What Google search suggestions are and why they appear
Google search suggestions are the words and phrases that pop up below the search box as you type. They appear because Google tracks your search history, your location, and what other people search for. When you start typing a word, Google predicts what you might be looking for and shows you the most common completions.
These suggestions come from three sources: searches you have done before on this device or account, searches other people commonly do, and your browsing history if you have it synced to your Google account. You can delete suggestions from your own search history, but you cannot remove what other people search for or what Google considers popular.
Key Takeaways
- You can delete individual search suggestions by hovering over them and clicking the X button that appears on the right side.
- To clear all search suggestions at once, go to your Google account settings and delete your entire search history.
- Turning off search history in your Google account stops new suggestions from being saved, but does not delete old ones.
- Suggestions based on what other people search for cannot be removed, only the ones tied to your own account.
- Using private browsing mode (Incognito in Chrome) prevents Google from saving any searches or suggestions on that session.
Delete one suggestion at a time
The fastest way to remove a single suggestion you do not want to see again is to delete it directly from the search box. Start typing in Google search, and when the suggestion you want to remove appears, hover your mouse over it. A small X button will show up on the right side of that suggestion.
Click the X, and that suggestion disappears when ready. Google will not show you that exact phrase again when you type those same letters. This works on desktop computers and laptops. On phones and tablets, press and hold the suggestion until a delete option appears, then tap it.
Clear all search history from your Google account
If you want to wipe out all the suggestions Google has saved from your searches, you need to delete your entire search history. Go to myactivity.google.com in your web browser while logged into your Google account. This page shows every search you have ever done on that account.
On the left side of the page, click Delete activity. A menu will appear with options for what to delete. Choose All time to remove everything, then click Delete. Google will ask you to confirm. After you confirm, all your search history is gone, and suggestions based on your past searches will stop appearing.
This only works if you are logged into your Google account when you search. If you search without logging in, Google does not save that history to your account, so there is nothing to delete from that session.
Turn off search history to prevent future suggestions
Deleting your history removes what has already been saved, but Google will start collecting new suggestions the moment you search again. To stop Google from saving your searches in the first place, you can turn off Web & App Activity in your account settings.
Go to myaccount.google.com and click Data & privacy on the left. Find Web & App Activity and click it. Toggle the switch to Off. When this is turned off, Google will not save your searches or create suggestions based on your activity. You will still see suggestions based on what other people search for, but not based on your own history.
Keep in mind that turning this off also affects other Google services. Google will not save your YouTube watch history, your location history, or your activity in other Google apps. If you use these services and want to keep that history, you may not want to turn this setting off completely.
Use Incognito mode to avoid saving searches
If you want to search without Google saving anything, use Incognito mode in Chrome or Private Browsing in other browsers. Open a new Incognito window (Ctrl+Shift+N on Windows, Cmd+Shift+N on Mac), and search normally. Google will not save those searches to your account, and they will not create suggestions later.
When you close the Incognito window, all cookies and temporary data from that session are deleted. This is useful if you are searching for something you do not want in your history, or if you are using someone else's computer and do not want to leave a trace of your searches.
Why some suggestions cannot be deleted
Google shows two types of suggestions: ones based on your personal search history, and ones based on what is popular or what other people search for. You can only delete the first type. The second type comes from Google's broader data about search trends and cannot be removed by individual users.
If you see a suggestion that seems odd or inappropriate, it is likely coming from popular searches rather than your own history. Deleting it will not stop it from appearing for other people, and it may reappear for you if it remains a common search term. The only way to avoid seeing popular suggestions is to delete your search history and turn off Web & App Activity so Google stops personalizing suggestions based on your account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting a suggestion stop it from appearing on my phone too?
If you delete a suggestion on your computer, it will stop appearing on your phone as long as both devices are signed into the same Google account. Google syncs your search history across all your devices, so removing it in one place removes it everywhere.
Can I delete suggestions on Google's mobile app?
Yes. Open the Google app, start typing in the search box, and press and hold the suggestion you want to remove. A delete option will appear. Tap it, and the suggestion is gone. The process is the same as on a phone's web browser.
If I clear my browser history, does that delete Google suggestions?
Clearing your browser history is different from deleting your Google search history. Clearing your browser removes local data from your computer, but Google still has your searches saved in your account. You need to go to myactivity.google.com to delete suggestions from your Google account itself.
Why do I see suggestions for things I never searched for?
Those suggestions are based on popular searches or your location, not your personal history. They come from what Google considers trending or common in your area. You cannot remove these, but you can reduce personalized suggestions by turning off Web & App Activity in your account settings.
Does deleting suggestions improve my privacy?
Deleting suggestions removes what Google shows you, but it does not stop Google from collecting data about your searches. To actually reduce what Google collects, turn off Web & App Activity or use Incognito mode when you search.