To delete your Google search history, follow these steps within your Google account.
Here's a breakdown of how to delete your Google search history:
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Access your Google Activity: Click on your Google account profile picture, typically found in the top right corner of a Google page (like Google Search or Gmail). Select "Manage your Google Account". Then navigate to "Data & Privacy" in the left-hand menu. Look for "History settings" and then click "My Activity".
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Delete Activity by Date or Time:
- In My Activity, you'll see a timeline of your Google activity. To delete specific items, click the three vertical dots (the "More" option) next to an item and select "Delete."
- To delete activity from a specific time range or for all time, click the "Delete" filter icon usually located above your activity feed. Then, select "Delete activity by".
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Choose Time Range and Services:
- In the "Delete activity by" box, select the time range you want to delete: "Last hour," "Last day," "All time," or a "Custom range."
- Choose the Google services to delete activity from. Options include "Search," "YouTube," and other Google apps. You can also choose "All products" to clear history across all Google services.
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Confirm Deletion: Select "Next". Review the activity you're about to delete, and then select "Delete" to confirm.
Alternative Method:
You can also access your Google Activity directly by going to myactivity.google.com. This will take you to the same interface described above.
Important Considerations:
- Account Syncing: If you have multiple devices signed into the same Google account, deleting your search history on one device will sync across all devices.
- Pausing Activity Tracking: If you don't want Google to save your future searches, you can pause Web & App Activity in your Google account's Activity controls. Be aware that this may affect the personalization of your search results and other Google services.
- Deleting Individual Searches in the Search Bar: As you type in the Google search bar, previous searches may appear as suggestions. You can delete these individual suggestions by hovering over them and clicking the "Remove" option (often represented by an "X").
