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- How marking a preferred source changes your Google experience
- Step-by-step: Add a preferred source on Google
- Manage, edit, or remove preferred sources
- What Google uses besides your preferred sources
- Tips for publishers to become a preferred source
- Privacy and personalization: what to know
- Common questions people ask about preferred sources
Want Google to favor a favorite news source in your feed? You can mark a publisher as a preferred source to influence results in Google Discover and Google News. The option gives you quicker access to updates from outlets you trust, and you can change it anytime.
How marking a preferred source changes your Google experience
Designating a preferred source affects what you see on mobile and desktop. It nudges Google to surface stories from that outlet more prominently in feeds and search cards.
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- More visibility: Stories from the chosen publisher are more likely to appear near the top of your Discover feed and news carousels.
- Fewer irrelevant stories: Personalized signals mean less clutter from sources you do not prefer.
- Control over variety: You still get diverse viewpoints, but your chosen publisher gets priority within your personalized stream.
Step-by-step: Add a preferred source on Google
The process is quick on mobile and similar on desktop. Below are the typical steps to set a preferred publisher.
On Android and iOS
- Open the Google app or the Google News app on your phone.
- Find an article from the publisher you want to prefer.
- Tap the three-dot menu or the publisher name to open options.
- Select the option to follow or mark as a preferred source.
- Confirm your choice when prompted.
On desktop
- Visit news.google.com or use the Google search results page.
- Locate an article or the publisher profile.
- Click the publisher name to open its profile panel.
- Choose the button to follow or add as preferred.
Manage, edit, or remove preferred sources
Preferences are reversible. You can review and update your selected sources in settings.
- Open the Google app and go to Settings > News or Discover.
- Look for Sources or Following to view your list.
- Remove or replace a source with a tap or click.
- Changes take effect quickly across your devices when signed in.
What Google uses besides your preferred sources
Preferred sources are one signal among many. Google combines your choice with other data to create a tailored feed.
- Search history and interactions with articles.
- Location and recent local news trends.
- Topic interests and subscriptions you follow.
- Site authority and publisher reputation.
Tips for publishers to become a preferred source
Publishers seeking stronger placement can adopt practices that improve discoverability and trust.
- Publish timely, original reporting and use clear headlines.
- Optimize article metadata and follow Google News guidelines.
- Ensure fast mobile pages and good site performance.
- Build reader trust through transparent bylines and sourcing.
Privacy and personalization: what to know
Choosing a preferred source personalizes your feed but does not change general rankings for other users.
- Your selection is tied to your Google account.
- Google uses your signals to tailor content; it does not share your choices publicly.
- You can clear personalization by adjusting activity controls in your account.
Common questions people ask about preferred sources
Does it make Google ignore other outlets?
No. Marking a preferred source boosts its visibility for you but does not eliminate other publishers from your feed.
Can I set multiple preferred sources?
Yes. You can follow several publishers and rank multiple favorites simultaneously.
Will my choices affect search results globally?
Your preferences mainly affect personalized feeds like Discover and News. General search ranking remains based on broader signals.
