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• Why mark a preferred source on Google
• How Google uses your preference settings
  • What changes after you add a preferred source
• Step-by-step: Add a preferred source on mobile
• Set a preferred source on desktop and in Google News
• Best practices for choosing preferred sources
• Troubleshooting: When your preferred source doesn’t appear
• Privacy and control over personalization

Want the news you trust to show up first on Google? Many users miss a simple option that helps tailor results across Google Search, Google News and Google Discover. This guide explains how to add a preferred source and tune your feed so trusted outlets appear more often.

Why mark a preferred source on Google

Choosing a preferred source improves relevance across Google’s surfaces. When you tell Google which outlets you trust, the algorithm can prioritize their stories in your feed.

• Better relevance: Results lean toward outlets you prefer.
• Cleaner feed: You see fewer low-quality or unrelated articles.
• Cross-platform benefit: Preferences affect Search, News, and Discover.

How Google uses your preference settings

Google combines your explicit choices with signals like reading history and location. Marking a source as preferred sends a clear signal that can influence ranking and personalization.

What changes after you add a preferred source

• Stories from the chosen source are more likely to appear in your Discover feed.
• News panels in Search may surface that outlet’s reporting first.
• Your personalized News tab learns faster about your favorite topics.

Step-by-step: Add a preferred source on mobile

Most people set preferences on their phone. The process is quick and works for most Android and iOS users.

1. Open the Google app.
2. Tap your profile image or the menu to reach Settings.
3. Select News or Discover preferences.
4. Search for the outlet you want to prioritize.
5. Tap the three-dot menu or the outlet card and choose Add as preferred.

Set a preferred source on desktop and in Google News

Desktop users can manage preferences in Google News and the main Search settings. The interface differs, but the effect is the same.

• Go to news.google.com and sign in.
• Click the three lines to open the menu, then choose Settings.
• Under Sources or Your interests, search and add the outlet.

Best practices for choosing preferred sources

Select outlets that consistently match your quality and perspective. A few curated sources work better than adding dozens at random.

• Pick reliable organizations with clear editorial standards.
• Balance perspectives to avoid echo chambers.
• Update your list periodically as your interests change.

Troubleshooting: When your preferred source doesn’t appear

If you set a source but still don’t see its articles, try these checks.

• Confirm you’re signed into the same Google account across devices.
• Clear app cache or reload the News site to refresh personalization.
• Make sure the outlet publishes content that matches your search queries.

Privacy and control over personalization

Google stores preferences in your account. You can always remove or edit them. Controlling these options is a simple way to shape what you see.

• Review your settings under Manage data & personalization.
• Turn off personalization if you prefer purely algorithmic results.
• Use the same steps to remove a preferred source at any time.