If you have ever searched your own name and seen a phone number, home address or document you never wanted public, you have probably looked for a way to make it disappear. Google provides a request process for certain kinds of personal information. It does not erase content from the internet, and it does not grant every request, but when used well it can make harmful pages much harder to find. This guide explains how the request form works, what qualifies, how to prepare a strong request and what to do after you submit. Because Google updates its policies and forms, follow the current wording on its help pages. For the larger plan, see remove yourself from Google and Google data removal strategies.
1. What the form actually does
The form asks Google to remove a URL from search results for particular queries or in general, because the page contains information covered by its removal policies. Three things follow.
- The page stays online. Google is an index. If the website keeps the page, other people can still visit it directly and other search engines may list it.
- Search visibility drops. Once approved, the page no longer appears in Google results, at least for the covered queries.
- Policy governs the decision. Google decides based on its published criteria, not on whether you would prefer the content removed.
Knowing this, the best strategy pairs a Google request with a request to the site itself. See steps for removing personal data online.
2. What types of content may qualify
Google’s policies change, but the categories commonly include:
- Personal contact information such as home address, phone number or email, particularly when posted with the intent to harass or in contexts that expose you to harm
- Government-issued ID numbers
- Bank account and credit card numbers
- Images of handwritten signatures
- Medical records
- Confidential login credentials
- Non-consensual explicit or intimate imagery, including synthetic imagery
- Content from sites with exploitative removal practices
- Certain personal information on pages that have already been removed from the web but remain in cached results
What usually does not qualify: accurate news reporting, public records presented without sensitive identifiers, opinions and reviews, and content that serves a public interest. Defamation claims typically require a legal process.
3. Before you submit: prepare
Step 1: Gather the URLs
Open each page and copy the exact URL from the address bar. If the information appears in multiple places, list each separately.
Step 2: Note the queries that show them
Record the search terms, for example your name plus city, that bring up the page. This helps Google verify and cover the right results.
Step 3: Take screenshots
Capture the result page and the content itself, with the date visible. Highlight the sensitive information.
Step 4: Check whether the page can be fixed at the source
If the site has an opt-out or contact form, submit that first or in parallel. Many people-search sites have official opt-outs, for example Spokeo, the PeopleConnect suppression center and That’s Them. See how to opt out of the most popular people search sites.
Step 5: Decide which category fits
Choose the form option that matches your situation, such as personal contact information, government IDs, financial information, intimate imagery or content removed from a site. Using the right category speeds review.
4. Submitting the request
- Open the removal request page in Google’s help center for the category you chose.
- Provide your contact details, including an email address where Google can reach you. Use an alias email if you prefer.
- Paste the URLs one per line.
- Add the search queries that show the results.
- Write a short, factual explanation: what personal information appears, why it is a risk and, where relevant, that you did not consent to it.
- Upload screenshots if the form allows.
- Submit and save the confirmation email and reference number.
If the exposure includes a threat, stalking or fraud, also report to the platform, the police and the relevant agencies. Scams go to reportfraud.ftc.gov, identity theft to identitytheft.gov, and online crime to the FBI’s IC3.
Curious what’s already out there? Wiperts’ 100% Free Diagnosis shows which data brokers are listing your name, home address and phone number. Check your exposure free — it takes about a minute.
5. What happens after you submit
Google reviews the request and may email you with questions or a decision. Possible outcomes:
| Outcome | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Approved | The URL is removed from results for covered queries | Verify by searching; keep the email |
| Partially approved | Some URLs removed, others not | Act on the rest through the source site |
| Denied | The content did not meet the policy | Review the reason; add detail and resubmit if justified |
| More information requested | Google needs clarification | Reply promptly with specifics |
Approved removal usually takes effect soon after, though cached copies and other engines may lag. Re-check after a week and again after a month.
6. If Google denies your request
- Read the reason. It often points to the missing element.
- Strengthen the request. Add screenshots or an explanation of the risk. If the content includes your phone number and address next to your name, say so.
- Go to the source. Ask the site owner or hosting company to remove the page. Many sites respond to polite, specific emails. Use the hosting provider’s abuse form for illegal or harassing content.
- Use your state rights. Several states give residents rights to request deletion from businesses that hold their data. California’s regulator is at cppa.ca.gov, and the state’s DROP at privacy.ca.gov/drop lets residents send deletion requests to registered brokers.
- Seek legal advice for defamation, copyright or court-order situations.
- Consider reputation strategies. If the content is lawful and accurate, you can reduce its visibility by publishing accurate profiles you control. See the online reputation time bomb.
7. Related Google tools
Google offers a way to see results that contain your contact details and request their removal, along with monitoring that alerts you to new ones, available through your account’s results-about-you settings. See Google launched a new tool to delete your personal info. Google also offers activity controls for your own account data. See find out what Google knows about you and delete it.
