What changes when you turn off personalised ads?
Personalised ads use what a company knows about you, such as searches, videos or location. Turning them off does not remove ads. Google then bases its ads on context such as the time of day, the topic of the website or your current location. Apple says the number of ads may not go down, but they may be less relevant.
It helps to separate three things: personalisation of the ads you see, combining data across several services of one company, and tracking across other companies' apps and websites. Each has its own setting.
| Setting | Where | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Personalised ads | Google Account | Google ads based on context, on all signed-in devices |
| Linked Google services | Google Account, EU only | Decides which services share data |
| Advertising ID | Android | Once deleted, apps receive a string of zeros instead of an ID |
| Apple Advertising | iPhone, iPad, Mac | Apple limits personalisation of its own ads |
| Tracking | iPhone, iPad | Apps track you elsewhere only with permission |
| Ad choice | Facebook, Instagram | Paid without ads, or free with more or less personalised ads |
How do you limit personalised ads on Google?
The central place is My Ad Centre. Google says the setting covers all devices where you are signed in and Google ads on partner sites, but not ads delivered by others.
Google Account: turn off personalised ads
- Go to My Ad Centre and sign in with your Google Account.
- Next to ‘Personalised ads’, select Off.
- Confirm your selection.
Menu path as given in the manufacturer’s help; it may differ by device and version: support.google.com
Your topic and brand preferences are then deleted. Signed out, a separate setting covers only the browser or device you are using. For accounts showing an age under 18, personalised ads may already be off.
Alternative: adjust Google ads instead of switching them off
- In My Ad Centre, open the ‘Customise ads’ page.
- Use the ‘Sensitive’ tab to limit ads on topics such as alcohol, gambling or weight loss.
- For a single ad on a Google service, select ‘More’ or ‘Info’ on the ad, then ‘Block ad’.
Menu path as given in the manufacturer’s help; it may differ by device and version: support.google.com
Google says it will do its best not to show a blocked ad again for at least six months.
Which Google services may share your data?
In the EU, Google asks which of its services should be linked, because of Article 5(2) of the Digital Markets Act. The choice covers Google Search, YouTube, ad services, Google Play, Chrome, Google Shopping and Google Maps. Linked services may share data, for example to personalise content and ads.
Google Account in a browser: choose linked services (EU)
- Go to your Google Account and click ‘Data & privacy’ on the left.
- Under ‘Data sharing’, click ‘Linked Google services’.
- Choose the services to keep linked, then click ‘Next’.
- Check your selections, click ‘Confirm’, then ‘Done’.
Menu path as given in the manufacturer’s help; it may differ by device and version: support.google.com
Unlinking does not sign you out, but features that rely on shared data are limited. Without Search and Maps linked, for instance, you cannot save places in Google Search. Linking does not cover sharing with other companies. To check which outside apps can reach your account, see Review connected apps.
How do you delete the advertising ID on Android?
Android devices with Google Play have an advertising ID that apps can use for ads. You can reset or delete it. Once it is deleted, apps that try to read it get only a string of zeros, says Google.
Android: delete the advertising ID
- Open Settings and go to Privacy › Ads.
- Tap ‘Delete advertising ID’ and confirm.
- On some older Android versions: Privacy › Advanced › Ads, then turn on ‘Opt out of Ad Personalisation’.
Menu path as given in the manufacturer’s help; it may differ by device and version: support.google.com
Tip: Menu names can differ by phone maker; if needed, search your settings for ‘ads’. What an app may access at all is covered in Review app permissions.
What should you set on an iPhone, iPad or Mac?
Apple shows its own ads in the App Store, Apple News and Stocks. You can switch off their personalisation like this:
iPhone, iPad and Mac: Apple Advertising
- iPhone or iPad: go to Settings › Privacy & Security › Apple Advertising.
- Switch off ‘Personalised Ads’.
- Mac: Apple menu › System Settings › Privacy & Security › Apple Advertising, then deselect ‘Personalised Ads’.
Menu path as given in the manufacturer’s help; it may differ by device and version: support.apple.com
Since iOS 14.5, apps must also ask before tracking you across other companies’ apps and websites, for example for ads or data brokers.
iPhone and iPad: tracking
- Go to Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking.
- Turn off ‘Allow Apps to Request to Track’ to stop all requests.
- Check the apps listed there that have already asked.
Menu path as given in the manufacturer’s help; it may differ by device and version: support.apple.com
With the switch off, apps are treated as if you had tapped ‘Ask App Not to Track’. It cannot be turned on for child accounts or users under 18.
Meta: subscribe, consent or less personalised ads?
