when you are jumping Between the different apps that Google offers (Gmail, Google Maps, Google Calendar, YouTube, and all the rest), you may not be thinking much about the Google account that underpins them all or the countless settings you can access that help define your experience in all of these apps.

If you’ve never opened your Google Account page on the web or on your phone, there are a ton of options for navigating there. They cover everything from data security and browsing history to the backup email Google needs in case you ever get locked out of your account.

Here we’ll focus on seven of the lesser-known settings: those that don’t necessarily get a lot of attention but are still an important part of how your Google account and apps work. It’s worth spending a few minutes checking them out and making sure they’re set up the way you want.

Also pause to consider how much personal information you want to share with Google or how much information you are making visible on the web. Let your own comfort level guide your decisions on how to modify these settings.

The starting point for all of these settings is your Google account page on the web.

Set your home and work addresses

Google will use information about where you live and work to personalize your experience. This is most useful on Google Maps, because it means you can get directions to your home or office with a single tap instead of typing the address each time. (You should see Home and Work shortcuts appear every time you search for a destination.)

There are benefits to getting more accurate weather forecasts and also more relevant search results. The usual Google privacy policy rules apply: no one else will see the address information you’ve saved, but you may start to see more ads for sandwich shops in your local area.

To set up these addresses from your Google account page, click personal information and then anyone home address either Work address. You can type the address manually or select a location on a map.

Edit your Google profile information

Setting up your Google profile information

Courtesy of David Nield

You may not think of your Google account in the same way as a Facebook or Instagram profile, but Google shares information about you with other people. If you email someone through Gmail, you’ll be able to click on their profile photo and see everything that’s public on their Google Account page. Similarly, if you leave a review on Google Maps, viewers can tap your name or image and see any public information on your Google Account page.