Choose how Google personalizes the ads you see on YouTube, Search and Discover

If you turn on ad personalization for your Google Account, you can control what personal information is used to customize the ads you see on YouTube, Google Search and Discover. You can also let Google know what topics and brands you would like to see more or less of.

You can also set your account to not see personalized ads. Note that non-personalized ads may still use factors like your current location, time of day, and website you are visiting to determine which ads you see. 

Here's a brief overview of the My Ad Center settings: 

Or read on for more detailed information.

What data does Google use to personalize ads?

Google may use data from a number of sources to show you ads it thinks you would be interested in.

• Personal details in your Google Account like age and gender
• Web and app activity, including your searches and sites you visited
• YouTube History, including videos you watched and searches on YouTube
• Locations where you have used Google sites and apps. A location is larger than 1 square mile, and has at least 1000 users. 
• Your "estimated" demographics and interests

You can change what Google uses to show you personalized ads in "My Ad Center"

Access "My Ad Center"

You can customize your personalized ad settings in My Ad Center in your Google Account settings.

To access your Google Account's My Ad Center: 

1. Open your Google Account Settings 

You can do that by clicking your Google profile picture at top right on Google sites and services and selecting Manage your Google Account.

Or you can go directly to myaccount.google.com

2. Optional: If your YouTube channel is on a Brand Account, you will need to switch to that Brand Account identity to set the ad preferences. Click your profile photo at top right, then select the Brand Account from the menu that appears.

3. Click the Data & Privacy tab.

4. On the Data & Privacy page scroll down to Personalized Ads and click My Ad Center

5. At the top of the page you will see whether you have Personalized Ads On or Off. Click that to change the setting.

My Ad Center has three tabs at the bottom of the page. My Ads, Customize Ads, and Manage Privacy (which is the default tab). 

You can see recent changes to your My Ad Center Activity preferences in your Google Account's My Activity settings (myactivity.google.com/page?page=my_ad_center_preferences)

My Ads Center Manage Privacy Settings

If you have Personalized Ads turned on, the Manage Privacy tab shows what personal information Google is using to personalize ads. You can turn off any information you do not want used, and you can update incorrect information. 

Your Google Account Info

Information from your Google Account may be used for personalization. 

• Gender
• Age
• Language

Note: Brand Accounts only have a Language setting. It is not possible to set a gender or age for your Brand Account.

Click an item to open your Google Account settings. Any changes you make will affect your entire Google Account.

There isn't any way to turn off Google's use of those personal account details if you have personalization enabled.

Categories used to show you ads

Google slots you into different demographic categories based on your activity. They may or may not be correct. 

You may not see some categories in your account, or you may see categories that I don't see.

• Relationship status: Married, single, in a relationship
• Household income: High income, moderately high income, average or lower income
• Education: High school diploma, attending college, Bachelor's decree, advanced degree
• Industry: Construction, education, finance, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, real estate, technology
• Employer Size: Small, large, or very large
• Homeownership: Home owner, renter
• Parenting: Not parents or parent of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, grade schoolers, teenagers

You can click on each item to turn on or off whether it is use for ad personalization.

You can also change the details. For example, if Google thinks your industry is healthcare, but you are really in technology, you can change that. If you manually select an option, that will show as being "Verified". 

Activity

Google also uses your activity while signed into your account. 

• Web and app activity
• YouTube search and watch history
• Location history for areas where you've used Google

Click each item to learn more and to toggle off and on whether the data is used for ad personalization. 

You can turn off the history completely for each of those activities in your Google My Activity settings (myactivity.google.com/myactivity). 

My Ads Center My Ads Settings

Click the My Ads tab to see recent ads and ad topics you've been shown and tell Google whether you want more or less of the same. 

Based on your recent activity, you can find:

• Recent ad topics
• Recent ad brands
• Recent ads, including whether you saw them on Google Search, YouTube, Discover or elsewhere

Each item has + and - buttons. Click + to see more, click - to see less.

There is also a section on trending ad topics and trending ad brands. You can tell Google you want to see more or less of those as well.

My Ads Center Customize Ads Settings

Switch to the Customize Ads tab to find more topics and brands to say you like or dislike.

Topics

Ad topics are shown on photo cards, making them easy to understand at a glance. Filter the topics by Recent, Trending, or those that you have chosen to See More or See Less.

You can also select to see More or Fewer ads for each topic.

Brands

Click the Brands tab for a list of recently seen advertiser brands. You can also see which brands you have chosen to see more or less of. 

You can also select More or Fewer ads for each brand.

Sensitive

Finally you can limit ads for sensitive topics.

• Alcohol
• Dating
• Gambling
• Pregnancy and Parenting
• Weight Loss

What about ads showing on my website or YouTube channel?

If you are monetizing your own website with AdSense ads or your YouTube channel is in the YouTube Partner Program, you do have control over what ads are shown on your videos. 

1. Sign in to AdSense www.google.com/adsense

2. Click Brand Safety on the left menu

3. Select Content, Search, or AdSense for YouTube, depending on where you are showing ads

4. Select Ad Review Center (for AdSense for Content only) or Blocking Controls

5. Choose an option for managing ads. The basic categories are: 

• Advertiser URLs: block ads from specific advertisers
• Sensitive categories: select sensitive categories of ads to block
• General categories: select categories of ads to block
• Ad serving (AdSense for Content only): block types of ads from appearing on your site
• Ad networks (AdSense for Content only): block third party ad networks

Note that these settings will not change what ads you see on other sites, Google Search or YouTube. These are controls for ads on your own website or YouTube channel that others see.

Learn More

Google My Ad Center Help: How personalized ads work

Google Accounts Help Center: How Google protects your privacy and keeps you in control

Google Safety Center: Google Ads Controls and Personalization