The estimated reading time for this post is 6 minutes
Have you ever wondered how Google answers your search requests in under a second? How does Google know so much about where to find search results on the Internet?
Speaking of Google, do you know what your privacy settings are for each of your Google accounts and how to change them easily? Have you thought about how many Google accounts you may have now and how to review the settings for each account?
Check out the infographic below showing you how Google combs the Web to find relevant search results for you. Then read more to learn about My Account, a brand new way for you to see and adjust all of your Google settings from one place.
How Google Works
If you’ve ever contemplated how Google takes your search queries and then gives you results from all over the Internet within milliseconds, here’s your answer:
My Account
Controlling your security and privacy settings on Google just got much easier. Google has launched My Account, a one-stop place for you to control your privacy and settings across your Google accounts.
This new feature, announced at their I/O Conference and introduced earlier this month, makes reviewing and changing your settings easier and more convenient.
[tip]Learn more of what was announced at Google I/O Conference 2015 – The New Tech in Your Future![/tip]
From the Google blog:
Privacy and security are two sides of the same coin: if your information isn’t secure, it certainly can’t be private. My Account gives you quick access to the settings and tools that help you safeguard your data, protect your privacy, and decide what information is used to make Google services work better for you.”
Getting Started with My Account
Go to My Account and log into your Google account. You’ll see three boxes:
- Sign-in & security
- Personal info & privacy
- Account preferences
Sign-in & Security
This box contains links to:
Signing into Google. You can activate two-step verification for your Google password here. You can also set your account recovery information, in case one of your accounts is hacked or a device is lost.
[note] Learn how to set up two-step verification for your accounts at: How to Use 2-Step Verification for an Extra Layer of Password Protection [/note]
Device activity and notifications. See which devices have logged into your Google accounts and when. Look for any suspicious activity here.
You can also manage your security alerts to be notified by Google if they detect a problem or your account settings change.
Connected apps and sites. Check to see which apps and websites you’ve logged into with your Google account. Review your permissions and revoke access for any you’re not using any more.
[tip] Find out a quick way to clean up your permissions at How to Clean Up Your Permissions Easily![/tip]
You can also manage your app passwords from this page. If you’ve been saving your passwords in Chrome, you will be able to access and delete your passwords from this page. Click on the eye icon to see the password and the X to delete it.
[note] Check out how to see your passwords in Chrome at Chrome Passwords Revealed – Helpful Tool or Hackers’ Delight? [/note]
Security Check-up. You can take Google’s security check-up by using the link provided in the Sign-in & security box.
[tip] Learn more Google’s Security Check-Up at Take a 2 Minute Google Security Checkup and Get a Bonus! [/tip]
Personal Info & Privacy
This box has links for you to check:
Your Personal Info. See which email address and phone number you’re using with your account. Check your Google Plus settings from this page. Manage your Google search settings to make sure that your search results are in the best format for you. You can also turn on and off search history from this page.
[important] Don’t miss: How To Find Out What Google Knows About You [/important]
Account History. Here you can control whether Google keeps track of your search and location history to help provide you with more targeted results. You can also allow or deny Google access to your calendar, contacts, YouTube searches and views to help Google learn about you.
Ad Settings. The price for Google’s free services is that they can show you ads. You can choose whether these ads are relevant to you by allowing Google to use your data to give you targeted ads. The Ad Settings link is found in the Personal Info & Privacy box.
Account Overview. This gives you a link to your Dashboard where you can control the settings of all of your Google accounts. From your Dashboard you can see and manage things such as:
- Review your Google Alerts
- See your authorized Android devices
- View when and where you’ve used Google Wallet
- See your Google Photos
- View all your +1’s on Google Plus
- View your Location History
If you take one step suggested in this article, review your Dashboard to see all of your Google settings.
[tip]Find out more: Your Google Location History: How to See It and Turn It Off[/tip]
Control Your Content. From here you can:
- See and download your Search History
- Set an account trustee who can manage your account if you are no longer able to log in.
- Privacy Checkup. You can also take a Privacy Checkup to make sure your settings are what you want them to be.
[note] Don’t miss How to Get Your Entire Google Search History — and Delete It! [/note]
Account Preferences
Here you can adjust your settings for how you want Google to work for you.
Language and Input Tools. Choose which language you want to use for Google.
Accessibility. You can have Google Docs read aloud the text on the screen.
Google Drive Storage. See how much space you’re using in Google Drive.
Delete Accounts or Services. Here’s where you can delete your Google account or other accounts associated with Google, including Google Plus, YouTube and Gmail.
Google Privacy Site
If you want to learn more about how Google uses the data it collects on you, head to the new Google Privacy Site. Launched at the same time as My Account, Google’s new privacy site gives you information on:
how we show relevant ads without selling your personal information, how encryption and spam filtering help keep your data safe, and how your information helps customize your experience on Google.”
— from Google’s blog.
Your Thoughts
Have you ever wondered how Google works? Have you checked out My Account yet? Do you find it helpful to have access to all of your settings in one place? Do you prefer ads that are targeted to your interests? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments section below!
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Wonder of Tech Announcement
Starting this week, The Wonder of Tech will change to publishing articles twice a week instead of three times a week. This new Summer schedule will give you articles on Mondays and Thursdays instead of Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Reducing the number of times articles are published each week will give me time to work on the back end of the blog, research articles in greater depth, and work on blog-related projects. I may even use part of the time to enjoy some Summer fun!
Hi Carolyn,
This info is useful, but a little late for me. I had to go to my Google account and check everything yesterday. They changed how email passwords work for pop3, in fact they changed pop3 to something else. I got that working in the end. I had the black screen of death at the weekend after I clicked to check my hard drive. There was 100 Gb of hidden data on it. Not sure where it came from but was in a user folder, so some program was generating a lot of data, maybe meant to be temporary data. I wiped the drive and reinstalled windows. That’s why I had to set up email again. Anyway, once it was all up and working well, I copied it all to a SSD and now my laptop is super fast! I keep running short of memory now, maybe because it does so much more like edit video better. I’ve changed my blogging too, a lot more on a Zillion Ideas, so I have media all in one place. I have 100 Gb of space there to build a stock of photos.
I showed a Chinese student how I invest on the stock market in February and now she is doing the same strategy in China and making more money than her job pays! She’ll be giving me investment advice next!
Hi Mike, Yes, I have a good friend who just switched out his hard drive for an SSD drive and he is every bit as delighted as you are with the result.
I will have to check out your redesigned blog. Unfortunately, the CommentLuv link to your post was broken.
Hi Carolyn, I am feeling glad to read this full of knowledge post and I think this is must have to know by each and every blogger or who have their IDs on google.
I did not use 2 step verification till date but now I think I must try this to know little bit more than I know.
Once again thanks for sharing such a wonderful and helpful information.
Mohinder Paul Verma
BloggingFunda – A Community of Bloggers
Hi Mohinder, Yes, 2-Step verification can help protect your passwords against hackers. I’ve enabled it where possible and have been very pleased with the results. I hope you consider activating it for your Google and other accounts, Mohinder.
I do need to check any of these settings. Thanks for the reminders. I don’t use it much and tend to ignore it, to my detriment….off to check my settings …
Hi Pamela, Yes, it’s easy to overlook the task of checking our settings. Now it’s an easier and quicker task thanks to Google My Account. Checking your settings regularly means that your privacy, security and efficiency on Google are what you want them to be.
I have not try Google Works yet but I think the big boss now want to expand their business into many market as much as possible.
Hi Alize, Yes, Google has many tools you can use for personal or business purposes. As long as you have an Internet connection you can use Google!
Hey Carolyn,
I love Google crawlers but hate spiders in general – the infographic with spiders on my screen gave me Goosebumps – it is so creepy!
Thank you for sharing the infographic, love the ones from quicksprout – simple and clean with plenty of information.
I haven’t checked much into the Google My account yet – that is something will look into soon. It is easy to control things from one place – saves a lot of time and makes things easy. Thank you for the in-depth guide on “My Account”.
Hi Shobha, Yes, spiders can be creepy but Google’s spiders don’t bite, lol!
I was planning on writing about Google’s My Account and then found this amazing infograph on Quick Sprout and knew I had to include it. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Definitely check out Google’s My Account to make sure your settings for all of your Google accounts are what you want them to be. Google has made it easier for us now to adjust our settings.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, Shobha!
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you for the awesome post.
I have never think about it, Wow, today i learn many things from your single post.
I know about Google Crawlers, Spiders but I do not know how Google works and how Google acount works, but now I have learnt.
Now I am going to try all the things in my Google account.
Thanks a lot. Have a nice day!
Hi Nisha, I’m so pleased you enjoyed this post and found it helpful. Thanks for taking the time to let us know your thoughts. I hope you are able to adjust your Google settings using My Account so your security and privacy are as you want them to be.
Hey Carolyn,
For the longest I wonder how Google works and how it determines what rank it gives blogs and website. Well I bought a book early last year and I wrote a post from about 5 chapters of the book. It did clear up some questions I had and I’m sure my audience learned something new each time I posted each review of each of those chapters.
But I have to say I would put that blog post to rest after seeing your infograph LOL.. sometimes it’s better to see a visual view of how Google works than to see it all written in text. I can honestly say that I understand it better now than I did last year.
As far as personal settings go, I never really gave it too much thought. I’m usually on Google+ to find new blog posts or share blog posts with my Google+ friends, but I can say that it would be good to know what settings I can manipulate. I can definitely use this post as a reference just in case I make that decision or if something comes up.
Thanks Carolyn for the share! I hope you’re enjoying your weekend!
Hi Sherman, Wow, thank you for your kind words of praise. Yes, when I saw this infographic I was very excited to share it with Wonder of Tech readers. I was going to write about Google’s new My Account anyway and the infographic seemed to be the perfect addition to this article!
You’re right, even if you think that you have your Google settings the way you want them, it’s always good to be extra sure and double check every so often. The one thing constant about tech is change and staying on top of your settings means that you’re keeping up with the changes Google makes.
Thanks for your wonderful comment and for sharing this article, Sherman!
Hey Carolyn,
What an awesome post and really cool infographic. I’ve always been told how Google works but in all happens in just 1/8th of a second. That’s really amazing actually. Just goes to show you all those behind the scenes things that are happening we aren’t aware of.
I know I get upset a lot of times when Google changes things but I also know they’re doing it to better our experience and it’s all programs running in the background. What ya going to do when it’s all technology right!
I saw their notice about how things are all in one place now. Thanks for pointing this out because I’m sure so many are still kind of confused about where to go and what to do.
Great share and hope you’re enjoying your week.
~Adrienne
yes i agree google is the best search engine, i tried other search engine but they didnt give me result that i want. But other product of google like google drive, google docs, google plus, google now, etc was not dominating the similar product competitor.
Hi Mukena, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I’m glad you gave other search engines a try so you know that Google is the best one for you. Google definitely dominates the world of search and is moving into other areas as well with mixed success. YouTube is the King of Video websites but Google Plus isn’t seeing the same sort of success in social media. I’m thinking Google isn’t done expanding its services so we’ll see what is in our future from Google!