Google is expanding what data it collects from your searches, and the new setting that controls this collection is quietly rolling out across accounts. The company has introduced a feature called Search Services History that goes far beyond traditional search box queries. When enabled, it saves images you upload to Google Lens, voice recordings from voice searches, files you ask about, Translate practice audio, and other media from your interactions with Google's search tools. The critical part: Google says this saved media may be used to improve its artificial intelligence models and technologies.

This privacy update is particularly significant because it operates differently from Google's existing search history controls. While most users understand that Google saves what they type into a search box, many may not realize that visual searches, voice commands, and file uploads are now being collected under this new umbrella setting. The change affects anyone who uses Google Lens to identify plants or products, uploads images to search for similar items, practices languages with Google Translate, or performs voice searches when their hands are full.

What Exactly Gets Saved Under the New Setting?

Google's Search Services History can include far more than traditional text-based searches. The company explicitly states that the setting captures a broad range of media and interactions across its search ecosystem. Understanding what falls under this umbrella is essential for making an informed decision about whether to keep the setting enabled.

• Visual Content: Images you upload through Google Lens or search with, including photos you take to identify plants, products, or landmarks
• Audio Recordings: Voice search recordings, Search Live transcripts, and Translate speaking practice audio from language learning sessions
• Files and Documents: Files you upload to search services and AI Mode responses generated from your queries
• Search Activity: Results you view, AI-generated responses, and other interactions with Google's search features

The distinction between what Google saves and how it uses that data is crucial. Google says saved media helps you revisit past visual searches or continue previous conversations, which can be genuinely useful. However, the company also explicitly states that saved media may help develop and improve its AI models and technologies. This is the trade-off at the heart of the new setting: you may get more personalized features, but Google gains more personal data inputs from tools you already use.

How Does This Affect Your Privacy Once Data Is Saved?

The privacy implications extend beyond the initial decision to enable or disable the setting. Google's policies around what happens to your data after it's saved reveal a more complex picture. Once media enters Google's system, deleting the original activity from your account may not remove it from the company's AI training pipeline.

Here's the critical detail: if saved media has already been selected to train AI models, Google says it is no longer connected to your account and may be kept for up to four years. This means that even if you delete the activity from your Search Services History, the media may continue to be used to improve Google's generative AI models. Turning off the Save Media setting does prevent future media from being used for AI training, but it does not automatically wipe everything that was already saved. Previously saved media may continue to be used to improve Google's technologies unless you manually delete it from your account.

How to Protect Your Data: Steps to Disable Save Media

Taking control of this setting requires navigating Google's account controls, but the process is straightforward. The setting appears inside Google's My Activity page, where you can review and manage what Google saves across your account. Because Google is rolling out this feature gradually, you may not see it immediately, but checking now ensures you can make an informed choice before the setting reaches your account.

• Access My Activity: Open a browser and go to myactivity.google.com, then sign into the Google Account you use for Search, Gmail, YouTube, or Android
• Locate Search Services History: Look for the Search Services History section; if you don't see it yet, Google says the rollout is still in progress and your search history may still be controlled by Web & App Activity
• Uncheck Save Media: If Search Services History is turned on, uncheck the box next to Save Media to prevent Google from saving media from future Search services interactions
• Delete Existing Data: Go back to Search Services History and select View and delete saved history to remove older items you don't want saved
• Review Other Settings: Check your Personalized Recommendations setting under Data & privacy to see how Search services personalize results based on your activity
• Repeat for Multiple Accounts: If you have more than one Google Account, repeat these steps for each one, as many people have personal, work, or older accounts still signed in

It's important to note that turning off Save Media does not shut down all search history collection. Text-based activity, transcripts, and some AI responses may still be saved if Search Services History remains on. Additionally, media from your future interactions can still be used to respond to you and help keep services safe; the key difference is that future media should not be used to train Google's generative AI models unless you provide feedback.

Why Is NotebookLM Mentioned in This Privacy Update?

Google's announcement specifically notes that the Save Media setting does not control activity across all Google services. NotebookLM, Google's AI-powered document analysis tool, has its own separate activity settings and controls. This means that even if you disable Save Media for Search Services History, your interactions with NotebookLM, Gemini Apps, YouTube, and Google Voice are governed by different privacy settings and may have their own data collection policies.

For users who rely on NotebookLM to analyze documents and generate podcast-style summaries, this distinction matters. The tool's own controls operate independently from the Search Services History setting, so managing your privacy across Google's ecosystem requires checking multiple locations within your account settings.

What Should You Do Right Now?

Privacy experts and tech analysts recommend checking this setting immediately, especially if you use Google Lens, voice search, Translate, or AI Mode regularly. The language around the new setting sounds helpful, and the control lives inside account menus you may rarely visit, which means it's easy to miss. The rollout happens gradually, so you may not see it right away, but that's exactly why you should check now rather than waiting.

Google says the new settings are based on your prior choices for Web & App Activity and Search Personalization. If those were on, the new Search Services History setting may also be on by default. If your prior settings were off, the new one should be off too. However, this approach still puts the responsibility on you to verify and adjust your preferences.

The most important action is to locate the Save Media checkbox and decide whether you want your images, files, audio, and video saved for future AI improvement. Then go one step further and review old activity to delete items you don't want saved. Finally, repeat the process for every Google Account you use, as many people have multiple accounts that may still be signed in somewhere.