Google will save your Lens photos, Search Live recordings, and Translate audio for AI training

The Verge News

Summary

Google is introducing a new Search Services History setting that saves images, audio, and video from Lens, Search Live, and Translate to improve its AI models and personalization, with an option to opt out.

<figure> <img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Image: The Verge" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/STK093_GOOGLE_B.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="has-text-align-none">Google is making some changes to how it saves your interactions with Search. In an email sent to users, Google says it will save the images, files, audio, and video you use to search under a <a href="https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/17024959?sjid=13527277999261519350-NA">new "Search Services History"<strong> </strong>setting</a>.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">That includes the images you search for with Google Lens, recordings from its <a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/784685/google-search-live-ai-voice-search-launch">real-time Search Live tool</a>, voice searches, and phrases spoken into Translate, according to <a href="https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/17025248?sjid=8430273198043696253-NC">an update on the company's website</a>. You can switch off the Search Services History setting and <a href="https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/17028154?sjid=12244596001121439793-NA">disable the "Save Media" option</a> if you don't want Google to save these interactions.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Google says it will use your Search Services History to "provide, d …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/947836/google-search-privacy-settings-images-audio">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>
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# Google will save your Lens photos, Search Live recordings, and Translate audio for AI training Source: [https://www.theverge.com/tech/947836/google-search-privacy-settings-images-audio](https://www.theverge.com/tech/947836/google-search-privacy-settings-images-audio) [Skip to main content](https://www.theverge.com/tech/947836/google-search-privacy-settings-images-audio#content) You can turn off this option under a new ‘Search Services History’ setting\. You can turn off this option under a new ‘Search Services History’ setting\. by Jun 10, 2026, 4:18 PM UTC ![STK093_GOOGLE_B](https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/STK093_GOOGLE_B.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400) ![STK093_GOOGLE_B](https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/STK093_GOOGLE_B.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400) Image: The Verge [![Emma Roth](https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/author_profile_images/195810/EMMA_ROTH.0.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=96)](https://www.theverge.com/authors/emma-roth) Emma Roth is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more\. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO\. Google is making some changes to how it saves your interactions with Search\. In an email sent to users, Google says it will save the images, files, audio, and video you use to search under a[new “Search Services History” setting](https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/17024959?sjid=13527277999261519350-NA)\. That includes the images you search for with Google Lens, recordings from its[real\-time Search Live tool](https://www.theverge.com/news/784685/google-search-live-ai-voice-search-launch), voice searches, and phrases spoken into Translate, according to[an update on the company’s website](https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/17025248?sjid=8430273198043696253-NC)\. You can switch off the Search Services History setting and[disable the “Save Media” option](https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/17028154?sjid=12244596001121439793-NA)if you don’t want Google to save these interactions\. Google says it will use your Search Services History to “provide, develop, and improve its services,” including its AI models, as well as offer personalized suggestions and ads if you have the[new “Personalized Recommendations” setting](https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/17026260?sjid=13527277999261519350-NA)switched on\. These two settings will now be separate from[Google’s Web & App Activity](https://www.theverge.com/21401280/android-location-tracking-history-stop-how-to#:~:text=Web%20%26%20App%20Activity%20covers,Google%20Assistant%20are%20saved.)option, which previously included search\-related interactions and some toggles for saving audio recordings and visual searches\. If you’ve already blocked Google from saving your search history through Web & App Activity, Google will keep Search Services History switched off following the transition\. It will also carry over your personalization preferences when these settings roll out over the “next few months\.” **Follow topics and authors**from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates\. - Emma Roth ## The Verge Daily A free daily digest of the news that matters most\.

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