On Facebook and Instagram, Meta asks people in Europe how they want to use the services. The options have changed several times, partly due to the European Commission.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| November 2023 | Meta introduces ‘Consent or Pay’ in the EU: data combined for ads, or a monthly subscription without ads. |
| March 2024 | The Digital Markets Act obligations become legally binding for gatekeepers. |
| November 2024 | Lower prices and a free option with less personalised ads, in the EU, EEA and Switzerland, says Meta. |
| 23 April 2025 | The Commission finds a breach of the Digital Markets Act and fines Meta €200 million. |
| 8 December 2025 | The Commission says Meta will present a new choice to EU users in January 2026. |
According to the Commission, EU users should be able to share all their data for fully personalised ads, or share less data for more limited personalised ads. The pop-up in the app shows your actual options. This is how Meta described them in November 2024:
- Subscription without ads: in the EU, €5.99 a month on the web and €7.99 on iOS and Android, plus €4 or €5 for each additional account. A German consumer advice centre stresses that ad-free does not mean data-free.
- Less personalised ads: free; Meta says it uses a minimal set of data such as age, location, gender and how you engage with ads. Some ads cannot be skipped for a few seconds.
- Personalised ads: free; your data is used to select ads for you.
Meta says you can change your choice later in the app's ad settings.
What applies in your country?
In the EU, the Digital Markets Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/1925) requires large platforms designated as gatekeepers to ask for your consent before combining personal data across services. If you refuse, you should get a less personalised but equivalent alternative. Refusing should not be harder than consenting, withdrawing consent should be as easy as giving it, and after a refusal you may be asked again for the same purpose no more than once a year.
| Country | Digital Markets Act | Note | Data protection authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | Applies | Google's list of services that always stay linked does not apply here | BfDI (federal level) and the data protection authorities of the federal states |
| Austria | Applies | As in the rest of the EU | Österreichische Datenschutzbehörde |
| France, Italy, Spain | Applies | As in the rest of the EU | CNIL (FR), Garante per la protezione dei dati personali (IT), AEPD (ES) |
| Switzerland | Does not apply, not an EU member | Google describes the choice for EU users only; Meta's 2024 options apply here too, says Meta | Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) |
Google's and Apple's help pages on My Ad Centre, the advertising ID, Apple Advertising and tracking do not limit these settings to the EU.
An example: Aoife tidies up her ad settings
Fictional example: Aoife in Cork searched for a rain jacket and now sees jackets everywhere. One evening she switches off personalised ads in My Ad Centre. She keeps Search and Maps linked because she uses saved places, and unlinks the rest. On her Android phone she deletes the advertising ID.
On Instagram she picks less personalised ads and accepts that a few ads cannot be skipped straight away. A week later she still sees ads, but hardly any jackets. Next she plans to check her television with Smart TV privacy: switch off ad tracking and keep it updated.
Common mistakes
- Expecting ads to disappear: they become less tailored, not fewer.
- Resetting the advertising ID instead of deleting it: Google says apps get zeros instead of an ID only after you delete it.
- Changing Google ad settings only while signed out: they then apply to one browser or device.
- Thinking the Meta subscription is data-free: data is still processed without ads.
- Checking only one Apple switch: ‘Apple Advertising’ and ‘Tracking’ control different things.
Your checklist
The checkboxes are for your own reference. No entries are sent to us. To keep a copy, print the page or save it as a PDF using your browser menu.
Common questions
Will I see fewer ads if I turn off personalisation?
Usually not. Apple says the number of ads may not decrease, but they may be less relevant. Google keeps showing ads, chosen by context such as the time of day, the topic of the website or your current location. In November 2024, Meta offered Facebook and Instagram without ads only as a paid subscription, and ad-free does not mean data-free.
What about children and teenagers?
If a Google Account shows that the user is under 18, personalised ads may already be off. On Apple devices, the setting that lets apps ask to track cannot be turned on for child accounts or users under 18. The age that defines a child account varies by country and region.
Can Meta keep asking me to consent?
In the EU, gatekeepers such as Meta may not ask you more than once a year for consent to the same purpose after you have refused or withdrawn it. Refusing should not be harder than consenting. The European Commission enforces these Digital Markets Act rules; they do not apply in Switzerland. For your own case, a consumer advice service can help.
Sources and further information
Primary sources from public authorities, consumer organisations and providers. A source may be in another language; follow the guidance that applies to your service and where you live.
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2022/1925 (Digital Markets Act)Source review date:
- European Commission: Commission finds Apple and Meta in breach of the Digital Markets Act (23 April 2025)Source review date:
- European Commission: Meta commits to give EU users choice on personalised ads (8 December 2025)Source review date:
- Meta: Facebook and Instagram to offer subscription for no ads in Europe (12 November 2024)Source review date:
- Google Help: About the DMA and your linked servicesSource review date:
- Verbraucherzentrale Niedersachsen: Facebook and Instagram subscription model (German, as of 30 July 2025)Source review date:
- European Data Protection Board: members and national authorities (German)Source review date:
- FDPIC: Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (Switzerland)Source review date:
