Clear your search history in three steps on any device
Google stores every search you make when you are signed into your account. To remove that record, go to myactivity.google.com, select the date range you want to delete, and choose whether to remove searches, websites you visited, or both. Google will delete the records when ready, though it may take a few hours for the changes to show everywhere Google stores that data.
The process is the same whether you use a phone, tablet, or computer. You do not need to read anything or use a special tool — Google's own activity page is where you manage what gets stored.
If you want to stop Google from storing searches in the first place, you can turn off Web & App Activity in your Google Account settings. This prevents new searches from being recorded, but it does not delete what is already stored.
Key Takeaways
- Visit myactivity.google.com while signed into your Google Account to see and delete your search history.
- You can delete all searches at once, delete searches from a specific date range, or delete individual searches one at a time.
- Deleting your search history from Google's servers does not clear the search bar suggestions on your device — you may need to clear your browser cache separately.
- Turning off Web & App Activity stops Google from recording future searches, but does not remove searches that are already stored.
- If you use multiple Google accounts, you must sign into each account separately and clear the history for that account individually.
Delete all searches at once
Open a web browser and go to myactivity.google.com. Sign in with the Google Account whose search history you want to clear. On the left side of the page, you will see a menu. Click Delete activity by.
A box will appear asking what date range to delete. Click the dropdown that says All time to delete everything, or choose a specific range like Last hour, Last day, Last week, or Last month. If you want to delete searches from a custom date range, select Custom range and enter the start and end dates.
Below the date selector, you will see checkboxes for what to delete. Make sure Search is checked. You can also check YouTube Search if you want to remove searches you made on YouTube, or Chrome if you want to remove browsing history from Chrome. Click Delete and confirm when Google asks you to verify.
Delete individual searches or searches from a specific day
If you only want to remove certain searches instead of everything, go to myactivity.google.com and sign in. The page shows your activity in reverse order, with the most recent at the top. Scroll through to find the search you want to delete.
Click on any search result to open it. A menu will appear on the right side. Click the trash icon or the three dots and select Delete. Google removes that single search when ready.
To delete all searches from a specific day, click the date at the top of that day's section. A menu appears. Click Delete all activity from this day and confirm. This removes only the searches from that calendar day, not from other days.
Stop Google from storing new searches
If you do not want Google to record your searches going forward, turn off Web & App Activity. Go to myaccount.google.com and click Data & privacy in the left menu. Scroll down to Web & App Activity and click it.
You will see a toggle switch next to Web & App Activity. Click the toggle to turn it off. Google will ask you to confirm. Once you do, Google stops recording new searches, YouTube searches, and websites you visit in Chrome.
Turning off Web & App Activity does not delete searches that are already stored. You must delete those separately using the steps above. Also, some Google services may not work as well without this setting on — for example, Google will not show you personalized recommendations or remember your preferences.
Clear search suggestions from your browser or device
Deleting your search history from Google's servers does not automatically clear the suggestions that appear in your search bar on your phone or computer. Those suggestions come from your browser's local cache, not from Google's activity page.
On Chrome, click the three dots in the top right corner and select Settings. Click Privacy and security, then Clear browsing data. Make sure Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files are checked. Set the time range to All time and click Clear data. This removes the search suggestions from Chrome.
On Safari (iPhone, iPad, or Mac), go to Settings, scroll down to Safari, and tap Clear History and Website Data. Choose how far back you want to clear — all history removes everything. On Android, open the Chrome app, tap the three dots, go to Settings > Privacy > Clear browsing data, and follow the same steps as desktop Chrome.
What happens when you delete your search history
When you delete searches from myactivity.google.com, Google removes them from the servers that store your activity. You will no longer see those searches listed on the activity page, and Google will not use them to personalize ads or recommendations.
However, Google may keep some data for a limited time in backup systems or for legal reasons. Deleted searches also do not affect what your internet service provider or your employer (if you are using a work network) has recorded — those records are separate from Google's activity page.
If you are using a shared device or a public computer, clearing your search history from Google's servers does not clear what is stored locally on that device. You must also clear the browser cache and search suggestions using the steps in the section above.
Delete search history from multiple Google accounts
If you use more than one Google Account, you must sign out and sign back in to clear the history for each account separately. Google's activity page only shows and deletes the history for the account you are currently signed into.
Sign into your first account at myactivity.google.com and delete the history using the steps above. Then click your profile picture in the top right corner and select Sign out. Sign in with your second account and repeat the process. Continue for each account you own.
If you share a device with other people, make sure each person signs into their own Google Account and clears their own history. Clearing history from one account does not affect the search records stored under another account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing my search history delete my Google account?
No. Deleting your search history only removes the record of searches you have made. Your Google Account, email, photos, documents, and all other data remain intact. You are only removing activity records, not your account itself.
Can I see my search history after I delete it?
Once you delete a search from myactivity.google.com, it no longer appears on that page. However, if you deleted it by mistake, you cannot recover it — Google does not have an undo feature for deleted activity. Make sure you want to delete something before you confirm the deletion.
Will deleting my search history speed up my Google account or my device?
Deleting search history will not make your device faster or your Google Account run better. Search history is stored on Google's servers, not on your device, so removing it does not free up storage space on your phone or computer. Clearing your browser cache may free up a small amount of local storage.
What if I turn off Web & App Activity but then turn it back on later?
If you turn off Web & App Activity and then turn it back on, Google starts recording your searches again from that point forward. The searches you deleted while it was off remain deleted. Turning the setting back on does not restore old searches.
Does clearing my Google search history also clear my YouTube watch history?
No, they are separate. When you delete activity on myactivity.google.com, you can choose to delete Search, YouTube Search, and YouTube Watch History separately. You must check the box next to YouTube Watch History if you want to remove videos you have watched. Search history and watch history do not delete together automatically.