What gets deleted when you clear your Google history
Google stores two separate histories: your search history (every search you've typed into Google) and your browsing history (every website you've visited, if you're signed into Chrome). Clearing one does not clear the other. You can delete them together or separately, and you can choose to delete everything or just the past hour, day, week, or month.
When you delete your search history, Google removes the record from your account. When you delete your Chrome browsing history, your browser removes the record from that device. Neither action affects what websites or search engines saw when you visited them — it only removes Google's copy of your activity.
If you use multiple devices (phone, tablet, computer), each one stores its own browsing history. Deleting history on one device does not delete it on the others. Your search history, though, is tied to your Google account, so deleting it from one device removes it from all devices where you're signed in.
Key Takeaways
- Search history and browsing history are stored separately in Google — deleting one does not delete the other.
- You can delete all your history at once or choose a specific time range (past hour, day, week, month, or custom dates).
- Deleting your search history removes it from your Google account across all devices, but deleting browsing history only removes it from the device you're using.
- Clearing your history does not hide your activity from your internet service provider, your workplace network, or the websites you visit.
How to delete your Google search history
Go to myactivity.google.com in any browser and sign in with your Google account. On the left side, click Search. You'll see a list of every search you've done while signed into that account.
At the top, click the trash icon or the three-dot menu and select Delete activity. A box will appear asking what time range you want to delete. Choose All time to delete everything, or pick a specific range. Click Delete to confirm. The searches disappear immediately from your account.
If you want to delete individual searches instead of a whole time range, hover over each search and click the trash icon next to it. This removes just that one search from your history.
How to delete your Chrome browsing history
Open Chrome and press Ctrl + H on Windows or Command + Y on Mac. This opens your browsing history. On the left side, click Clear browsing data.
A window will pop up with checkboxes for what to delete. Make sure Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files are checked if you want a thorough deletion. At the top, choose your time range: All time deletes everything, or pick Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, or Custom range for specific dates. Click Clear data.
This only deletes history from the device you're using right now. If you use Chrome on your phone, tablet, and computer, you'll need to repeat these steps on each device.
Deleting history on your phone or tablet
On Android: Open Chrome, tap the three-dot menu at the top right, and select Settings. Tap Privacy, then Clear browsing data. Choose your time range and what to delete, then tap Clear data.
On iPhone or iPad: Open Chrome, tap the three-dot menu at the bottom right, and select Settings. Tap Privacy, then Clear browsing data. Toggle on what you want to delete, choose your time range, and tap Clear browsing data.
Your search history on Google's servers is separate from your phone's browsing history. Deleting one does not delete the other, so you may need to visit myactivity.google.com on your phone as well if you want to remove your search history from your Google account.
What happens to your history if you turn off activity controls
Google has two separate controls: one for search history and one for browsing history. You can turn off Web & App Activity to stop Google from recording your searches and the websites you visit in Chrome. You can also turn off Location History to stop Google from recording where you go.
Go to myactivity.google.com, click the three-dot menu at the top left, and select Settings. Under Web & App Activity, toggle the switch off. This stops new activity from being recorded, but it does not delete what's already stored. You still need to manually delete your history using the steps above.
Turning off these controls is useful if you want to stop Google from recording your activity going forward, but it's a separate step from deleting what's already been recorded.
Why you might want to delete your history regularly
Deleting your history reduces the amount of information Google stores about your searches and browsing. This is useful if you share your device with other people and don't want them to see what you've searched for or visited. It's also useful if you're concerned about what data Google holds about you over time.
Keep in mind that deleting your history does not make you anonymous online. Your internet service provider can still see what websites you visit. If you're on a work or school network, the network administrator can still see your activity. Websites you visit can still see that you visited them. Deleting your Google history only removes Google's record of your activity.
If you want to browse without Google recording your activity, you can use Incognito mode in Chrome (press Ctrl + Shift + N on Windows or Command + Shift + N on Mac). Incognito mode does not save your browsing history, search history, or cookies on your device, though your internet service provider and the websites you visit can still see your activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting my Google history delete it from the websites I visited?
No. Deleting your Google history only removes the record from Google's servers. The websites you visited still have their own records that you visited them. If you want to remove yourself from a website's records, you would need to contact that website directly — Google deletion does not affect them.
If I delete my search history, will Google stop knowing who I am?
No. Google identifies you through your account, your device, and your IP address, not just your search history. Deleting your history removes one type of data Google stores about you, but Google still knows your account exists and can track your future activity. To reduce what Google knows, you can turn off Web & App Activity in your settings.
Can I delete my history automatically every time I close Chrome?
Yes. Open Chrome, click the three-dot menu, select Settings, then Privacy and security. Under Clear browsing data, toggle on Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. This deletes your browsing history, cookies, and cached files every time you close the browser, though your search history on Google's servers is not affected.
What if I forgot my Google password and can't sign in to delete my history?
Go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery and follow the steps to recover your account. You'll need access to a recovery email or phone number you set up with your account. Once you regain access, you can then delete your history from myactivity.google.com.
Does clearing my cache delete my history?
Clearing your cache removes temporary files that websites store on your device to load faster, but it does not remove your browsing history. When you clear browsing data in Chrome, you can choose to clear the cache separately from your history. Both are useful to delete, but they are different things.