What is degoogling?
Degoogling means gradually replacing Google services (Gmail, Chrome, Drive, Photos, Maps) with alternatives you choose yourself. It's done service by service, at your own pace, without deleting your account overnight. The goal: taking back control of your data, not fleeing technology.
Information verified on July 13, 2026
Replacing Google services one by one with tools you have chosen: that’s degoogling. A new mailbox instead of Gmail, a different browser than Chrome, a cloud other than Drive. The word is a bit clunky, the approach is very concrete.
Two misunderstandings to clear up. It’s not cold turkey: nobody should delete their Google account on a Sunday night on a whim, that would be the worst method. Nor is it an anti-tech crusade: you give up nothing, you replace. The alternatives exist, often just as comfortable, sometimes better.
The right approach looks like moving house one room at a time. You start with the easiest, the search engine or the browser, you carry on with email, you finish with photos. Each step stands on its own: even if you stop halfway, the ground you gained stays yours. And in your case, what would be the first service to replace?
Where it plays out: the How to leave Google guide draws the overall plan, the book unfolds the complete method, DÉCLIC, and the free diagnostic tells you where to start.
Want the complete guide?
“Vivre sans Google” (in French) covers the full journey, service by service, with step-by-step migration guides.
Forthcoming 22/10/2026 from Éditions Eyrolles
Where do you stand?
24 questions to measure how much you depend on Google services. Free, no sign-up.
Tech jargon, translated
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