Google effect
Also known as Digital amnesia
Memory effect
We tend to forget information we know we can easily find online, and remember where to find it instead. It is also called digital amnesia.
A large 2018 replication project could not reproduce one of the original experiments, and later studies give mixed results, so researchers still debate how strong this effect is.
In everyday life
You cannot recall your partner's phone number because it is saved in your contacts, though you still know your childhood home number by heart.
A month after fixing a flat bike tire with help from a video, you remember exactly which video to watch again but none of the actual steps.
Why your mind does this
Attention and memory are limited, so the brain stores more of what we think about deeply, use actively or expect to need, and less of what we barely noticed or know we can look up. This puts our limited memory where it pays off most.
Its family, in 30 seconds: How it was stored
How to spot it
Notice when you do not even try to remember something because you know you can look it up.
What you can do
For facts you use often or might need without a signal, such as key phone numbers, try recalling them before checking your device.