To opt out of PimEyes, go to pimeyes.com/en/opt-out-request-form, upload a clear photo of your face, upload a redacted government ID (blur name, address, and ID number — leave only your face visible), enter your email, and submit. PimEyes verifies your identity and blocks matching results within 3 to 7 business days. The process is free.
What Is PimEyes?
PimEyes is a publicly available reverse face search engine that crawls the internet and indexes photos containing human faces. Unlike Clearview AI, which primarily serves law enforcement, PimEyes is available to anyone willing to pay for a subscription. Users can upload a photo of any face and receive links to websites where that face appears — including social media profiles, news articles, blog posts, and obscure corners of the web you may have forgotten about.
The service works by creating a biometric faceprint from each indexed photo and comparing it against uploaded search queries. That means PimEyes doesn't just store your photos — it stores a mathematical representation of your unique facial features, which is more sensitive than the photos themselves.
Why You Should Opt Out of PimEyes
The risks of having your face searchable on PimEyes are significant:
- Stalking and harassment — anyone with a public photo of you can find your online presence and identity in seconds
- Doxxing — bad actors can connect your face to your real name, workplace, and social media accounts
- Identity theft — your photos can be used to impersonate you or bypass identity verification systems that rely on selfie liveness checks
- Loss of anonymity — even if you use pseudonyms online, PimEyes can link your anonymous profiles to your real identity through shared photos
- Deepfake material — indexed high-resolution photos of your face are exactly the training data deepfake tools need
Your Face Is Already in the Database
PimEyes continuously scrapes publicly available images from across the internet. Even photos you posted briefly and then deleted may have already been captured and indexed. You don't need to have signed up for PimEyes or consented to anything — the scraping happens automatically, without notice.
How to Opt Out of PimEyes: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Check If Your Face Is in PimEyes
Before submitting an opt-out request, confirm that PimEyes has indexed your face. Go to pimeyes.com and use their free search feature to upload a clear photo of yourself. If results appear showing your face on various websites, your biometric data is in their system and you should proceed with the opt-out process.
Step 2: Visit the Official Opt-Out Form
Navigate to the official opt-out page at pimeyes.com/en/opt-out-request-form. This is the only legitimate way to request removal of your biometric data from PimEyes' database. Do not pay a third-party "reputation" service for PimEyes removal — they submit the same free form.
Step 3: Upload a Clear Photo of Your Face
You'll need to upload a high-quality photo of your face. For the best results:
- Use a well-lit, full-face photo with nothing covering your face or eyes
- Avoid sunglasses, masks, or heavy makeup that could alter your appearance
- Consider uploading multiple photos showing different angles and time periods — one photo may not match every indexed image of you
Step 4: Upload an Anonymized ID Document
PimEyes requires an anonymized scan of a government-issued ID (passport, driver's license, or national ID card) to verify that you are the person in the photos. Before uploading:
- Blur or cover your name
- Blur or cover your address
- Blur or cover your ID number, date of birth, and any barcodes or QR codes
- Only your photo on the ID needs to be visible
PimEyes states that ID documents are used solely for verification and are not stored long-term, but redacting sensitive fields is still the right move.
Step 5: Provide Your Email Address
Enter a valid email address where PimEyes can send status updates about your opt-out request. Use a real inbox you can access — you'll receive confirmation when the process is complete and follow-up requests if PimEyes needs a clearer photo.
Step 6: Submit and Wait
After submitting, PimEyes support verifies the face on your ID matches the uploaded photo, runs a search using your image, and adds every result above their similarity threshold to a permanent blocklist. Those results are removed from their search index. This process typically takes 3 to 7 business days.
Submit Multiple Requests for Best Results
Because facial recognition is not perfectly deterministic, a single opt-out request may not catch every indexed image of you. PimEyes themselves recommend submitting multiple opt-out requests using different photos of your face — different angles, lighting conditions, and time periods (young/older, clean-shaven/bearded, glasses/no glasses).
What Happens After You Opt Out?
