Google Chrome includes a built-in “Safety Check” feature that automatically scans your saved passwords against a global database of known data breaches. If it detects that one of your passwords has been compromised in a leak, Chrome will display prominent, sometimes un-dismissable warnings urging you to change your credentials immediately.
While intended to protect you, this feature means Chrome is constantly analyzing your password vault. For privacy-conscious users who prefer to manage their own security (or who intentionally use weak, throwaway passwords for unimportant websites like forums), these constant alerts are highly annoying. If you rely on a dedicated third-party password manager or simply do not want Chrome scanning your vault, you can disable the Safety Check.
How to Turn Off Password Scanning in Google Chrome
You can disable the background scanning engine by modifying Chrome’s hidden developer flags.
- Open the Google Chrome browser.
- Click on the address bar at the top of the window, type
chrome://flags, and press Enter. - In the “Search flags” search box at the top of the screen, type Safety Hub or Safety Check.
- Look through the filtered list for flags related to automatic password scanning (such as “Safety Hub Auto Revocation” or “Safety Hub Password Check”).
- Click the drop-down menu next to these entries (which are usually set to “Default”).
- Select Disabled from the drop-down menus.
- A prompt will appear at the bottom of the screen stating “Your changes will take effect the next time you relaunch Chrome.” Click the blue Relaunch button.
Chrome will restart. The automated background scans will cease, and the browser will no longer cross-reference your saved passwords with external data breach databases, putting an end to the constant warning notifications.