Delete your search history from Google in three steps
You can delete your Google search history from your account settings on any device. Google stores every search you make when you are signed in, and you can remove all of it at once or delete searches from a specific date range. The fastest way is to go to myactivity.google.com, click the trash icon at the top left, and choose how far back you want to delete — then confirm.
If you want to delete searches one at a time instead, you can do that from the same page by clicking the X next to each search result. You can also set Google to automatically delete your search history after a set number of months, so you do not have to remember to do it manually.
Key Takeaways
- Go to myactivity.google.com while signed into your Google account to see and delete all your searches in one place.
- Click the trash icon at the top left, select your date range, and confirm to delete everything at once — this takes less than a minute.
- You can delete individual searches by clicking the X next to each one, or delete searches from a specific day by clicking that date.
- Turn on auto-delete in your Google account settings to have searches older than 3, 18, or 36 months removed automatically.
- Deleting your search history does not affect your Google account, your saved passwords, or your bookmarks — only the record of what you searched for.
Delete all your searches at once
Open a web browser and go to myactivity.google.com. You must be signed into your Google account — if you see a sign-in screen, enter your email and password. Once you are in, you will see a list of everything Google has recorded: searches, videos you watched on YouTube, websites you visited while signed in, and more.
At the top left of the page, you will see a trash icon with the words "Delete activity". Click it. A box will pop up asking you to choose a date range. The default is "All time", which deletes everything. You can also choose "Last hour", "Last 24 hours", "Last 7 days", "Last 4 weeks", or "Custom range" if you want to delete searches from a specific period. Select your choice and click "Delete".
Google will ask you to confirm. Click "Delete" again. Your search history is now gone. This usually takes effect immediately, though it can take a few hours for the change to show everywhere.
Delete individual searches or searches from one day
If you only want to remove certain searches, go to myactivity.google.com and find the search you want to delete. Next to each search result, you will see a small X icon. Click it and Google will remove that single search from your history.
To delete all searches from one specific day, click on the date at the top of that day's section. A menu will appear with options to delete all activity from that day. Choose "Delete" and confirm.
Set up automatic deletion of old searches
Instead of manually deleting your search history, you can tell Google to delete it automatically. Go to myaccount.google.com and click "Data & privacy" on the left side. Scroll down to find "Web & App Activity" and click it.
You will see a toggle switch next to "Web & App Activity". Make sure it is turned on. Below that, click "Auto-delete (off)" to turn on automatic deletion. Google will ask you to choose how long to keep your searches: 3 months, 18 months, or 36 months. Pick the timeframe you want and click "Next", then "Confirm". From now on, Google will delete searches older than your chosen period without you having to do anything.
What happens when you delete your search history
Deleting your search history removes the record of what you searched for from your Google account. It does not delete the websites you visited — those remain in your browser history if you want to find them again. It also does not affect your saved passwords, bookmarks, or any other part of your Google account.
If you are signed out of Google when you search, those searches are not saved to your account at all, so there is nothing to delete. If you use Google's Incognito mode (in Chrome) or Private Browsing (in other browsers), those searches are not saved either.
Deleting your search history from Google does not delete it from your internet service provider's records or from any websites you visited. It only removes it from your Google account.
Delete search history on your phone or tablet
You can delete your Google search history from the Google app on Android or iPhone. Open the Google app and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. Tap "Manage your Google Account", then go to the "Data & privacy" tab. Scroll down to "Web & App Activity" and tap it.
Tap the trash icon at the top. Choose your date range and tap "Delete". The process is the same as on a computer, just with different buttons to tap. You can also set up auto-delete from your phone the same way: go to "Web & App Activity", tap "Auto-delete (off)", and choose your timeframe.
Clear Google search suggestions tied to your history
When you start typing in Google Search, it shows you suggestions based on your past searches. These suggestions are separate from your search history. Deleting your search history removes the searches themselves, but Google may still show you suggestions based on patterns it has learned about you.
To clear these suggestions, go to myactivity.google.com and delete your search history using the method above. If you want to prevent Google from learning your search patterns in the future, turn off "Web & App Activity" in your account settings. This stops Google from saving your searches at all, though you will lose some features like personalized search results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting my Google search history delete it from Google's servers?
Deleting your search history removes it from your account, so you will not see it when you log in. Google's internal records may take longer to fully process the deletion, but the searches are no longer tied to your account or visible to you.
Will deleting my search history speed up my Google account or phone?
No. Your search history is stored on Google's servers, not on your device, so deleting it will not free up space on your phone or computer or make anything run faster.
Can I delete search history from a specific website only?
Google does not have a built-in way to delete searches for one website only. You can delete individual searches one at a time, or delete all searches from a date range. If you want to hide searches for a specific site going forward, use Incognito mode or Private Browsing.
What if I forgot my Google password and cannot sign in to delete my history?
You will need to reset your password first. Go to accounts.google.com and click "Forgot password?". Follow the steps to verify your identity and create a new password. Once you are signed in, you can delete your search history normally.
Does turning off Web & App Activity delete my old search history?
No. Turning off Web & App Activity stops Google from saving new searches going forward, but it does not delete searches that are already saved. You need to delete your history separately using the trash icon at myactivity.google.com.