What Does It Mean If Google Detects Unusual Traffic Or Activity?

There are several underrated Google apps that bring immense value, but the company is best known for its success as a search engine. You're only a quick Google search away from finding out the definition of words like "onomatopoeia" or verifying facts as you're in the midst of a debate.

Certain tricks like adding operators such as "site:" or "stocks:" before your keywords can help refine your Google searches. Google search is also a service that you can find everywhere. It can be set as your default search engine in any browser on a computer or smartphone. Android and iOS devices get a dedicated Google app that lets you perform quick searches and curates a list of articles or news you might want to catch up on.

Most Google searches will fetch you the search results you're looking for within seconds. You might, occasionally, run into a message that goes something like "Our systems have detected unusual traffic from your computer network." Seeing this error message pop up every now and again usually doesn't require any action on your end. However, if you've been seeing this warning regularly while making Google searches, there could be a few factors at play. Read on to find out what could be causing Google to detect unusual traffic or activity on your device, and how you can potentially get rid of this issue.

A normal Google search plays out when you enter a keyword or a phrase, and Google fetches and lists the top results for you to view. Typically, the "unusual traffic" flag indicates automated traffic being sent as a search query. When hit with this message, you are required to pass human verification by solving a reCAPTCHA puzzle. Often times, this is a one-off incident, but if you are constantly being pestered to solve these tests to view search results, you might have to dig deeper. This error could be due to a multitude of reasons, mostly related to your network configuration.

Using a free VPN service might sometimes flag traffic from your end as suspicious. Try turning off or uninstalling your VPN to see if the problem still persists. Google also claims that the use of any automated web scraping programs or extensions are highly likely to trigger this message. It's important to check if your Chrome extensions are safe and discard any that seem suspicious.

You are also more likely to see this error message if you're on a shared network — like being connected to Wi-Fi at your school or at a coffee shop. Malicious programs installed on your device can also send automated traffic and cause this issue — in which case, using a trusted antivirus software can help. If you've verified and resolved all possible aspects but are still receiving this message, try contacting your internet service provider.

If you receive an email warning of recent suspicious activity — the first thing to check for is the legitimacy of the sender. Unless it's an automated email sent by Google, do not click on any links. You might also see this warning message when trying to log into your account. Sometimes, signing in to your Google account using a different device or location can trigger this. However, if you suspect your account has been hacked or accessed by somebody else, it's best to act quick and reset your password. To do so, follow these steps in a browser: 

1. Sign in and head to your Google account page.
2. Navigate to Security > Password.
3. Enter a new password, preferably something that uses a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters.
4. Repeat this password and click on the "Change password" button.

You might be signed out of devices that are logged into your Google account. Additionally, you can navigate to Security > Manage all devices, and view recent session activity across all phones and laptops that have signed in to your account. Here, you can manually sign out if you don't recognize a device.

Switching to a passkey for your Google account is also a great way to secure your logins, since this method relies on biometrics like your fingerprint or a face scan. Setting up two-factor authentication is also a must these days, and nearly makes it impossible for bad actors to access your accounts.