What Data Does Chrome Send to Google and How to Stop It
Patrick Bushe
April 6, 2026 · 5 min read
Chrome sends Google different kinds of data, and most of it depends on settings you can change. Here's what each one is and where to switch it off. Menu names shift a little between Chrome versions, but they all live under Settings (chrome://settings).
Sync: your bookmarks, history and passwords
If you're signed in to Chrome with sync on, Chrome stores your bookmarks, history, open tabs, passwords, settings and more in your Google Account so they follow you to other devices.
- To choose what syncs, open Settings → You and Google → Sync and turn off the types you don't want.
- To lock synced data with a key only you know, set a sync passphrase in the encryption options. Google can't read data encrypted with it, though some features stop working.
- To see or wipe what's stored, visit
chrome.google.com/sync, which lists your synced data and has a button to clear it. - Or sign out of Chrome entirely. Chrome works fine without an account.
Usage statistics and crash reports
Chrome can send Google reports about how features are used and what crashed. Turn it off under Settings → You and Google → Sync and Google services → Help improve Chrome's features and performance.
What you type in the address bar
As you type, Chrome sends the text to your default search engine to show suggestions. That's Autocomplete searches and URLs, in the same Sync and Google services section. Nearby, Make searches and browsing better sends the addresses of pages you visit to Google. Turn either off if you don't want that. To stop sending your searches to Google at all, change the default search engine under Settings → Search engine.
Safe Browsing
Safe Browsing warns you about dangerous sites and downloads, and it's worth keeping on. Under Settings → Privacy and security → Security you can choose:
- Standard protection, which checks sites against Google's lists in a privacy-preserving way.
- Enhanced protection, which sends more, including URLs and samples of pages and downloads, to Google for deeper checks.
- No protection, which isn't recommended.
Features that send content when you use them
- Enhanced spell check sends what you type in text boxes to Google. The basic spell check works on your device.
- Translate, Google Lens and Chrome's AI features send the page, image or text you use them on.
Things you can't switch off
Chrome checks Google's servers for updates. On Google sites it also sends a small header saying which feature experiments your copy of Chrome is part of. Those are part of how Chrome works. On a work or school computer, your administrator may also control these settings with policies, and you won't be able to change them.
A quick privacy setup
- Decide whether you want sync. If you do, add a sync passphrase.
- Turn off usage statistics and "Make searches and browsing better".
- Pick a default search engine you're comfortable with.
- Keep Safe Browsing on Standard.
- Review Settings → Privacy and security → Third-party cookies and Site settings.
If you want to send Google less without giving up Chrome's engine, Chromium-based browsers such as Brave strip out most of Google's services.
