If you use Google Play, there’s a quiet but important change you shouldn’t ignore.

Google has started rolling out a new system that changes how your activity and personalisation are tracked on Google Play. The update was shared through an email many users recently received, and while it sounds technical, the impact is very real.

What has changed?

Till now, Google Play activity was controlled through a broader setting called Web & App Activity (WAA) in your Google Account. That meant one switch decided how Google tracked what you searched, watched, and downloaded including on Play Store.

Now, Google is separating things. Google Play will get its own dedicated controls for- Personalised recommendations and Activity history (what you search, view, and download on Play). In simple words: Play Store tracking is no longer tied to your Web & App Activity setting.

Why does this matter?

Because many users assume that turning off Web & App Activity means Google Play is also off. That assumption may no longer hold. After this transition your Play Store personalisation and history settings will live inside the Play app itself and changes made in Web & App Activity will not affect Google Play anymore. You will need to check Play settings separately if you care about privacy. Google says your current experience will remain the same initially, based on whatever choice you last made in Web & App Activity. But after the transition, the responsibility shifts to you.

The one menu you must check is: Open Google Play Store > Profile icon > Settings > Privacy & Personalisation. This is where you can turn Play personalisation on or off, control how long your Play activity is saved, and choose manual or automatic deletion of Play history. If you don’t check this, Google may continue saving your Play activity even if you think tracking is disabled elsewhere.

Google’s explanation

Google says this change is meant to give users “clearer and more direct control” over Play-related data. Separating settings, according to the company, makes privacy options easier to find and manage. That sounds good on paper. But in practice, it also means one more place where users need to stay alert. If you care about what Google remembers about you, don’t rely on old settings.

Open the Play Store. Check that menu. Decide for yourself. Because silence, in tech, is usually consent.