Google has announced that it will discontinue its Dark Web Report, a feature for Google account or workspace users designed to scan the dark web for users’ personal information, as part of a broader effort to focus on security tools that offer clearer, more actionable protection for users.
According to Google, feedback showed that while the Dark Web Report provided general awareness and not enough enough practical next steps for users who discovered their information had been exposed. As a result, Google is shifting its focus toward tools that deliver clearer guidance and stronger security outcomes.
The phase-out will occur in stages. Scans for new dark web breaches will stop on January 15, 2026, and the Dark Web Report will be fully shut down and no longer accessible after February 16, 2026. After this date, the feature will be permanently removed from Google accounts.
Google emphasized that it will continue to track and defend users against online threats, including those originating from the dark web, while investing in tools that better protect personal information.
Google encourages users to strengthen their security and privacy using its existing protection tools, including:
- Security Checkup
- Passkeys for Google Account sign-in
- Authentication tools for secure sign-in via Google Safety Center
- Google Password Manager
- Password Checkup
The “Results about you” tool also helps users find and request the removal of personal information, such as phone numbers or home addresses, from search results. This feature is designed to give users more control over how their information appears online.
All data related to the Dark Web Report will be permanently deleted on February 16, 2026.
Users who prefer not to wait until that date can delete their monitoring profile at any time. Once the profile is deleted, access to the Dark Web Report will no longer be available.
How to Delete Your Monitoring Profile
Users can delete their Dark Web Report monitoring profile by following these steps:
On a computer
- Go to the Dark Web Report
- Under “Results with your info,” click Edit monitoring profile
- Scroll to the bottom and select Delete monitoring profile, then confirm by clicking Delete.
On Android or iPhone/iPad:
- Open the Dark Web Report.
- Under “Results with your info,” tap Edit monitoring profile.
- Tap Delete monitoring profile, then confirm by selecting Delete.
Learn more about the tool’s official end-of-life on their official support article here.
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