When you jump Among the many different apps Google offers—Gmail, Google Maps, Google Calendar, YouTube, and all the rest—you may not be giving much thought to the Google Account that powers them all or access the countless settings that help define your experience in all of those apps.
If you’ve never opened your Google Account page on the web or on your phone, there are plenty of options to browse. They cover everything from data security and browsing history to backup email that Google needs in case you’re locked out of your account.
Here we’re going to focus on seven lesser-known settings: the ones that don’t necessarily get a lot of attention but are still an important part of how your account and your Google apps work. It’s worth spending a few minutes reviewing them and making sure they’re set up to your liking.
Also pause to consider how much personal information you’re willing to share with Google, or how much of your information you’re making visible on the web. Let your comfort level guide your decisions on how you adjust these settings.
All these settings have a starting point. Your Google Account page On the web
Set your home and work addresses.
Google will use information about where you live and work to personalize your experience. This is most useful in Google Maps, as it means you can get directions to your home or office with a single tap instead of typing the address each time. (You should see Home and Work shortcuts whenever you search for a destination.)
There are also benefits of getting more accurate weather forecasts and more relevant search results. The usual Google privacy policy rules apply: no one else will see your saved address information, but you may start seeing more ads for sandwich shops in your local area.
To set these addresses from your Google Account page, click Personal Information And then either Home Address or Work Address. You can either type in the address manually, or select a location on the map.
Edit your Google profile information.
You might not think of your Google Account like a Facebook or Instagram profile, but Google shares bits of information about you with other people. If you send someone an email through Gmail, they can click on your profile picture and see everything that’s public on your Google Account page. Similarly, if you leave a review on Google Maps, viewers of that review can tap your name or photo and see any public information on your Google Account page.