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- What “preferred source” means on Google and why it matters
- How to add a preferred news source on mobile
- How to manage preferred sources on desktop
- Where to view and remove followed or preferred sources
- Tips for publishers: get added as a preferred source more often
- Common problems and how to fix them
- Privacy, data use, and control over recommendations
- Practical examples and quick shortcuts
If you want Google to show more stories from a particular outlet, you can mark that outlet as a preferred source. The process is quick and gives you greater control over the news and articles that appear in Google Discover and Google News. Below you’ll find clear steps for readers and publishers, plus tips to fix common issues and improve visibility.
What “preferred source” means on Google and why it matters
When you add a site or publisher as a preferred source, Google gives that source extra weight when curating content for you. This affects the stories that appear in Google Discover and the recommendations in Google News. The change helps tailor your feed to outlets you trust or enjoy.
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- Personalization: The algorithm will favor stories from the chosen source.
- Relevance: You see more articles that match your interests and prior reading.
- Control: You influence content quality without changing overall search ranking.
How to add a preferred news source on mobile
Most people add preferred sources from their phone, using the Google or Google News app. The exact labels might vary by app version and region.
- Open the Google or Google News app on your phone.
- Find an article from the publisher you want to prefer.
- Tap the publisher name or the three-dot menu near the article.
- Look for a Follow or Follow this source option and tap it.
- Confirm any prompts to follow or add the source to your interests.
How to manage preferred sources on desktop
On desktop, the steps are similar but located in different menus. You can also use the Google News website for a clearer view.
- Visit news.google.com or open the Google News section in a browser.
- Search for the publisher or open an article from that outlet.
- Click the outlet name or the menu, then choose Follow or an equivalent option.
- Review your followed sources via the Following tab or the settings area.
Where to view and remove followed or preferred sources
You can review your list of followed outlets at any time. Removal is immediate but may take time to affect your feed.
- Open the Google or Google News app and go to Your interests or Following.
- Find the publisher you want to unfollow.
- Tap Unfollow or the three-dot menu and confirm the action.
Tips for publishers: get added as a preferred source more often
Publishers gain visibility when readers follow them. To increase the chance of being added, focus on clarity and discoverability.
- Clear branding: Use consistent site names and bylines so Google recognizes your publisher profile.
- Structured data: Implement schema markup for articles to help indexing and rich results.
- Publisher Center: Claim and maintain your presence in Google’s Publisher Center.
- Fresh, trusted content: Regular, accurate reporting encourages readers to follow your outlet.
Common problems and how to fix them
Sometimes preferred sources don’t appear to affect your feed immediately. The issue is often simple to fix.
- Delay: Personalization changes can take hours or days to show in Discover.
- Account mismatch: Make sure you’re signed into the same Google account across devices.
- Region limits: Some publishers or features vary by country.
- App cache: Clear the app cache or sign out and sign back in to refresh preferences.
Privacy, data use, and control over recommendations
Adding a preferred source changes only your feed personalization. It does not change public search rankings.
- Google uses your activity to tailor recommendations.
- You can always view or delete your activity in your Google account settings.
- Follow and unfollow options give you direct control over what you see.
Practical examples and quick shortcuts
Here are simple, real-world moves that save time when managing sources.
- Open an article, tap the publisher name, then tap Follow.
- From the Google News Following tab, unfollow multiple sources in seconds.
- Use browser bookmarks for favorite publishers you visit outside Google.
