How to Stop Google From Saving Your Search History
Whenever you execute a Google search on any device that you’re logged into with your Google account – such as an Android Smartphone or an instance of Google Chrome on a computer – Google, by default, saves the search to its servers. Google keeps track of all the searches made while you’re logged into your Google account, regardless of the device you’re using. Along with other bits of data, such as your total searches, top search queries, and top websites clicked on from search results, Google aims to improve its search engine and refine your user experience by providing you with custom-tailored search results.
However, while most of you might appreciate what Google is attempting and trust Google with this information, many would not look kindly on Google possessing a little black book containing everything you’ve ever run in a Google search, as well as the websites you most commonly click on from Google search results. Google grants you full control over what it does with your information. Given this fact, you can easily erase your Google search history. Listed below are the steps you need to take to clear and cease the Google search history of your whole account. Please note that you can carry out the steps listed below on any device–a computer, an Android smartphone or tablet, an iPhone or iPad–and whilst using any browser–Google Chrome or any other desktop or mobile browser–and the results would still be the same, i.e., the Google search history of your entire Google account will be removed from Google’s servers.
Since this history is saved on Google’s servers, it does not clear your local browser’s search history. To clear local history, you can use CCleaner on your OS X or computer.
Go to the Web & Activity page of your Google account. When you click on the link, you may be asked to log into your Google account. If the browser you are using asks you to do so, please log in.
When you access the Web & Activity page of your Google account, you will be presented with an entire log of everything you have searched for on Google on any device while logged into your Google account. In the top right corner of the browser tab, click on the three vertical dots button — this is the Menu.
Click on ‘Delete’ or on the other ‘Delete’ options.
Click on Advanced,
Expand the contextual drop-down menu and click on ‘All Time’.
Click on Delete.
Following the steps listed above will successfully delete your Google account’s entire Google search history. If you want to delete only specific items from your account’s Google search history, simply locate and select the items you want to delete from your search history and click on Delete in the top right corner of the browser tab and then on Delete in the contextual popup.
Tip 1: To view and then delete your Google account’s search history from a specific date, click on the Calendar button in the top right corner of the Web & Activity page. If you want to delete the entire search history from a specific day, simply select the day, click on Delete, and then click on Delete again in the contextual popup.
Tip 2: The Web & Activity page contains logs of all the applications—system or third-party—used on an Android smartphone or tablet logged into your account. If desired, you can manage these logs from the Web & Activity page.
Tip 3: In the Google app on Android Smartphones and Tablets, your most recent searches are displayed below the Search box. If you wish to delete these searches, simply tap and hold on the search you want to delete and click on Delete > OK. The search will be deleted from the Google app and your Web & Activity page.
Tip 4: If you’re using an iPhone or iPad and want to delete the search history from the Google app, open the Google app, tap on the Search box, and then tap on ‘View search history’ > ‘Clear All’ (located in the top right corner of the screen) > ‘Clear on-device history.’ By doing so, your entire search history from the Google app will be deleted. However, the search history on your Google account’s ‘Web & Activity’ page will remain unchanged and unharmed.
