Desktop for Windows Help

Google Desktop gives you the option to view personal search results from your computer along with web search results on Google. This feature is called Google Integration.

Your personal results aren't sent to Google and are never visible to others on Google; they're only stored and visible on your own computer.

Turn off Google Integration

If you'd prefer not to see your personal results displayed with web search results on Google, you can turn this feature off.

1. Click the Desktop system tray icon and select Options. (If you're using a previous version of Desktop, select Preferences.)



2. Click the Desktop Search tab and find the 'Google Integration' section. (If you're using a previous version, click the Display tab.)
3. Deselect the checkbox labeled 'Show Desktop Search results on Google Web Search result pages.'
4. Click the Save Preferences button.

To hide your results for just one query, without turning the feature off, click the Hide link to the right of your Google Desktop results.

Details on how Google Integration works

When Google Integration is turned on, your Google search is sent to Google Desktop as well as Google Web Search, in order to search your personal index on your computer. Google Desktop then adds results from your index above the search results from Google Web Search. This way, you see both results at the same time.

These combined results are seen only on your own computer; your computer's content is never sent to Google (or anyone else). Also, the web server for Desktop only accepts connections from the computer where it's installed. Connections from other computers aren't accepted. As a result, your personal index and search results remain secure.