Where to find your Google search history
Your Google search history lives in your Google Account settings, not in your browser. Open myactivity.google.com in any browser where you are signed into your Google Account, and you will see a chronological list of every search you have made on Google, along with the date and time. The list shows your most recent searches first.
If you are not signed into a Google Account, Google does not save your search history. Searches made in Incognito mode (Chrome) or Private Browsing (Firefox, Safari) also do not appear in your history, because those modes do not send search data to Google.
You can also reach your search history through your Google Account directly. Sign in at myaccount.google.com, select Data & Privacy from the left menu, scroll to My Activity, and click Go to My Activity. This takes you to the same page as myactivity.google.com.
Key Takeaways
- Google search history is stored in your Google Account at myactivity.google.com, not saved by your browser.
- You must be signed into your Google Account for Google to record your searches.
- Searches made in Incognito or Private Browsing mode do not appear in your history because those modes do not send data to Google.
- You can filter your search history by date, delete individual searches, or turn off search history recording entirely in your account settings.
How to filter and search within your history
On the My Activity page, you can narrow down what you see. Click the calendar icon at the top to filter by a specific date range. You can also use the search box at the top of the page to find a particular search — type a keyword and Google will show only the searches containing that word.
The page displays your activity by day, with the most recent at the top. Scroll down to see older searches. If you have years of search history, scrolling can take a while; using the date filter is faster if you remember roughly when you searched for something.
Deleting searches from your history
To remove a single search, hover over it and click the trash icon that appears. To delete a range of searches, click the delete icon (trash can) at the top of the page, select All time or choose a specific date range, and confirm. Deleting from My Activity removes the search from your Google Account history permanently.
Keep in mind that deleting your search history does not affect what Google knows about your interests for advertising purposes. Your search history and your advertising profile are separate. If you want to limit what Google uses for ads, you can adjust your ad settings in your Google Account under Data & Privacy > Ad personalization.
Turning off search history recording
You can stop Google from saving your searches going forward. On the My Activity page, click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left, then select Activity controls. Find Web & App Activity and toggle it off. When this is off, Google will not record your searches, YouTube views, or other activity tied to your account.
Turning off Web & App Activity does not delete your existing search history — it only stops new searches from being recorded. If you want to erase what is already saved, you must delete it manually using the delete option described above.
Finding search history across different devices
Because your search history is stored in your Google Account rather than on your device, you can see the same history on any device where you sign in. Search on your phone, and that search appears in your history when you check it on your computer. This works across Android phones, iPhones, tablets, and computers running any operating system.
If you use multiple Google Accounts, each account has its own separate search history. Your work Gmail account and your personal Gmail account will not share search history. Make sure you are signed into the correct account when you check My Activity.
What if you cannot find a search you remember
If you are looking for a search but cannot find it, check whether you were signed into your Google Account at the time. Searches made while signed out do not appear in your history. Also verify that you are looking in the right Google Account if you use more than one.
If you searched in Incognito or Private Browsing mode, that search was never saved to your account history. Those modes are designed to leave no record. The only way to find what you searched for in private mode is to check your browser's local history, which is stored on your device rather than in your Google Account — but private mode typically does not save to browser history either.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see someone else's Google search history?
No. Search history is private to each Google Account. You cannot view another person's search history unless you have their account password and sign in as them. Parents monitoring children's activity should use Google Family Link instead, which provides parental controls without requiring account passwords.
Does clearing my browser history delete my Google search history?
No. Clearing your browser's cache and history does not affect your Google Account search history, which is stored on Google's servers. You must delete it separately through myactivity.google.com. However, clearing your browser history does remove local records of websites you visited.
Why do some searches not appear in my history?
Searches made while you were not signed into your Google Account do not appear in your history. Searches in Incognito or Private Browsing mode are also not recorded. If Web & App Activity is turned off in your account settings, new searches will not be saved either.
Can I download a copy of my search history?
Yes. On the My Activity page, click the menu icon in the top left and select Download your data. This opens Google Takeout, where you can download your search history along with other Google Account data in a file format you can save to your computer.