Google is shutting down its Dark Web Report feature, ending new monitoring on January 15, 2026, and removing access to stored report data on February 16, 2026.
Google said it is retiring the tool after feedback suggested the reports did not offer helpful next steps, and the company wants to focus on security and privacy features that provide clearer, more actionable guidance.
What’s changing and when
Google confirmed it will stop monitoring for new dark web results on January 15, 2026.
After that, the Dark Web Report data will no longer be available from February 16, 2026, effectively ending the feature.
What the Dark Web Report did
Google’s Dark Web Report was designed to scan the dark web for personal information and alert users when it was found.
BleepingComputer described the tool as a feature that could notify users if an email address or other personal details showed up on the dark web, and it could point to where the data appeared and what type of data was exposed.
Engadget also reported that users could receive notifications when details like a name, email address, or phone number appeared online, typically following data breaches, and that users could view a list of “hits” tied to what breach exposed a specific detail.
Cybernews said the tool was intended to look for personal data such as name, address, email, phone number, and Social Security number, and to notify users when it was discovered.
Why Google is ending the feature
In messages cited by multiple outlets, Google said it is discontinuing dark web reports because the reports were too general and did not provide helpful next steps for users.
Google said it plans to shift attention to tools that offer more direct, actionable ways to protect personal information online.
What users can do instead
Google said it will continue investing in other security tools, including Google Password Manager and Password Checkup, and it encouraged people to use options such as Security and Privacy Checkups, passkeys, and 2-Step Verification.
Google Password Manager says it lets people manage saved passwords in Android or Chrome, with passwords stored in a Google Account and available across devices.
The Password Manager page also says it can check the strength and security of saved passwords, flag whether passwords have been compromised, and provide personalized advice.
For privacy, Google pointed users to “Results about you,” which is designed to help find personal information that appears in Google Search and request removal of results a person would rather keep private.
Google’s Search help page says users can ask Google to remove certain Personally Identifiable Information from Search results, including an address, phone number, or email, and it notes that “Results about you” can be used to find and request removal for contact details and set up notifications for new results.
How to remove your monitoring profile
Engadget said users can remove their monitoring profile by going to the “results with your info” section on the tool’s official page.
Cybernews provided specific steps that include opening the Dark Web Report page, choosing “Edit monitoring profile” under “Results with your info,” and then selecting “Delete monitoring profile.”