Once your opt-out request is processed, your face will no longer appear in PimEyes search results. The matched URLs and image hashes are placed on a permanent blocklist, so both current and future searches by anyone should no longer return your face.
Important limitations:
- Original images remain online. PimEyes only removes results from their own search index. The actual photos still exist on the websites where they were originally posted.
- New photos may be indexed. If new images of your face are posted to the internet after your opt-out, they may be scraped and indexed again. You may need to submit additional opt-out requests every 6 to 12 months.
- Not all matches will be caught in one pass. Different photos produce different index combinations, so some images of you may slip through a single request.
- The blocklist is not shared with other services. Opting out of PimEyes has no effect on Clearview AI, FaceCheck.ID, or other facial-recognition search engines.
Remove yourself from PimEyes — and 100+ sites like it
One opt-out won't stop them — brokers relist your data within months. PrivacyOn removes your info everywhere and keeps it removed.
Start your free scan★★★★★ 4.8/5 · Trusted by thousands of families
How Long Does the Opt-Out Take?
PimEyes retains uploaded verification data for no more than 96 hours while processing your request. Actual index removal typically takes 3 to 7 business days. In busier periods it can stretch to two weeks. If you haven't heard back after 14 days, follow up via the support address in the confirmation email.
Additional Steps to Protect Your Facial Privacy
Opting out of PimEyes is important, but it's one part of protecting your biometric privacy:
- Opt out of other facial recognition services. Clearview AI (via their official request form) and FaceCheck.ID (via their opt-out portal) maintain separate databases. Submit removal requests to each.
- Reduce your online photo footprint. Set social media profiles to private, remove tagged photos, and ask friends and family not to post identifiable photos of you publicly.
- Reverse image search yourself. Use Google Images and TinEye to find where your photos appear online and request removal from those sites directly.
- Remove your data from people-search sites. Brokers like Spokeo, BeenVerified, and Radaris often display profile photos alongside your personal information, making it easier for facial recognition systems to match and identify you.
How PrivacyOn Can Help
While PimEyes requires a direct opt-out request you have to handle yourself, most of the data that makes facial recognition dangerous comes from data broker and people-search sites that link your photos to your real name, address, and family members. PrivacyOn automates removal of your personal information from 100+ data broker sites, cutting off the data points facial recognition systems need to build a profile on you.
With continuous monitoring, automatic re-removal when your data reappears, and 24/7 dark web scanning, PrivacyOn is an ongoing layer that complements your direct opt-out with PimEyes. Plans start at $8.33/month and cover up to 5 family members.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is opting out of PimEyes free?
Yes. The official opt-out form at pimeyes.com/en/opt-out-request-form is completely free. Any third-party service charging you specifically for PimEyes removal is running the same free form.
Do I have to give PimEyes my government ID to opt out?
Yes — PimEyes requires an anonymized ID scan to verify you are the person in the photos, which prevents malicious opt-outs of other people. Blur your name, address, date of birth, ID number, and any barcodes. Only your photo needs to be visible.
How long does PimEyes take to remove my results?
Most opt-out requests are processed within 3 to 7 business days. Busy periods can stretch to two weeks. Follow up via the confirmation email if you haven't heard back after 14 days.
Does opting out of PimEyes remove me from Clearview AI or FaceCheck.ID?
No. Each facial recognition service maintains its own database and its own opt-out process. You need to submit separate requests to Clearview AI and FaceCheck.ID, and to any other biometric search engine you want to be removed from.
Will my face be added back to PimEyes later?
Possibly. PimEyes continuously crawls the web. New photos of you posted after your opt-out can be indexed unless the URL or image hash matches your existing blocklist. Rerun a PimEyes search on yourself every 6 to 12 months and submit fresh opt-outs if new results appear.
Can I opt out on behalf of a child or family member?
Yes, for minors under 18. PimEyes accepts opt-outs submitted by a parent or legal guardian with a redacted ID of both the guardian and the child. For adult family members, they need to submit the form themselves.