Google lets you control the audience for some personal information. That does not turn every profile field and every interaction into one visibility switch. Start with the specific detail you care about, such as a phone number, birthday or profile photo.
Ask a concrete visibility question
“I want this detail hidden” is easier to check than “I want my account private.” Open your Google Account's personal information area and inspect the audience options for that detail. Then consider the service where you actually use it.
For example, changing a profile photo raises a different question from removing an old number from a public-facing profile. Write down which change you made and where. Do not remove recovery information blindly when your real aim is to change its visibility.
Check the result in context
- Confirm that you edited the intended Google Account.
- Review each relevant field rather than copying one assumption across them.
- Inspect any service-specific profile controls linked from the account settings.
- If appropriate, ask a trusted contact what they see in the actual interaction.
A contact's view is a useful spot check, not proof of what every audience sees. Screenshots, previous messages and information already copied elsewhere are separate from the current profile setting. Keep that distinction when deciding whether an old display is a new settings problem.