You can make some information on your Google Account private or visible to anyone. That way, you’re in control of who views info like your birthday or phone number across Google services.
Choose what info to show
Your name and profile picture can be viewed by other people who use Google services where your main Google Account profile is shown, including when you communicate or share content.
- On your Android phone or tablet, open your Settings.
- Tap Google
Manage your Google Account Personal info. - Under "Choose what others see," tap Go to About me.
- Below a type of info, you can choose who currently sees this info.
- Choose one of the following:
- To make the info private, tap Only you .
- To make the infovisible to anyone, tap Anyone .
- To make the info private, tap Only you
Manage your Google Account 
.
.Add, edit, or remove personal info
Important: Some info can't be removed from your Google Account. For example, you can edit, but not remove, your name and date of birth.
- On your Android phone or tablet, open your device's Settings app, then tap Google Manage yourGoogle Account.
- At the top, tap Personal info.
- Under "Choose what others see," tap Go to About me.
- Change your info:
- Add: For each category you want to add info to, tapAdd.
- Edit: Tap the info you’d like to change and then tap Edit .
- Tip: If you've changed your name recently, you might need to wait before you can change it again.
- Remove: Tap the info you’d like to remove and then tap Remove.
- Add: For each category you want to add info to, tap
- Follow the on-screen steps.
Add.
. Tip: To change some other account info, like your password, go to your Google Account.
View & manage your profiles in Google services
In some Google services, you have a profile that’s visible to other people who use that service. You can find your profiles for some services in your Google Account.
- On your Android phone or tablet, go to your Google Account.
- At the top, tap Personal info.
- Scroll to “Your profiles." Then, tap See profiles.
- Select a service to view your profile info.
- Go to the service to manage your profile info.
Profile discovery
When people search for you by your phone number or email address in Google products and services, profile discovery helps determine what they'll find. When setting it up, you decide whether people you haven't interacted with on Google services, but who have your contact information, can see your profile picture and your full or abbreviated name. After you interact with someone, for example while communicating in Google Chat or sharing an album in Google Photos, they'll typically see your full name and profile picture from your Google Account.
With profile discovery, you can choose to:
- Use either your name from your main profile or a shortened version of your name.
- Show or hide your profile picture.
Manage profile discovery
Important: To let people find you by phone number, turn on Let people find you by phone number in your phone number settings.
- Go to your Google Account.
- At the top, tap Personal info.
- Under "Your profiles," tap See profiles.
- Below your photo and name, tap Profile discovery settings.
- Turn on Profile discovery.
- To edit how your name and photo appear in your profile, tap Change.
More details about your info
What info can be shown
Here’s some info you can show or hide to other people who use Google services:
- Your birthday
- Your gender
- Employment info, like where you work
- Personal and work contact info
- Places you've lived
- Education info
The following info might be shown to people you contact or share with:
- Your name
- Nickname
- Profile picture
- Cover photo
- Your Google Account email
Tip: The name and profile picture on your "About me" page will show up in most Google services. If you use a different name or profile picture in certain Google services, you’ll still see them there.
Where this info can show up
Info in your Google Account that you make visible to Anyone can be found in a few places:
- On Google services where you can contact other people, like Google Chat and Gmail.
- On Google services where you create content, like Maps, Play, and YouTube.
Who can view your info
- Private: Only visible to you.
- Anyone: Visible to anyone.
- People you interact with: Visible to people you interact with, such as through Chat and photo albums shared in Google Photos.
- Your organization: Visible to everyone in your organization, such as work or school.
- Family: Visible to anyone in your family group.
Related resources
Get step-by-step visual guides on the tools and practices that will help you protect your personal information with Google's Online Security Guidebook.
As an expert in online privacy and Google Account management, it's crucial to understand the intricacies of controlling and securing personal information. The provided article emphasizes the importance of managing what information is visible on your Google Account and how to do so effectively. Let's break down the concepts discussed in the article:
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Controlling Personal Information Visibility: The article explains that users have the ability to make certain information on their Google Account private or visible to anyone. This includes details like your birthday or phone number. This level of control ensures that users can manage who sees specific information across Google services.
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Accessing Account Settings on Android Devices: Users are guided on how to access their Google Account settings on Android devices. The process involves opening the Settings app, tapping on "Google," and then managing the personal information under "Personal info."
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Choosing Visibility Settings: Users are given the option to choose the visibility of their information. They can set it to be visible only to themselves (private) or visible to anyone. This applies to various types of information, including your name, profile picture, and other personal details.
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Editing Personal Information: The article provides steps on how to add, edit, or remove personal information. While some information can be edited, certain details like name and date of birth can be edited but not removed from the Google Account.
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Viewing and Managing Profiles in Google Services: Users are informed that in some Google services, they have a profile visible to others. The article guides users on how to view and manage these profiles in their Google Account.
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Profile Discovery: Profile discovery is explained as a feature that helps determine what information people will find when they search for you by your phone number or email address in Google products and services. Users can choose what information is displayed, including the use of a shortened version of their name and whether to show or hide their profile picture.
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Information That Can be Shown or Hidden: The article lists various types of information that can be shown or hidden to other people using Google services. This includes birthday, gender, employment info, contact information, places lived, and education info.
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Visibility of Information: The article specifies where the information made visible to "Anyone" can show up, such as in Google services where you can contact others or create content like Maps, Play, and YouTube.
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Who Can View Your Information: Users are informed about the different visibility settings, including private, anyone, people you interact with, your organization, and family.
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Related Resources: The article provides links to related resources, such as viewing and controlling activity on your account, deleting your activity, and seeking help from the community.
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Online Security Guidebook: The article concludes by offering additional resources, encouraging users to explore step-by-step visual guides in Google's Online Security Guidebook to protect their identity online.
