Google has announced that it will shut down its Dark Web Report feature in February 2026, ending a tool that was designed to help users check whether their personal information had appeared on the dark web. The decision comes about a year and a half after the feature was first introduced.
The Dark Web Report was meant to scan data from known breaches and alert users if sensitive details like email addresses, phone numbers, names, or even Social Security numbers were found in leaked databases. For some users, this sounded helpful, especially as online data breaches have become more common.
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However, over time, many users felt the tool did not truly help them protect themselves. According to Google’s support page, feedback showed that the feature often failed to guide people on what to do next after receiving an alert. This frustration was even widely shared online, reports TechCrunch. Reddit users pointed out that alerts did not explain which accounts or websites were affected.
Google acknowledged these concerns in its announcement. “We’re making this change to instead focus on tools that give you more clear, actionable steps to protect your information online,” the company wrote. “We’ll continue to track and defend you from online threats, including the dark web, and build tools that help protect you and your personal information.”
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Instead of the Dark Web Report, Google is encouraging users to use other security tools the tech giant offers. These include Security Checkup, Password Manager, Password Checkup, and more.
According to 9to5Google, users have already started receiving email notices about the shutdown. Scanning for new dark web breaches will stop on January 16, 2026. The feature will fully shut down on February 16, and all related user data will be deleted from Google’s servers.
Users who want to remove their information sooner can delete their monitoring profile by visiting “Results with your info,” selecting “Edit monitoring profile,” and choosing “Delete monitoring profile” at the bottom.