Where your search history lives and how to remove it

Your search history exists in three separate places, and clearing one does not clear the others. Google stores searches in your Google Account if you are signed in. Your web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) stores searches locally on your device. And your internet service provider may keep records of what you searched, though you cannot delete those yourself.

To actually remove your searches from the places you control, you need to clear history in both your Google Account and your browser. The steps are different for each, and doing one without the other leaves a record behind. Most people need to do both to have a clean slate.

Key Takeaways

  • Google Account search history and browser search history are stored separately — clearing one does not clear the other.
  • You can delete all Google searches at once through your Google Account settings, or delete searches one at a time from your search results page.
  • Browser history (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) requires a separate deletion step and can be set to delete automatically when you close the browser.
  • Signing out of your Google Account before searching prevents those searches from being saved to your account, though your browser still records them.
  • Incognito or Private Browsing mode prevents your browser from storing searches, but Google still records them if you are signed into your account.

Clearing all searches from your Google Account

Go to myactivity.google.com in any browser while signed into your Google Account. This page shows every search you have made while logged in, along with every YouTube video you watched, every Gmail you opened, and every Google Map you looked at. At the top left, click Delete activity by.

A menu will appear with three options: All time, Last hour, or Custom range. Choose All time to delete every search you have ever made in this account. Below that, make sure only Search is checked — if you leave other boxes checked, you will also delete your YouTube history, Maps history, and other activity you may want to keep. Then click Delete.

Google will ask you to confirm by entering your password. After you do, all searches from your Google Account are gone. This takes effect when ready, though Google may take a few hours to fully process the deletion across all its servers.

Clearing searches from your web browser

Your browser keeps a separate record of every search you typed into the search bar, regardless of whether you were signed into Google. To clear this, the steps differ slightly by browser.

In Chrome: Press Ctrl + H (Windows) or Command + Y (Mac) to open your history. On the left side, click Clear browsing data. A window will pop up. Make sure the time range at the top is set to All time. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files — these store search suggestions and autocomplete data. Then click Clear data.

In Firefox: Press Ctrl + H (Windows) or Command + Y (Mac). On the right side, click Clear Recent History. Set the time range to Everything. Make sure Search and form history is checked. Click Clear Now.

In Safari: Click Safari in the menu bar, then Clear History. A dropdown will ask how far back to clear — choose all history. Click Clear History.

In Edge: Press Ctrl + H (Windows) or Command + Y (Mac). On the left, click Clear browsing data. Set the time range to All time. Check Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. Click Clear now.

Setting your browser to auto-delete searches when you close it

Instead of manually clearing history each time, you can tell your browser to delete everything automatically when you close it. This is useful if you do not want any local record of your searches, but you still need to clear your Google Account separately if you want those searches gone too.

In Chrome: Click the three-dot menu in the top right, then Settings. Click Privacy and security on the left. Under Clear browsing data, toggle on Delete cookies and site data when you quit Chrome.

In Firefox: Click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top right, then Settings. Click Privacy & Security on the left. Under Cookies and Site Data, check the box that says Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed.

In Safari: Click Safari in the menu bar, then Settings. Click the Privacy tab. Check the box that says Remove history items and choose after one day (or another interval). This does not delete on close, but it automatically deletes older history.

In Edge: Click the three-dot menu in the top right, then Settings. Click Privacy, search, and services on the left. Under Clear browsing data, toggle on Choose what to clear every time you close the browser.

Using Incognito or Private Browsing mode

Incognito mode (in Chrome) and Private Browsing (in Firefox, