How to Delete Google Search History? [Complete Guide]

Have you ever panicked when you realized someone might have accidentally seen your Google search history?

Whether it was a surprise party you planned or a late-night curiosity, our search history holds a lot of secrets.

Fear not! This guide will help you figure out how to delete Google search history.

Whether Android, iOS, or Windows, we’ve got step-by-step instructions for clearing your Google search history.

Let’s take a look at how to do it!

How to Delete Google Search History in Your Google Account?

Clearing Google search history doesn’t mean Google completely erases your data, but it can help keep prying eyes away.

Here’s a simple guide to deleting your search history in your google account:

1. Visit Google Account: Go to myaccount.google.com using a web or mobile browser.
2. Navigate to Data & Personalization: Select the Data & personalization category on the left sidebar. Find Activity and Timeline section and click on My Activity.
3. Access Delete Options: Click on the three vertical dots and select Delete activity.
4. Select All Time: In the Delete Activity box, choose All Time to clear your entire search history.
5. Choose Services: You can either select specific services to delete activity from or click Select All to choose all categories. Then, click Next.
6. Confirm Deletion: In the confirmation box, click Delete to permanently erase your Google activity.

By following these steps, you can efficiently delete your Google search history and maintain your privacy.

How to Delete Google Search History on Android?

If you use Google Chrome on your Android device, you can easily clear search history directly from the browser.

1. Open Chrome: Launch the Chrome web browser app on your Android device.
2. Access History: Tap the three vertical dots in the screen’s upper-right corner, then select History.
3. Clear Browsing Data:
   • Entire History: If you want to clear all your search history, tap Clear browsing data.
   • Individual Items: To delete specific items, scroll to find them or use the magnifying glass to search for them. Tap the X next to the item to remove it.
4. Select Time Range: To clear the entire history, tap the Time Range drop-down arrow and choose All Time.
5. Clear Data: You can optionally uncheck any items you don’t want to clear. Then, tap Clear data in the lower-right corner to complete the process.

How to Delete Google Search History on iOS?

If you use an iPhone or iPad, you can clear your search history directly from the browser. Follow these steps:

1. Open Chrome: Launch the Chrome web browser app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Access Menu: Tap the 3 dots in the bottom menu.
3. Go to History: Select History from the submenu.
4. Clear Browsing Data:
   • Tap Clear Browsing Data at the bottom.
5. Select Data to Clear:
   • Ensure the Browsing History is checked. Optionally, check or uncheck any other items you want to clear.
6. Confirm Deletion:
   • Tap Clear Browsing Data, then tap it again to confirm.

How to Clear Google Search History on a Computer?

You can easily clear search history if Google Chrome is your main web browser.

1. Open Chrome: Launch the Chrome web browser on your desktop or laptop computer.
2. Access Menu: Click the three vertical dots in the browser’s upper-right corner.
3. Go to History:
   • Select History from the drop-down menu.
4. Clear Browsing Data:
   • On the left side of the screen, click Clear browsing data.
5. Select Data to Clear:
   • Ensure Browsing history is checked.
6. Confirm Deletion:
   • Click Clear data.
7. Remove Individual Items:
   • Return to the History tab.
   • Scroll through your search items or use the Search history field to find specific items.
   • Click the three vertical dots next to an item and select Remove from History.

By following these steps, you can efficiently clear your Google search history from Chrome on your computer.

How to Delete All Your Google Activity?

Now that you’ve learned how to delete search history, you can also delete all of your Google activity.

Follow these steps to delete all your Google activity, including searches, video searches, and ads clicked across all your devices:

1. Go to My Activity:
   • Open a web browser and go to the My Activity page.
   • On the left-hand menu, select Delete activity by.
2. Select Time Range:
   • Choose All time from the range of options to delete everything.
3. Choose Services:
   • Select which Google services to delete your activity from. You can click Select all or specify individual services.
   • Click Next.
4. Confirm Deletion:
   • Google will ask for confirmation. Click Delete.
5. Completion:
   • Your screen will say “Deletion complete.” Click OK.

How to Stop Google from Saving Your Search History?

While Google doesn’t allow you to permanently disable activity tracking, you can pause Google from saving search history.

1. Go to My Google Activity:
   • Open a web browser and go to the My Google Activity page.
2. Select Activity Controls:
   • Choose Web & App Activity. If this section is marked as “Off,” your activity is already not being saved, and no further action is needed.
3. Turn Off Activity Tracking:
   • In the drop-down menu, select Turn Off. If you haven’t deleted your past activity, you may also choose Turn off and delete activity.
4. Confirm:
   • A screen will inform you that new activity won’t be saved to your account, though Google may still use other methods to personalize your experience. Click Got it.

Why Can’t I Delete My Search History?

If you can’t delete search history, it’s possible that you only deleted it from your browser, not from your Google Account. Here’s how to make sure it’s completely deleted:

What is the difference between browser history and Google Account history?

• Browser history: Deleting history from your browser will only delete it from your local device.
• Google Account history: Your search history is stored in your Google Account.

FAQ about Google Search History