Add sources, locations and topics you want to track in Google News — and hide those you don’t want to display — for a reliable and free way to aggregate global news.

As a news aggregator, Google News showcases stories from thousands of sources around the world. It provides an effective and free way to get an overview of news from the sources, locations and topics you follow. Google News can pair nicely with existing news you follow, since you can configure it to feature stories you might not otherwise encounter.

To get started, you may access Google News on the web, or you may install the Google News app on Android, iOS or iPadOS devices. If you sign in to Google News with your Google account, you can fully configure and customize all the options detailed below. However, you also may choose to use Google News without an account, and the system will show major stories for your detected language and region.

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How to add sources, locations or topics in Google News

In Google News, the search box, which is accessed by the magnifying glass icon, allows you to search for sources, locations and topics. Follow these steps to add sources, locations and topics in Google News (Figure A).

1. Enter the name of a news source, location or topic in the Google News search box.
2. From the results, items will be displayed with a designation of source, location or topic listed below the name.
3. Select the Follow button (or star) to add the item as a followed source, location or topic.
4. Repeat the process for every news source, location or topic you wish to track within Google News.

Figure A

Use the Following tab

After adding topics, locations or sources, use the Following tab to access stories: Select Following, then click on (or tap) the topic, location or source. For example, if you follow Artificial intelligence as a topic, select Following | Artificial Intelligence for a set of recent and relevant stories.

Sources

In my opinion, a healthy media diet consists not only of sources relevant to you such as your local newspaper(s) and large media organizations but also credible sources that provide a global perspective. Supplement these with other sources that consistently deliver value to you. For example, you might add TechRepublic as a technology news source (Figure A).

Locations

I recommend adding locations to track stories relevant to the places you live, work or study. You might also add locations of colleagues, relatives or friends, so you are aware of stories that affect their lives.

Topics

Topics are broad terms that may consist of a subject, a sector or a company, such as artificial intelligence, education or Google.

After you select the topics you want to follow, be sure to review the results. For example, consider searches for BBC, Washington and Silicon Valley, each of which show at least two different results, as follows.

• BBC News – source (stories from the BBC) vs. BBC News – topic (stories about the BBC).
• Washington – location (D.C. area stories) vs. Washington – topic (Pacific Northwest state stories).
• Silicon Valley – topic (technology sector stories) vs. Silicon Valley – source (local community stories).

How to manage topics, locations and sources in Google News

You may adjust the priority of or unfollow a topic, location or source in Google News.

1. Go to Google News.
2. Select Following.
3. Scroll to the topics, locations or sources section.
4. Mobile app only:

• Android: Tap Library, then View All And Manage in the desired section.
• iOS/iPadOS: Tap View All And Manage in the desired section.

5. To the right of any topic, source or location, select the three dot menu for management options (Figure B).

Figure B

6. Select any of the move options (i.e., Move To Top, Move Toward Top, Move Toward Bottom, Move To Bottom) to adjust the priority. Select a removal option (i.e., Remove From Library or Stop Following This Source) to deselect it as a followed item.

SEE: How to unfollow a location in Google News (TechRepublic video)

What does the Full Coverage button in Google News do?

The Full Coverage button in Google News connects you to a page that showcases a wide spectrum of coverage (Figure C). Click or tap the Full Coverage button when you want to explore multiple articles related to a story.

A Full Coverage page often features:

• Stories from sources that are different from the ones you selected.
• Related articles in a For Context section.
• Posts from X, formerly known as Twitter.
• Frequently asked questions.
• A long list of even more articles on the topic from other sources.

Figure C

How to fine-tune Google News and hide unwanted news sources

If you want to fine-tune or hide unwanted sources in Google News, select the three-dot menu to the right of a story. While not all options are available for every article, common ones include (Figure D):

• Bookmark: Save For Later
• Share
• Go To (source name)
• Hide All Stories From (source name)
• Thumb Up: More Stories Like This
• Thumb Down: Fewer Stories Like This

Figure D

Selective settings: Receive email and add a language

Google News on Android and iOS/iPadOS lets you manage language and email settings. Tap your profile picture (upper right) | News Settings (Figure E, left and middle left) to review and explore options.

Figure E

Adjust the slider next to the Daily Briefing Emails option (Figure E, middle right) to receive an email with a few featured stories in your Gmail inbox. To read a featured article, click or tap on it, and the system will connect you to it via Google News.

You also may choose to select a second language within Google News (Figure E, middle right and right). To do so, go to News Settings | Languages & Regions Of Interest | Add A Language And Region, then select an option from the list.

As with other settings, this preference will influence the content displayed. For example, you might add Español (Estados Unidos) if you’d like to access Spanish-language stories across the U.S. At most, you may have two languages configured: one primary and one secondary.

Mention or message me on Mastodon (@awolber) to let me know whether you use Google News, or if there are other options you prefer.