Google has confirmed that it will shut down its Dark Web report feature in February 2026, bringing an end to a service that allowed users to check whether their personal information appeared on underground online marketplaces. The decision comes less than two years after the tool was first introduced.
According to the company, scans for newly discovered dark web breaches will stop on January 15, 2026, and the feature will be fully discontinued on February 16, 2026.
In a support notice, Google stated that although the tool provided general awareness, user feedback indicated that it did not offer clear or practical follow up actions. The company explained that it plans to focus instead on security tools that provide more direct and actionable ways for users to protect their online identities.
Once the service is retired, Google says it will permanently delete all data associated with Dark Web reports. Users who prefer to remove their data earlier can manually delete their monitoring profile through the Dark Web report page by editing the monitoring profile and selecting the delete option.
The Dark Web report feature was first launched in March 2023 as part of Google’s efforts to address online identity theft linked to large scale data breaches. The tool scanned dark web forums and marketplaces for exposed personal information such as names, addresses, email accounts, phone numbers, and Social Security numbers, and alerted users when matches were found.
Initially, access to the feature was limited to subscribers of Google One. In July 2024, Google expanded availability to all Google account holders, making the service more widely accessible.
As the shutdown approaches, Google is encouraging users to improve their overall account security. Recommended steps include enabling passkeys for phishing resistant multi factor authentication and using the “Results about you” option to request the removal of personal information from Google Search results.
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