Finding a photo of yourself in Google results that you didn’t expect, or don’t want there, is frustrating. The key thing to understand is that Google doesn’t host most images. It shows pictures that live on other websites. So the most lasting fix is usually to remove the photo where it’s hosted, then ask Google to update its results.
In short: first find every copy with a reverse image search, then ask each website to remove the photo, and finally use Google’s tools to clear the old results. Special, faster routes exist for copyright and intimate images.
Step 1: Find every copy
Upload the photo to our free Reverse Image Search and check all four engines. Make a list of every page that shows it. The same picture is often on several sites.
Step 2: Remove it at the source
- Your own accounts: delete the photo, or make the account private. Old profiles on sites you no longer use are a common source.
- Someone else’s social media: ask them to take it down, or report it to the platform if it breaks their rules, for example impersonation or harassment. Our guide on what to do when someone uses your photos explains how.
- Other websites: look for a contact or removal email. If there isn’t one, you may be able to contact the company that hosts the site.
Step 3: Update Google’s results
Once a photo or page has been removed or changed, Google may still show the old version for a while. Use Google’s Remove Outdated Content tool and paste in the link to the page or image. This asks Google to refresh its copy.
Special cases with faster routes
You took the photo (copyright)
If you took the picture, you usually own the copyright. Websites and Google both accept copyright removal requests for content used without permission, and these are often handled faster than general complaints.
Intimate or explicit images
Google has a dedicated request form for removing non-consensual explicit images from Search. Adults can also use StopNCII.org to help stop intimate images being shared on participating platforms, without uploading the images themselves. If the person in the images is under 18, use Take It Down.
Your phone number, address or email
Google’s Results about you can help remove search results that show your phone number, home address or email address. It doesn’t cover photos in general, but it’s worth using if your contact details appear alongside your pictures.
Bing and other search engines
Other search engines have their own removal and reporting forms. Once the image is gone from the original site, they’ll drop it over time too.
Keep an eye on it
Set a reminder to search your main photos every few months with our free Reverse Image Search. Catching a copy early makes it much easier to remove.
Frequently asked questions
Can Google delete a photo from another website?
No. Google can only stop showing it in search results in certain cases. To remove the photo itself, the website that hosts it has to take it down.
How long does removal take?
It depends on the website and the type of request. Once the source is gone, Google’s Remove Outdated Content tool usually updates results fairly quickly.
What if the website won’t respond?
Try its hosting company, use copyright or legal routes where they apply, and report the page to Google if it breaks one of its policies.
Want to know where your photos appear? Check with our free Reverse Image Search. It’s free and private.