Short answer: on a computer, open Chrome and go to Settings > Privacy and security > Third-party cookies, then turn on Send a “Do not track” request with your browsing traffic. On Android it is under Settings > Privacy and security. Chrome for iPhone and iPad doesn’t have it. Before you rely on it, know that Google itself says most websites, including Google’s, don’t change what they do when they get the request.
Turn on Do Not Track on a computer
These steps are from Google’s Do Not Track help and work on Windows, Mac, Linux and Chromebook:
- Open Chrome.
- At the top right, select More (three dots) > Settings.
- Select Privacy and security > Third-party cookies.
- Turn on Send a “Do not track” request with your browsing traffic.
To go straight to that page, paste chrome://settings/cookies into the address bar. The setting is off by default. To turn it off again, repeat the steps and switch it off.
Turn on Do Not Track on Android
- Open Chrome.
- To the right of the address bar, tap More > Settings.
- Tap Privacy and security.
- Tap Send a “Do Not Track” request.
- Turn the setting on.
iPhone and iPad
Google states that “Do Not Track” isn’t available for iPhones or iPads in Chrome. There is no hidden setting to find. The steps in the next section are what actually reduce tracking on any device.
What Do Not Track actually does
With the setting on, Chrome adds a request to your browsing traffic asking websites not to collect or track your browsing data. Whether anything changes is up to each website. Google’s help is blunt about it:
- “Most websites and web services, including Google’s, don’t change their behavior when they receive a Do Not Track request.”
- Many sites still collect and use browsing data for security, content, ads, recommendations and statistics.
- Chrome doesn’t tell you which sites respect the request or how they interpret it.
On its own, it won’t stop tracking.
Settings that do reduce tracking
- Block third-party cookies. On the same Third-party cookies page, choose Block third-party cookies. These are the cookies other companies use to follow you from site to site. Some sites may not work as expected; you can allow them for one site at a time.
- Use Incognito for one-off browsing. Press Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows, Linux, Chromebook) or ⌘ + Shift + N (Mac). Third-party cookies are blocked there by default and Chrome discards the session’s cookies when you close the window. Google notes that websites, your employer or school, and your internet provider can still see your activity (Google’s Incognito help).
- Limit what Chrome sends to Google. That is a separate question from websites tracking you. The settings are covered in how to stop Chrome tracking you.