back to prior conversations.
That said, there are some workarounds that strike a balance between privacy and effectiveness when using Gemini. Here are seven ways to boost your privacy when using Google’s AI platform.
1. Opt Out of Google Search AI Training
In its quest to gather even more of your information, Google is now using your search uploads to train its AI models. That means every time you add an image, document, audio file, or video to the Google search bar, it is collected in order to improve Gemini-powered products like Google Lens and Search Live. This is now happening by default, so if you don’t want Google’s AI to know what you’re looking for online, you’ll need to disable the feature.
To do this, open the My Activity settings screen, choose Search Services History, and make sure the Save media option is unchecked. You can also turn Search Services off entirely, delete past activity, and set up an auto-delete option.
(Credit: PCMag / Google)
2. Don’t Let Google Use Your Chats for Training
Gemini will use your conversations with it to train itself. Though Google promises that your data is anonymized, you may still not want any sensitive or personal details being shared this way. Unfortunately, the only way to stop this is to completely prevent Google from storing and using previous chats. This will remove conversations from Google’s activity history and your own chat history, meaning you won’t see any of your previous chats.
To me, that’s a huge drawback as I often refer to my chat history to see what topics have already been covered. But if you don’t need to view your chat history, sign in to the Gemini Apps Activity page with your Google account. If the Keep activity setting is on, click the drop-down button and choose Turn off.
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The next window explains what happens when you turn off your Gemini Activity. Beyond preventing future conversations from being used for AI training, this action removes these chats from your Activity feed and chat history. To confirm this step, click the Got it button. When you return to the main Gemini screen, you’ll see that your previous chats are gone.
(Credit: Google/PCMag)
3. Delete Past Chats From Google’s History
Since I want to access many of my previous chats, I typically don’t disable them from Google’s activity. Instead, I’ll selectively remove certain conversations that I no longer need. Google lets you delete specific chats, all those from a certain period, or everything in one shot.
Deleting chats this way removes them from Google’s activity history and your chat history. But at least it gives you control over which conversations you want to remove and which ones you wish to keep. At the Gemini Apps Activity page, I’ll remove certain conversations that I feel are more sensitive or personal and don’t want Google to store, either for its own activity or in my history.
(Credit: Google/PCMag)
Click the X next to any individual chat you wish to delete. To remove all chats or just those from a specific time period, click the Delete drop-down button near the top of the Activity page. You can then opt to delete activity from the last hour, the last day, all time, or a custom range.
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Instead of manually removing conversations, you can also set up an auto-delete option. Near the top of the Activity page is a setting called Choose an auto-delete option if the option is currently turned off or Deleting activity older than… followed by a specific period of time if the option is currently on. Click the right arrow next to that setting and choose Auto-delete activity older than from the drop-down menu, and choose a specific timeframe—3 months, 18 months, or 36 months. Click Next > Confirm > Done. If you don’t want your chat history to be removed automatically, choose Don’t auto-delete activity instead.
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(Credit: Google/PCMag)
4. Prevent Gemini Live From Storing Your Voice Conversations
Gemini Live allows you to converse with Google’s AI by voice. But here’s another area where the company can use your chats for AI training. By default, Google captures audio recordings of your conversations and any screenshots shared during a live conversation. Some recordings are even sent (anonymously) to human reviewers. Thankfully, you can easily turn this option off.
(Credit: Google/PCMag)
At the Gemini Apps Activity page, look at the top of the screen for a setting called Improve Google services with your audio and Gemini Live recordings. If it’s checked, click the box to uncheck it. Read the information displayed at the pop-up window. If this sounds good to you, click the Turn off button to finalize your action.
(Credit: Google/PCMag)
5. Cut Off Gemini’s Access to Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Calendar
Gemini can access your files and other content from certain connected apps, including Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Calendar. Part of Gemini’s Personal Intelligence skill, this lets you run AI-related tasks and actions on your own data. For example, you could tell Gemini to summarize a particular file stored on Google Drive or to generate a response to a certain email in Gmail. If you don’t want Gemini to have access to your files, you can easily disable this.
At the main screen, click Settings & help > Personal Intelligence > Connected Apps, and then turn off access to Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Docs, Google Keep, Google Calendar, Google Drive, and Google Tasks), Google Photos, Google Search, YouTube, and YouTube Music. Turn off the switch for any apps and services that you don’t need to use with Gemini, and then select Disconnect.
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6. Turn Off Personal Intelligence’s Memory Feature
Another aspect of Gemini’s Personal Intelligence is Memory. With this enabled, Gemini remembers your past chats and learns from them to better understand your interests, preferences, and other personal details. The goal here is to help the AI tailor its responses to you, but you might not want this. This is an opt-in feature, so it should already be disabled. To check, click Settings & help > Personal Intelligence, then check whether the Memory switch is enabled. If it is, you can just turn it off.
(Credit: Google/PCMag)
7. Use Gemini in Temporary Mode
One more way to protect your privacy with Gemini is to use it in temporary mode. You can easily start a new temporary chat to discuss a private or sensitive topic; it won’t appear in your chat history or on the Google Activity page, and won’t be used to train Gemini or personalize your experience. You can set one up by clicking the Temporary chat button next to New chat in the left sidebar. Gemini explains how the temporary chat works. Type and submit your request, knowing that the chat will remain private. Temporary chats are retained only for 72 hours.
(Credit: Google/PCMag)
About Our Expert
Lance Whitney
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Experience
I’ve been working for PCMag since early 2016 writing tutorials, how-to pieces, and other articles on consumer technology. Beyond PCMag, I’ve written news stories and tutorials for a variety of other websites and publications, including CNET, ZDNet, TechRepublic, Macworld, PC World, Time, US News & World Report, and AARP Magazine. I spent seven years writing breaking news for CNET as one of the site’s East Coast reporters. I’ve also written two books for Wiley & Sons—Windows 8: Five Minutes at a Time and Teach Yourself Visually LinkedIn.
I’ve used Windows, Office, and other Microsoft products for years so I’m well versed in that world. I also know the Mac quite well. I’m always working with iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and Android on my various mobile devices. And these days, I write a lot about AI, so that’s become another key area for me.
My wife always jokes about all the tech products we have around the house, but I manage to put them to good use for my articles. I like Lenovo computers, so I own a couple of Lenovo desktops and several laptops. I have three MacBooks and a Mac mini. For my mobile life and work, I use an iPhone 16 Pro, iPad Pro, and iPad mini as well as an Apple Watch. But since I write about Android, I own several Android phones and tablets. Like any tech person, I have a cabinet full of cables, wires, and assorted mysterious gadgets. And when it’s time to take a break from writing, I have an old Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, both of which I use for exercise and fitness games.
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