Hajra Naz
Google has announced that its dark web report feature will be discontinued on February 16, 2026. Introduced about a year and a half ago, the tool was designed to help users monitor whether their personal information had appeared on the dark web.
What the Dark Web Report Did
The feature scanned data breach dumps and alerted users if sensitive information—including email addresses, names, phone numbers, and Social Security numbers—was found in compromised databases. For some users, it served as a useful early-warning tool for potential identity risks.
Why Google Is Shutting It Down
According to Google’s support page, the decision to retire the tool stems from user feedback indicating it “didn’t provide helpful next steps” for addressing potential threats. Many users echoed this frustration, with Reddit threads noting that the tool often left them with little actionable guidance beyond changing passwords.
A Google spokesperson said:
“We’re making this change to instead focus on tools that give you more clear, actionable steps to protect your information online. 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.”
Recommended Alternatives
Google suggests that users transition to its other security tools, which provide more actionable protections:
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Security Checkup – Reviews your Google account’s security settings.
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Password Manager – Generates and stores unique passwords for your accounts.
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Password Checkup – Alerts users when saved passwords have been compromised.
Timeline for Shutdown
Users were notified via email, according to reports from 9to5Google. The timeline is as follows:
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January 16, 2026: Dark web scanning will stop.
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February 16, 2026: The dark web report feature will be officially discontinued, and all associated data will be deleted from Google’s servers.
Read More: Google Evolves Gemini Deep Research Into an AI Research Agent
How Users Can Delete Profiles
For those using the dark web report, it’s possible to delete your monitoring profile before the shutdown. Navigate to “Results with your info”, select “Edit monitoring profile”, and then choose “Delete monitoring profile” at the bottom.
This step ensures your data is removed from Google’s systems ahead of the feature’s retirement.
