- Delete Google search history on a computer
- Delete it on your phone
- Delete searches automatically
- Stop Google saving your searches
- Your browser has its own history
- What deleting doesn't do
- Delete history for one site or topic
- Shared or work computers
- Check it worked
- Delete your history on a schedule
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
To delete your Google search history, go to My Activity in your Google Account (myactivity.google.com), click Delete, and choose Last hour, Last day, All time or a custom range. To delete searches automatically in future, open Controls, Web and App Activity, and set Auto-delete to 3, 18 or 36 months.
Google saves your searches to your Google Account when a setting called Web & App Activity is on, and for most people it's switched on. That history powers better suggestions, but you may want it gone on a shared computer, before handing a laptop over or simply for privacy. Deleting it takes a minute. The part people miss is that your browser keeps its own separate history. Here's how to clear both.
Delete Google search history on a computer
- Go to myactivity.google.com and sign in.
- Find the search you want to remove and click the three dots, then Delete.
- To delete lots at once, click Delete above the list and choose Last hour, Last day, All time or Custom range.
- Confirm.
Google is clear that once you erase your search history, you can't get it back, so check you don't need anything first.
Delete it on your phone
In the Google app, tap your profile picture, then Search history. You'll see the same My Activity list. Tap Delete for a time range, or swipe on individual searches. On Android you can also reach it from Settings, Google, Manage your Google Account, Data & privacy.
Delete searches automatically
Rather than remembering to clear it, set it to clean itself:
- In My Activity, click Controls.
- Under Web & App Activity, click the Auto-delete option.
- Choose to delete activity older than 3 months, 18 months or 36 months.
- Click Next and confirm.
Three months is a good middle ground: you keep useful recent suggestions without years of history building up. Google notes you can still delete things manually even with auto-delete on.
Stop Google saving your searches
To stop it completely, go to Controls, Web & App Activity, and click Turn off. You'll be offered Turn off and delete activity, which does both in one go. Expect less personalised results and suggestions afterwards. For a one-off private search, Incognito mode doesn't save searches to your Google Account at all.
Your browser has its own history
This is the catch. My Activity covers your Google Account, but Chrome, Safari and other browsers keep their own list of every page you visit, and the search box may still suggest past searches from it. Clear it too:
| Browser | Where to clear history |
|---|---|
| Chrome | Three-dot menu, Delete browsing data (Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows) |
| Safari on Mac | History menu, Clear History |
| Safari on iPhone | Settings, Apps, Safari, Clear History and Website Data |
| Edge | Settings, Privacy, Clear browsing data |
Google adds one more wrinkle: if you use the Google app while signed out, your history can be saved on the device instead of your account, so clear it in the app's settings too.
What deleting doesn't do
- It doesn't remove websites from Google's results; it only clears your record of searching.
- It doesn't delete YouTube history, which has its own setting, or your Maps timeline.
- Google says it may keep certain data longer for limited business or legal reasons.
- It doesn't hide your activity from your internet provider or employer network.
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Delete history for one site or topic
You don't have to wipe everything. In My Activity, use the search bar at the top to find searches by keyword, for example a gift you were researching for someone who shares your computer. Delete just those results and the rest of your history stays. You can also filter by date and by Google product, which is handy if you only want to clear Search and leave things like your Maps history alone.
Shared or work computers
If you've searched on someone else's computer while signed in, deleting your history doesn't sign you out. Go to your Google Account, Security, Your devices, find that computer and sign out from there. On a family computer, it's simpler to give everyone their own browser profile so searches and suggestions don't mix. And if you're using a work laptop, remember your employer's tools may record activity regardless of what you clear in Google.
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Check it worked
After deleting, start typing in the Google search box. If old searches still appear as suggestions, they're probably coming from your browser's history rather than your account, so clear that next. Give it a few minutes; suggestions can take a little while to refresh across devices.
Delete your history on a schedule
If auto-delete feels too blunt, set a monthly reminder to review My Activity instead. It takes a couple of minutes, and you'll see exactly what Google has stored before deciding what to keep. Many people find the review itself useful, because it shows how much is saved.
If you share a Google Account with a partner or child, it's worth giving each person their own account instead; histories and suggestions then stay separate without anyone deleting anything.
My verdict
Open My Activity, Delete, All time if you want a clean slate, then set Auto-delete to three months so it stays tidy. Clear your browser's own history as well, and use Incognito for one-off searches you'd rather not keep.
Frequently asked questions
How do I delete my Google search history?
Go to myactivity.google.com, click Delete and choose a time range such as All time.
Can I recover deleted Google search history?
No. Google says once you erase it, you can't get it back.
How do I stop Google saving my searches?
In My Activity, Controls, turn off Web and App Activity.
Does deleting Google history clear my browser history?
No. Clear your browser's history separately.
Does Incognito mode save Google searches?
Not to your Google Account.
