PimEyes lets anyone reverse-search faces across the public web. You can remove yourself for free via their opt-out form (requires a government ID), but the process takes weeks, often rejects submissions, and doesn't stop re-indexing. This guide walks you through every path — and why most people give up halfway.
What PimEyes Actually Does (And Why It Matters)
PimEyes is a commercial facial recognition search engine that indexes hundreds of millions of publicly visible faces across the internet. Upload any photo of a face, and within seconds it returns every other image it's found containing that same face — along with source URLs.
It finds your face in:
- News articles and press photos
- Conference and event websites
- Blogs, forums, and comment sections
- Dating profiles (yes, even archived ones)
- Background crowd shots from strangers' posts
- Wedding photographer portfolios, gym websites, and class pages
- Old MySpace/Flickr/Bebo pages that indexed but were never deleted
A single search on PimEyes can return dozens of URLs pointing to places your face exists online — including sites you never knew indexed you. For stalkers, this makes PimEyes one of the most dangerous tools ever made freely available to the public.
Can You Actually Remove Yourself from PimEyes?
Short answer: Yes, but with major caveats.
PimEyes offers three official paths to remove your face:
Manual Opt-Out Form
Submit an ID and a photo. PimEyes adds you to an exclusion list. Removals take 1–4 weeks.
PROTECT Subscription
Auto-monitoring plus removal requests sent to external sites hosting your images.
GDPR / CCPA Request
Formal data subject request under EU or California law. PimEyes must comply.
Path 1: The Official Opt-Out Form (Step-by-Step)
This is the "free" path PimEyes advertises. Here's exactly how it works and what to expect.
You'll land on the opt-out page. You don't need a PimEyes account.
PimEyes requires a high-quality selfie — well-lit, no glasses, no mask, looking directly at the camera. Grainy or old photos get rejected.
Passport, driver's license, or national ID. You'll need to redact information that isn't your name, photo, date of birth, and document number. Yes — you're handing your ID to the facial recognition company you want to stop tracking you.
PimEyes emails you a verification link. Click it to finalize submission.
PimEyes reviews your submission. If approved, your face is added to their "exclusion list" — meaning future searches won't return matches of you.
Path 2: The PROTECT Plan ($30/month)
PimEyes sells a paid subscription called "PROTECT" (also marketed as PimEyes Premium). For about $30/month, you get:
- Continuous scanning for new appearances of your face
- Email alerts when new matches are found
- Automated "takedown" requests sent to third-party sites hosting your images
PROTECT doesn't remove your face from other facial recognition databases (Clearview AI, FaceCheck.ID, Corsight, Precheck.ai, etc.) — only from PimEyes and from third-party websites that host your photos, and only when those sites cooperate.
Path 3: The GDPR / CCPA Route (EU, UK, California)
Under the EU's GDPR, UK GDPR, and California's CCPA, you have the legal right to demand:
- Right of access: know what data PimEyes holds on you
- Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten"): have it deleted
- Right to object: refuse consent to continued processing
Biometric data gets extra protection under GDPR Article 9 as a "special category." This means PimEyes should have a very high bar to keep processing it without consent.
How to File a GDPR Request
Why DIY PimEyes Removal Often Fails
We've watched dozens of people attempt to remove themselves from PimEyes. Here are the common failure points:
❌ Photo quality rejection
PimEyes rejects submissions with even minor issues — poor lighting, glasses, slight head tilt, or "insufficient resolution." You may go through 2–3 resubmissions before acceptance.
❌ ID verification issues
If your ID photo doesn't closely match your submitted selfie, PimEyes rejects the request. Aged photos on older IDs cause frequent rejection.
❌ Re-indexing
You get accepted onto the exclusion list. Weeks later, PimEyes indexes your face from a new angle or new photo source — and you're back. Opt-out isn't permanent.
❌ Partial coverage
Opt-out only prevents PimEyes search results. The photos themselves still exist on the internet, still appear in Google Image Search, and are still indexed by other facial recognition databases.
❌ GDPR stonewalling
PimEyes has a history of rejecting or slow-rolling GDPR requests that don't include specific legal language. Most people don't know the right terms to use.
❌ The whack-a-mole problem
Even if you successfully remove yourself from PimEyes, you're still in Clearview AI, FaceCheck.ID, Corsight, Precheck.ai, and dozens more. Each requires a separate process.
The Shortcut: Let Someone Handle It for You
This is the part where we mention FacePrivacy.ai — not because we're trying to sell you something, but because removing yourself from PimEyes alone leaves you exposed on every other database. And doing this properly, across all databases, is our entire job.
DIY (Manual)
- Submit ID to PimEyes
- Submit ID to Clearview AI
- Submit ID to FaceCheck.ID
- Submit ID to Corsight
- Submit ID to Precheck.ai
- File GDPR requests for each
- Monitor for re-indexing monthly
- Re-submit when removals lapse
FacePrivacy.ai
- Upload one photo
- We handle every database
- Ongoing monitoring included
- We re-submit when needed
- GDPR requests drafted for you
- Legal escalation handled
- Monthly progress reports
- Cancel anytime
Start with your face, not the paperwork
FacePrivacy submits removal requests to PimEyes, Clearview AI, Precheck.ai, FaceCheck.ID, Corsight, and every other major facial recognition database. Starting at $9.99/month.
Remove My Face →Use code PRECHECK for 15% off your first month.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does PimEyes removal take?
The official opt-out takes 1–4 weeks after successful submission. GDPR requests legally must be answered within 30 days. In practice, expect 2–6 weeks total for a successful removal — and longer if you need to resubmit due to rejection.
Is PimEyes removal permanent?
No. PimEyes re-crawls the internet continuously. If new photos of you appear (or existing photos aren't matched to your exclusion list), you can reappear in search results. Ongoing monitoring is necessary.
Do I really have to send PimEyes my government ID?
For the free opt-out, yes. This is frustrating — you're handing identity documents to the exact company you want to avoid. This is one reason many people prefer the GDPR route (where you can redact more heavily) or use a service like FacePrivacy that standardizes verification.
Can I remove photos of me posted on other websites through PimEyes?
Not directly. PimEyes opt-out removes you from PimEyes search results only. To remove the actual photos, you need to contact each website individually (or use their PROTECT paid plan, which sends takedown requests on your behalf).
Does opting out of PimEyes stop Clearview AI, FaceCheck.ID, or Precheck.ai from having my face?
No. Each facial recognition database operates independently. Removing yourself from PimEyes does nothing to Clearview AI, FaceCheck.ID, Precheck.ai, Corsight, or any other service. You need to opt out of each separately.
Is PimEyes legal?
Its legality is heavily debated. PimEyes has faced regulatory scrutiny in the EU, UK, and US. Poland's Data Protection Office investigated PimEyes in 2023. The service operates in a gray zone — legal but increasingly restricted by regulators.
What if PimEyes ignores my GDPR request?
File a complaint with your national Data Protection Authority (DPA). PimEyes is headquartered in Poland, so the Polish UODO is the lead authority, but you can file with your own country's DPA under the "one-stop shop" mechanism. Complaints trigger formal investigation.
Can I prevent my face from being added to PimEyes in the first place?
Not really. PimEyes crawls publicly accessible websites. The only way to prevent indexing is to prevent your photo from appearing on public websites — which is nearly impossible for most adults today. Preventative removal is essentially impossible; reactive removal is the only option.