What clearing your search history does and doesn't do
Clearing your search history removes the list of searches you've typed into Google from your Google account. When you do this, those searches stop appearing in your Google Search suggestions, and they're no longer stored on Google's servers tied to your account. This is useful if you share a device, want to prevent someone from seeing what you've searched for, or simply prefer not to have Google keep a record.
What it doesn't do: clearing your search history does not erase your browsing history (the websites you visited), does not delete cookies or cached files on your device, and does not hide your activity from your internet service provider or network administrator. If you want to remove those things too, you'll need to take separate steps in your browser settings.
The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're on a computer or phone, and whether you want to delete everything or just a specific time period.
Key Takeaways
- You can clear all your Google search history at once, or delete searches from just the last hour, day, week, or month.
- On a computer, go to myactivity.google.com, click "Delete activity by date" on the left, and choose what time period to clear.
- On an Android phone, open the Google app, tap your profile picture, select "Manage your Google Account," go to the Data & Privacy tab, and find "My Activity."
- Clearing search history does not delete your browser history, cookies, or cached files — those require separate steps in your browser settings.
- If you don't want Google to store searches in the first place, you can turn off Web & App Activity in your Google Account settings.
Clearing search history on a computer
Go to myactivity.google.com in any web browser. You'll see a list of your recent Google searches and other Google activity. On the left side of the page, click "Delete activity by date." A menu will appear asking you to choose a time range.
Select the period you want to clear: "All time" deletes everything, while "Last hour," "Last day," "Last week," or "Last month" let you delete only recent searches. After you pick a time range, click the blue "Delete" button. Google will remove those searches from your account immediately.
If you want to delete individual searches instead of a whole time period, scroll through your activity list, hover over a single search result, and click the trash icon that appears next to it. This removes just that one search without touching the rest.
Clearing search history on an Android phone
Open the Google app (the main Google search app, not Chrome). Tap your profile picture in the top right corner. Select "Manage your Google Account." Tap the "Data & Privacy" tab at the top.
Scroll down until you see "My Activity." Tap it. You'll be taken to your activity page. At the top, tap the three-line menu icon (hamburger menu), then select "Delete activity by date." Choose your time range and tap "Delete."
On some Android phones, the layout may be slightly different. If you can't find "My Activity" in Data & Privacy, try searching for "my activity" in your phone's settings search bar instead.
Clearing search history on an iPhone
Open the Google app on your iPhone. Tap your profile picture in the bottom right. Select "Manage your Google Account." Swipe to the "Data & Privacy" tab.
Scroll down and tap "My Activity." At the top of the page, tap the three-line menu, then "Delete activity by date." Choose your time range and confirm the deletion. The process is nearly identical to Android, though the menu locations may shift slightly depending on your iOS version.
Turning off search history storage entirely
If you don't want Google to save your searches in the first place, you can disable this feature. Go to myactivity.google.com and click the gear icon in the top right corner. Select "Activity controls." Look for "Web & App Activity" and toggle it off.
When Web & App Activity is turned off, Google stops recording your searches and other activity on Google products. Keep in mind that some Google features — like personalized search results and recommendations — work better when this setting is on. Turning it off means you lose some of that personalization, but you gain more privacy.
You can turn this setting back on at any time by returning to Activity Controls and toggling it back on.
The difference between search history and browser history
Your Google search history is what you typed into the Google search box. Your browser history is the list of websites you visited. Clearing one does not clear the other.
If you want to remove your browser history (the actual websites you went to), you need to clear it in your browser settings, not in Google Account settings. In Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge, press Ctrl+H (Windows) or Command+Y (Mac) to open your browser history, then look for a "Clear browsing data" or "Delete history" button. You can usually choose to clear just the last hour, day, week, or all time.
Clearing browser history also removes cookies and cached files, which clearing your Google search history does not do.
What your internet provider and network admin can still see
Clearing your Google search history does not hide your activity from your internet service provider (ISP) or a network administrator. Your ISP can see that you visited Google.com and what websites you went to afterward, but they cannot see the specific words you typed into Google's search box — that part of your activity is encrypted between you and Google.
If you're on a work network or school network, your network administrator may be able to see your browsing activity depending on how their monitoring is set up. Clearing your search history won't change that. If you need more privacy on a shared network, consider using a VPN, though be aware that many workplaces and schools block VPN use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover search history after I delete it?
No. Once you delete your Google search history, it's permanently removed from your Google account. Google does not provide a way to restore deleted activity. If you're unsure about deleting everything, consider deleting only a specific time period first.
Does clearing search history delete my saved passwords?
No. Your saved passwords are stored separately from your search history. Clearing search history does not affect passwords, payment methods, or other saved information in your Google account. If you want to delete a saved password, you'll need to do that in your Google Account security settings.
Will clearing my search history speed up Google or my device?
Clearing search history has no effect on how fast Google loads or how your device performs. Search history is stored on Google's servers, not on your device, so removing it won't free up storage space or improve speed.
If I clear my search history, will Google stop showing me personalized ads?
Clearing search history alone will not stop personalized ads. Google uses many signals beyond search history to target ads, including your browsing activity, location, and other data. To reduce personalization, you can turn off Web & App Activity in your Activity Controls, but ads will still appear — they just won't be tailored to your interests.
Can someone else see my search history if they use my device?
If they're logged into your Google account on that device, yes — they can see your search history by going to myactivity.google.com. If you share a device and want privacy, either clear your history regularly, sign out of your Google account when you're done, or use your browser's incognito or private mode, which doesn't save search history.