8. Other search engines
Bing and other search engines have their own request processes, and some smaller engines rely on partners. Removing the page at the source solves the problem everywhere. See beyond Google: how to delete your data from alternative search engines.
9. A sample explanation you can adapt
Keep your explanation short and factual. For example: the page at the listed address publishes my home address and phone number next to my full name; I did not consent to this publication; the information exposes me to harassment and fraud; please remove the page from results for searches of my name. Avoid long narratives and avoid anger. State the category, the information that appears and the risk. If you are in a safety situation, say so plainly. This format gives a reviewer what is needed to apply the policy quickly.
10. Timing and follow-up
Do not wait for a decision before fixing the source. Send the site its own removal request on the same day. Set a reminder to check the status in a week. If you receive an approval, search for the original query in a private window to confirm. If you receive a request for more information, answer within a few days so the case does not lapse. After the source page is removed, ask for the outdated result to be refreshed so that the old snippet disappears.
11. Three scenarios and what to do
Scenario 1: A people-search page shows your address. Opt out at the site, then submit a request for the cached result if it remains. Ask for a refresh after the page is gone.
Scenario 2: A forum post includes your phone number and a threat. Report to the platform and police, submit a request under the contact information and harassment category and save evidence.
Scenario 3: A document with your ID number is indexed. Submit a request under government ID or financial information, ask the site to remove the file, freeze your credit and monitor. See responding to personal data theft.
12. Tips for stronger requests
- One request per issue, with precise URLs.
- Short, factual language without emotion.
- Specify the personal information that appears.
- Update Google when the source page is removed.
- Do not resubmit identical requests repeatedly; add new detail instead.
- Keep a log of dates and outcomes.
13. Common mistakes
- Submitting a search result page URL instead of the specific page.
- Choosing a category that does not fit.
- Expecting Google to delete the page itself.
- Forgetting to ask the site to remove the source.
- Not following up after approval.
- Ignoring Bing and other engines.
14. Questions to ask yourself before you submit
Is the problem personal contact information or a sensitive identifier, which Google is likelier to remove, or is it unflattering but lawful content? Can I fix it at the source faster? Do I have evidence? Would a short note to the site owner work? Is there a safety concern that calls for police or an advocate? Answers help you choose the quickest route.
15. How Wiperts fits
Submitting and following up on removals across many sites and engines is repetitive. Wiperts scans more than 100 data brokers and people-search sites for your name, address and phone numbers, submits removal requests, removes your personal results from Google and Bing, blurs your home on maps and monitors continuously so profiles that return are removed again.
See what is public about you with the free diagnosis.
100% Free Diagnosis: Check Your Exposure
Find out what data brokers have on you. Enter your details in the free scanner on the Wiperts homepage:
- First Name
- Last Name
- Select State
- Email Address
- Website
Scan Databases Now — no payment is needed to see your exposure report.
16. Key takeaways
- Google’s form removes results, not pages, and covers sensitive categories like contact information, government IDs and financial data.
- Prepare exact URLs, queries and screenshots, and pick the right category.
- If denied, add detail, go to the source site and consider legal routes.
- Pair Google requests with source removal and monitor for returns.
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Every plan includes removal of your name, date of birth, salary, home address and phone number from 100+ data brokers and people-search sites, Google and Bing search-result removal, home blurring on maps, and 24/7 monitoring that re-removes your data if it reappears. See plans and start your removal
17. Frequently Asked Questions
What can I ask Google to remove?
Results that show personal contact information such as your home address, phone number or email, government ID numbers, bank or card numbers, medical records, handwritten signatures and non-consensual intimate imagery, among other categories in its policies.
Does Google delete the page?
No. Google removes the link from its search results. The page remains on the website and may appear in other search engines until the site removes it.
What information should I submit?
The exact URLs of the pages, the search queries that show them, your name and contact email, screenshots and a clear explanation of what personal information appears.
How long does a request take?
Responses typically arrive within days to a couple of weeks, though times vary. Google may email you about its decision.
What if Google denies my request?
Read the reason, add detail or evidence and resubmit, ask the site owner to remove the page and consider legal advice for defamation or court-order situations.
Is this the same as the right to be forgotten?
Not exactly. The right to be forgotten is a European legal right. In the US, removal depends on Google’s policies and applicable law.
Sources
- Spokeo
- PeopleConnect suppression center
- That’s Them
- reportfraud.ftc.gov
- identitytheft.gov
- IC3
- cppa.ca.gov
- privacy.ca.gov/drop
Related Reading
- How to Remove Yourself From Google Search Results
- How to Remove Your Personal Information From Google
- Google Results About You: How to Use the Tool (2026)
- Googled Yourself and Found Your Info? Here’s What to Do Next
- Wiping Down Google: A Step-by-Step Cleanup of Your Search Footprint
- Delist and Delete Yourself Online: A Practical 2026 Playbook
- Remove Your Data From Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo and More
- Found Your Private Data Online? What to Do Next
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