Google Dark Web Report Feature to Shut Down in 2026

Google has made an announcement that it will be discontinuing its dark web report feature in 2026. This tool, which users could opt into, was designed to alert users if their personal information surfaced on the dark web. The scanning for new dark web results will come to a halt on January 15, 2026, with all related information being deleted on February 16, 2026.

Users who received the email about this change expressed that the dark web report feature, while informative, lacked clear guidance on what steps to take next to protect themselves. Google has decided to shift its focus to security tools that provide more actionable recommendations to users.

Initially launched as a benefit for Google One subscribers in 2023, the dark web report feature was later made available to all Google account users in 2024. It monitored the dark web for information such as email addresses, phone numbers, and home addresses associated with a user’s account.

Google remains committed to tracking and safeguarding users against online threats, including those originating from the dark web, through other services. They suggest utilizing tools like Security and Privacy Checkups, Passkeys, 2-Step Verification, Google Password Manager, and Password Checkup as alternatives. Users can also use “Results about you” to ask for the removal of personal information from Google Search results.

For those who wish to remove their monitoring profile before the shutdown, it can be done through their Google account settings. This change reflects Google’s ongoing efforts to offer robust security solutions and protect users’ information online.