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How to Turn Off Character.AI Model Training Where Available and Check What the Opt-Out Covers in 2026
For an eligible Character.AI account in the EEA or UK, turn off 'Improve the Model for Everyone' in the documented privacy settings, then reopen the control to verify its state. The stated training exclusion covers new content after opting out; it is not account deletion, an export request or a confidentiality guarantee.
Before you begin: eligibility and editorial disclosure
Use your own eligible account and keep sensitive content out of the check.
This documentation-based guide checked four official pages on October 4, 2026. No signed-in opt-out or export was tested. Persistence checks, recordkeeping and stop rules below are editorial recommendations, not observed account behavior. The training help page documents the route for EEA and UK users; do not infer worldwide availability.
The Terms of Service require EEA/UK citizens or residents to be at least 16; under-16 users in that category are not authorized to use the service. Meeting this minimum does not guarantee service access or control availability. Follow applicable account restrictions; do not bypass age checks.
Confirm your account and login method. Nothing here establishes a paid privacy entitlement: do not buy a subscription to obtain an undocumented control.
Affiliate disclosure: AIDatingGuide may earn commissions from some provider links. No purchase or affiliate visit is needed for this workflow. Optional internal comparisons follow the complete help.
Step 1: turn off the setting on mobile or web
Follow the route for the interface you are using.
The official model-training instructions give these paths after login. Mobile app: Settings > Data & Privacy > deselect 'Improve the Model for Everyone'. Web: Settings > Account > Manage Account & Data > Model Improvement > deselect the same control.
Read the label and nearby explanation before changing it. Do not assume a switch's color means disabled. Use the displayed checked, selected or on/off state. If a confirmation appears, read it and complete the intended change. The documentation does not establish whether your interface needs an additional confirmation.
Expected result: the named control is unselected, or you have a specific mismatch to investigate.
Step 2: verify the saved state without sending a test chat
Check the control again; do not ask a character to certify your privacy settings.
Reopen the settings, then refresh the website or reopen the app and inspect again. If you use both interfaces, check the same account wherever the control is available. This checks consistency, not backend enforcement.
Privately record the date, timezone, interface, account reference and observed state. A cropped screenshot may help, but remove names, email addresses, avatars and chat previews before sharing it.
Expected result: a stable off state in the interfaces you checked. Record conflicting results as unresolved. Do not repeatedly toggle the control or post personal content to test whether it was excluded.
Step 3: separate future coverage from earlier data
Treat the change as prospective, not proof of retroactive removal.
The training FAQ says new content is excluded from generative-model training after opt-out. It does not promise removal of earlier data from completed training. Feedback remains possible, and data may still improve search, recommendations and safety classifiers. Do not interpret this as stopping every form of processing.
Ask separately about future submissions and earlier content. A switch-state screenshot answers neither question completely. Do not assume deleting a conversation reverses earlier model use.
Avoid putting sensitive excerpts into feedback or reports while scope is unclear. Refer to an existing item by its reference and date where possible instead of copying it into another channel.
Step 4: record the policy date and an unresolved scope question
Finish policy-reading with a concrete record, not an assumed privacy promise.
Open the Privacy Policy through the training FAQ and the Regional Privacy Disclosures through Your Privacy Choices. Read the provisions relevant to your account rather than extrapolating from a switch label.
Expected result: record each document's title, version or displayed update/effective date, URL and your reading date. If no version/date appears, record 'not displayed'. Add one unresolved question, such as 'What use or retention of my earlier chats continues after opt-out?' Send that question to privacy support; this guide does not resolve individual legal rights.
Step 5: request an export separately if you need a copy
An export is an access workflow, not the training opt-out.
The official export instructions list web: Profile > Profile Settings > Account > Manage Account & Data > Export data. Mobile: Profile > settings icon > Export my data. Follow the prompts shown for your account.
Before requesting a copy, choose a private storage location and avoid a shared device. Record the request time and any acknowledgment. The article does not specify a guaranteed delivery deadline, file format or complete inventory; this guide cannot confirm what your export will contain.
When a copy arrives, check expected conversations locally. Missing content needs clarification, not an assumption that it was deleted. Exporting also creates another copy to protect; avoid uploading it to unrelated analysis services.
Step 6: assess advertising choices as a separate control
Do not apply the training switch's scope to advertising preferences.
Your Privacy Choices describes targeted-advertising and legally defined 'sale' opt-outs for residents of certain U.S. states, where applicable; availability is not universal. Web: footer > Your Privacy Choices, or Profile > Policies > Your Privacy Choices. Mobile: Profile > Settings > Data and Privacy > Your Privacy Choices.
The notice says this choice is device-specific and requires opting out on each device or browser used. It is not the EEA/UK training control, and this page does not establish an equivalent advertising entitlement for your EEA/UK account.
If relevant to your circumstances, record this preference separately.
Step 7: troubleshoot absence and apply privacy stop checks
A missing or unstable control is an unresolved privacy question.
Confirm the account, use the official app or website, and check the other documented interface. An ordinary app update or reload is a reasonable check, not a guaranteed remedy. Do not spoof location, change residency details or create another account to manufacture eligibility.
The training FAQ gives privacy@character.ai for inquiries. Suggested message: 'I use an EEA/UK account. On [interface/version/date], the documented control is [missing/reverting/conflicting]. Please confirm availability, how to record my opt-out, and how earlier content is handled.' Include redacted evidence only; never passwords or verification codes.
Pause sensitive use if the setting will not stay off, the account is uncertain, or scope does not meet your needs. Even a stable off state is no confidentiality guarantee. Keep identifying documents, intimate media and other people's private information out. Finish with verified settings or a tracked support question, then consider optional comparisons below.
What should you compare next?
Once the answer is clear, use the relevant product reviews to compare fit, memory, media, privacy, price and cancellation terms before visiting a provider.
Sources and review note
These primary sources support the workflow or risk framing. Product features, prices and regional availability should still be checked on the official provider page before payment.
Start with an internal review so you can check fit, limits and privacy notes before an affiliate visit.
Related guides and comparisons
AI Companion Privacy: Compare Policies Before Sharing: compare chat, memory, media, privacy, price and cancellation before choosing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I verify the setting by asking a character whether training is disabled?
No. A generated reply is not an account-settings audit. Inspect the actual control and resolve discrepancies through official support; avoid sending private information as a test.
Should I delete my account immediately if the switch is missing?
First preserve a redacted record and clarify the missing control. Account closure is a separate decision; confirm any copy you need and the applicable deletion terms before taking that step.
Is a screenshot enough to prove the provider excluded my content?
It records the state displayed at a particular time, not backend behavior. Keep that distinction in your notes and ask for written clarification when the remaining uncertainty matters.
What should I record when export delivery is unclear?
Record the request date, acknowledgment and missing expected items without including chat excerpts. Ask support for status and scope rather than repeatedly requesting copies or assuming a delivery deadline.