You can turn off AI training in Google Docs, but the setting is buried and the default lets Google use your content

Google Docs stores your writing on Google's servers, and by default, Google can use that content to train its AI models — including Gemini, Google's generative AI assistant. You can disable this, but you have to do it yourself. Google does not ask permission upfront; instead, it relies on a setting most people never find.

The control lives in your Google Account settings, not in Docs itself. Turning it off takes about two minutes and applies to all Google services at once — Gmail, Search, Maps, and everything else tied to your account.

Key Takeaways

  • Google uses content from Docs, Gmail, and other services to train AI unless you disable a setting in your Google Account, not in the Docs app itself.
  • The setting is called "Web & App Activity" and you control it by visiting myactivity.google.com or your Google Account settings.
  • Turning off Web & App Activity stops Google from using your activity for AI training, but it also affects other Google services like search personalization and recommendations.
  • If you only want to protect Docs, you can delete specific files from your activity history instead of disabling the entire setting.
  • Google's AI training practices vary by country — some regions have stricter rules about what Google can do with your data.

Where the setting lives and how to find it

The control you need is called Web & App Activity, and it is in your Google Account settings, not in Google Docs. To reach it, go to myactivity.google.com and look for the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left. Click Settings, then Web & App Activity. You will see a toggle that says "Web & App Activity is on."

Alternatively, you can go directly to your Google Account by visiting myaccount.google.com, clicking Data & Privacy on the left menu, scrolling down to "Your activity and timeline," and clicking Web & App Activity. Both routes lead to the same setting.

When Web & App Activity is turned on, Google records what you do across its services — the documents you create, the emails you send, the searches you run. Google says it uses this data to improve your experience, but it also uses it to train AI models. Turning it off stops both.

What happens when you turn off Web & App Activity

Disabling Web & App Activity means Google stops recording your activity across Gmail, Docs, Search, Maps, YouTube, and other services. This has two effects: Google cannot use your Docs content to train AI, but Google also cannot personalize your search results, recommend videos, or customize your experience in other ways.

For most people, the tradeoff is worth it if privacy is the priority. Your searches will be less tailored to your interests, and YouTube recommendations will be more generic. Google will still function — you can still search, use Docs, send email — but the service becomes less personalized.

One important detail: turning off Web & App Activity does not delete the activity Google has already recorded. If you want to remove past activity, you can do that separately by clicking Delete activity by on the same settings page and choosing a date range. You can delete everything, or just the past day, week, or month.

Protecting just Docs without affecting other services

If you want to keep personalization in Search and YouTube but remove specific Docs from your activity history, you can delete individual items. Go to myactivity.google.com, search for the document by name, and click the trash icon next to it. This removes that document from your activity without disabling the entire Web & App Activity setting.

This approach is slower if you have many documents, but it lets you be selective. You might delete sensitive documents — a medical journal, a draft resignation letter, financial notes — while keeping activity from less sensitive work.

Keep in mind that deleting something from your activity history does not delete the document itself from Google Drive. It only removes the record that you accessed it. The document stays in your Drive until you delete it there.

What Google actually does with your Docs content

Google has said it uses content from Docs, Gmail, and other services to train Gemini and other AI models. The company has also said that some content — like emails and documents — is treated differently than search queries, and that it does not use certain types of sensitive data like health or financial information in the same way.

However, the exact boundaries of what Google trains on and how it uses that data are not fully transparent. Google's privacy policy says it may use your content to improve its services, and that includes AI training. If you do not want your Docs used for this purpose at all, disabling Web & App Activity is the most direct way to opt out.

It is also worth noting that even if you disable Web & App Activity, Google still processes your Docs — it has to, to store and sync them. The difference is that it stops recording your activity and using that activity record for AI training.

Different rules in different countries

The European Union, California, and some other regions have stricter data protection laws than the United States. In the EU, Google must ask for consent before using personal data for AI training in some cases. In California, users have the right to know what data is being used and to request deletion.

If you are in the EU, you may see different privacy options or consent requests than someone in the United States. Check your Google Account settings to see what options are available in your region. Some countries also allow you to request that Google delete your data entirely, though this is a separate process from disabling Web & App Activity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does turning off Web & App Activity delete my Google Docs?

No. Disabling Web & App Activity only stops Google from recording your activity and using it for AI training. Your documents stay in Google Drive and remain fully functional. You can still create, edit, and share them normally.

If I turn this off, will Google stop using my Docs for AI training immediately?

Yes, going forward. Google stops recording new activity as soon as you disable the setting. However, any activity Google recorded before you turned it off may have already been used for training. Deleting past activity from your history does not undo training that already happened.

Can I turn off AI training for just Google Docs and keep it on for other services?

Not with a single setting. Web & App Activity controls all services at once. If you want to protect Docs specifically while keeping personalization elsewhere, delete individual documents from your activity history instead of disabling the whole setting.

What if I share a Google Doc with someone else — does this setting affect what they see?

No. This setting only controls whether Google uses your own activity for AI training. It does not affect what other people can see or do with documents you share with them. Their own Web & App Activity setting controls whether their activity is recorded.

Does Google use my Docs for AI training even if I do not use Gemini?

Yes. Google uses content from Docs, Gmail, and other services to train its AI models whether or not you actively use Gemini. The training happens in the background as part of how Google improves its services. Disabling Web & App Activity stops this regardless of whether you use Gemini.