This is how you can remove your home from Google Street View

If you'd rather your home didn't feature on Street View, you can ask Google to blur out the image (Photo: Shutterstock)

But the website also allows other people to take a close look at your home and it's a feature not everyone may be happy with.

An invasion of privacy

Street View cars capture 360-degree images, allowing users to virtually navigate through streets around the world, but images of houses, cars and passers-by are also collected.

While the tool may be popular for allowing users to virtually explore the likes of Rio de Janeiro, New York's Times Square and the Grand Canyon, some take issue with the ability of anyone from around the world being able to take a close look at their home.

There is a concern having their home featured could serve as an advert for thieves, while others feel it is an invasion of privacy.

Luckily, if you'd rather your home didn't feature on Street View, you can ask Google to blur out the image.

Sir Paul McCartney, former Prime Minister Tony Blair and Lily Allen are among some of the high profile names whose homes can no longer be seen on the tool.

How do I remove my home?

If you want to remove your home from view on the Google tool, here are the steps you need to follow:

- Go to Google Maps and locate your home by typing in your address into the search box, and pressing enter

- Once the location is found, click on the small image of your home which says 'Street View'

- Once the Street View has loaded, navigate using the left and right arrows until the image of your home is in view

- Look in the bottom right of your screen and click on 'report a problem'

- This will allow you to draw a red box over what your wish to remove from the image

- Google will then ask you to select from a list of options you want to blur. These include your home, face, car or license plate, or a different object

- Select 'my home' from the options list, then enter your email address and fill in the CAPTCHA verification box, before pressing submit

- If you check Street View at a later date, the image you reported should have been blurred