De-Google Your Life.

Search Engine

Now the main thing: search. If you still search everything from Google, you still feed the machine. So let’s switch it.

Tip: After installing your browser, set your default search engine to one of these. This alone changes a lot.

Email

Gmail is comfortable, I know. But if you want less data collection, moving email is a big step.

• Proton Mail → Easy UI, strong privacy focus. (Good for beginners.)

• Tuta (Tutanota) → Another privacy mail option, simple and solid.

• mailbox.org → Paid, but feature-rich and privacy friendly.

Small reality check: If you email someone on Gmail, Google still receives that email (because it lands in Gmail). But at least your mailbox isn’t fully inside Google.

Maps & Navigation

Google Maps is scary-good… because it collects scary-much. Here’s alternatives:

• OsmAnd → Offline maps, based on OpenStreetMap. Great if you travel.

• Organic Maps → Very clean, offline, and lightweight.

• OpenStreetMap → The open map itself. Not a full app, but the base for many apps.

YouTube (and watching without giving too much)

YouTube is owned by Google, so you can’t make it “private fully”. But you can reduce tracking:

• NewPipe (Android) → Watch without Google account, no ads, subscriptions locally.

• LibreTube (Android) → Uses Piped, looks modern.

• Piped (Web) → Front-end for YouTube. Use it when you just want to watch.

• Invidious (Web) → Another YouTube front-end (instance based).

Tip: If you still use YouTube app, at least keep “YouTube History” and “Personalized Ads” off (you already did that in Level 1).

Cloud Storage (Google Drive alternative)

Drive is super useful, but you can switch depending on your needs:

LEVEL 2 - Medium Ways

Now we go a bit deeper. Level 1 is “turn off + replace basics”. Level 2 is “stop the silent tracking in the background”.

DNS (small change, big effect)

DNS is like “who do you ask where a website lives?”. If you use your ISP default or Google DNS, it’s not great.

• Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 → Easy setup app (DoH/DoT support).

• Quad9 → Privacy + security filtering (blocks many malicious domains).

• AdGuard DNS → Can block ads/tracking at DNS level (nice on mobile).

Why it matters Some trackers never even load if DNS blocks them.

Tracker / Ad blocking

Even with a “private browser”, the internet is full of trackers. Add a blocker:

• uBlock Origin → Best overall (desktop browsers).

• Privacy Badger → Learns and blocks trackers (good extra layer).

Password Manager

If you save passwords in Chrome/Google, it’s convenient… but let’s move it:

• Bitwarden → Great free tier, works everywhere.

• KeePassXC → Offline local vault (for people who want full control).

LEVEL 3 - Hard Ways (Optional)

This is for people who want to go “okay, I want maximum control”. You don’t have to do this. But it’s good to know.

Mobile OS / Google-free Android direction

Android without Google services is possible, but it’s not for everyone.

• GrapheneOS → Strong security + privacy (Pixel devices).

• CalyxOS → More “daily use friendly” approach (also Pixel focused).

• LineageOS → Popular custom Android (device support varies).

Warning: Installing custom OS can wipe your phone and may break banking apps / NFC / DRM stuff. Research first.

Final Notes

You don’t need to delete everything in one day. Even doing one change (browser + search engine) is already a big step.

My “starter combo”: Brave + DuckDuckGo + Bitwarden + DNS (Quad9 or 1.1.1.1)