Google News is one of the most powerful news apps in the world. The app gathers news from thousands of sources and presents it in a way that's tailored to your interests. But to get the most out of Google News, it's important to personalize the app properly. In this article we explain how to set up Google News so you get exactly the news that's relevant to you.

What is Google News?

Google News is a news aggregator that collects and presents articles from news websites around the world. Unlike apps from individual news organizations, Google News offers a broad overview of what's going on, with articles from both large media companies and smaller, specialized publications.

The app uses artificial intelligence to determine which stories are important and which articles are relevant to you personally. The more you use the app, the better the recommendations get.

Downloading and opening Google News

Google News is available as an app and in the web browser:

Downloading the app

On Android, Google News often comes preinstalled. If not, you can download the app from the Play Store. On iPhone you download Google News from the App Store. The app is free.

In the browser

You can also use Google News at news.google.com in your web browser. This works on both computers and mobile devices.

Signing in

To personalize Google News, you need to be signed in with your Google Account. Without an account you get general news; with an account Google remembers your preferences and learns from your behavior to improve recommendations.

The Google News interface

The Google News app consists of several sections:

For you

This is your personalized news feed. Here Google selects stories it thinks will interest you, based on your reading history, searches and stated interests.

Headlines

The most important news stories right now, selected by algorithms and in some cases by human editors. This is the news everyone sees, regardless of personal preferences.

Following

Here you find updates from topics, sources and locations you actively follow. This section gives you more control over what you get to see.

Newsstand

An overview of news sources and magazines you can follow or subscribe to for premium content.

Setting your interests

The most important step in personalizing Google News is setting your interests. Here's how:

Following topics

Search the app for a topic that interests you, for example 'Formula 1', 'Artificial intelligence' or 'Dutch politics'. Tap the topic and then the star icon or 'Follow' to get updates about this topic in your feed.

Following sources

You can also follow specific news sources. Search for the name of a newspaper or website (for example 'NOS', 'De Volkskrant' or 'Tweakers') and follow it. Articles from followed sources appear more often in your feed.

Following locations

Want news about a specific city or region? You can follow locations to get local news. Search for the place name and select 'Follow'.

Giving feedback on articles

Google News learns from your behavior, but you can speed up the process by actively giving feedback:

More of this / Less of this

Each article has a menu (three dots). Here you can choose options such as 'More stories like this' or 'Fewer stories like this'. This helps Google better understand what you do and don't want to read.

Hiding sources

If you never want to see articles from a certain source, you can choose 'Hide all stories from [source]' in the same menu. The source then disappears from your feed.

Saving articles

You can save articles you want to read later by tapping the bookmark icon. This also affects your recommendations: Google sees that you're interested in the topic.

Managing news sources

In the Google News settings you can take more control over which sources you see:

Viewing followed sources

Go to 'Following' in the app to see an overview of all the topics, sources and locations you follow. Here you can remove sources if you no longer want to follow them.

Managing hidden sources

In the settings you'll find a list of sources you've hidden. You can add them back here if you've changed your mind.

Fact checks and reliability

Google News tries to prioritize reliable sources and sometimes labels articles with 'Fact check' when a verification of a claim is available.

Setting up notifications

Google News can send you notifications about important news:

Breaking news

By default Google News sends notifications for major breaking news. You can adjust or turn this off in the settings under 'Notifications'.

Notifications per topic

For topics you follow, you can choose whether you want to receive notifications when there are important new articles. This is handy for topics you follow closely.

Notification frequency

In the settings you can choose how often you want notifications: only for very important news, regularly, or not at all.

Tips for a better news experience

Here are some tips to get the most out of Google News:

Be active at the start: In the first weeks you use Google News, give feedback regularly ('more of this', 'less of this'). This helps the algorithm learn your preferences quickly.

Follow a variety of sources: To get a balanced news diet, follow sources with different perspectives. This prevents a filter bubble.

Check 'Headlines' regularly: The 'For you' section is personalized, but also check the 'Headlines' to see which news is considered important in general.

Use multiple languages: If you speak several languages, you can add extra languages and regions in the settings for a more international perspective.

Manage your Google activity: In your Google Account you can see which activity is used for personalization and delete or pause it if you want.

Privacy and data use

Google News uses your data to make recommendations. It's good to know what's collected:

Google keeps track of which articles you read, how long you read, which topics you search for and which sources you prefer. This data is used to personalize your feed, but also for advertising purposes within the Google ecosystem.

In your Google Account under 'Data & privacy' you can see which activity is stored, and you can choose to have activity deleted automatically after a certain period.

Frequently asked questions

Here we answer frequently asked questions about Google News.

Frequently asked questions

Is Google News free?

Yes, Google News is completely free to use. Some articles from sources may be behind a paywall, but the app itself is free.

How do I avoid a filter bubble in Google News?

Follow sources with different perspectives, check the 'Headlines' section regularly for general news, and be aware of which sources you hide.

Can I use Google News without a Google Account?

Yes, but then the recommendations aren't personalized. For the best experience, signing in is recommended.

How do I delete my reading history from Google News?

Go to your Google Account, then to 'Data & privacy' and then to 'My Activity'. Here you can view and delete your News activity.

Looking to build a website? See our plans.