Where Google stores your search history

Google keeps a record of every search you make when you are signed into your Google account. This record lives in a place called My Activity, which is separate from your browser history. Your browser history shows only searches you did in that particular browser on that device — My Activity shows searches across all your devices, all your browsers, and everything you have done in Google services like Gmail, YouTube, and Google Maps.

You can reach My Activity by going to myactivity.google.com in any browser, or through your Google Account settings. The page shows your activity in reverse chronological order — newest first — and you can search within it, filter by date, or delete entries one at a time or in bulk.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Google search history is stored in My Activity at myactivity.google.com, not in your browser history.
  • My Activity shows searches and actions across all your devices and browsers, as long as you were signed into your Google account.
  • You can search within your activity, filter by date range, and delete individual items or everything at once.
  • Turning off Web & App Activity in your Google Account settings stops Google from recording new searches, but does not delete what is already stored.
  • Signing out of your Google account before searching means that search will not appear in My Activity.

How to access My Activity on any device

Open a web browser and go to myactivity.google.com. You will be asked to sign in with your Google account if you are not already signed in. Once you are in, you will see a list of your recent activity — searches, videos you watched, places you looked up, and more.

The page defaults to showing activity from all time. On the left side, you will see a filter menu. Click Date & time to narrow the list to a specific day, week, month, or year. Click Products to see only activity from one Google service — for example, only Google Search, or only YouTube.

If you are looking for something specific, use the search box at the top of the page. Type a keyword — a website name, a search term, anything you remember — and My Activity will show only entries that match.

Searching and filtering your activity

The search box at the top of My Activity works like a regular search. If you remember searching for "how to fix a leaky faucet," type that phrase and the page will show only that search and any related activity. The search looks through the text of your searches and the titles of pages you visited.

The filter menu on the left lets you narrow by date or by which Google product you used. If you want to see only searches from March 2023, click Date & time, then Custom range, and enter the dates. If you want to see only YouTube activity, click Products and select YouTube.

You can combine filters. For example, you can search for "recipes" and then filter by date to see only recipe searches from the last month. The page updates as you add filters, so you see results in real time.

Deleting searches and activity from your history

To delete a single search or action, hover over it and click the trash icon that appears on the right. The item disappears immediately. To delete multiple items, click the checkbox next to each one, then click the trash icon at the top of the list.

To delete everything in your activity, click the three-dot menu icon at the top left of the page and select Delete activity by. A window will open asking you to choose a date range. Select All time to delete your entire history, or pick a specific range. Click Delete to confirm. This action cannot be undone, so make sure you want to delete before you confirm.

Deleting from My Activity does not delete your browser history. If you also want to clear what your browser remembers, you will need to do that separately in your browser settings.

Stopping Google from recording new activity

If you do not want Google to record your searches and activity going forward, you can turn off Web & App Activity in your Google Account settings. Go to myaccount.google.com, click Data & privacy on the left, then scroll down to Web & App Activity and click it. Toggle the switch to Off.

When Web & App Activity is off, Google will not save your searches, the websites you visit, or your activity in Google services. However, this does not delete your existing history — it only stops new activity from being recorded. If you want to delete what is already there, you still need to go to My Activity and delete it manually.

Keep in mind that turning off Web & App Activity may affect how some Google services work. For example, Google Search may not personalize results as well, and Google Assistant may not remember your preferences. You can turn it back on at any time.

Why your activity might not appear in My Activity

If you searched for something but do not see it in My Activity, the most common reason is that you were not signed into your Google account at the time. Searches you do while signed out are not recorded in My Activity — they are recorded only in your browser history, if at all.

Another reason is that you may have been using Incognito mode (in Chrome) or Private Browsing (in Firefox or Safari). Searches in private browsing modes are not sent to My Activity. If you want your searches to be recorded, make sure you are signed into your Google account and not using a private browsing mode.

If Web & App Activity is turned off in your account settings, new searches will not be recorded. Check your settings at myaccount.google.com under Data & privacy to see whether it is on or off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see my Google search history on my phone?

Yes. Open the Google app or Chrome browser on your phone, tap your profile picture in the top right, and select Manage your Google Account. Go to the Data & privacy tab and scroll to My Activity. You can also go directly to myactivity.google.com in your phone's browser. The interface is the same as on a computer.

Does deleting my Google search history delete it from Google's servers?

Deleting from My Activity removes it from your account, but Google may keep copies for legal or technical reasons. If you want to prevent Google from recording activity in the first place, turn off Web & App Activity in your account settings. This is more effective than deleting after the fact.

If I clear my browser history, does it clear My Activity?

No. Clearing your browser history only removes what your browser remembers. My Activity is stored in your Google account and is separate. You have to delete from My Activity directly to remove those records from your Google account.

Can someone else see my Google search history?

Only if they have access to your Google account. If someone knows your password or has access to your phone or computer while you are signed in, they can view My Activity. To protect your history, use a strong password, sign out when you are done using a shared device, and enable two-factor authentication on your Google account.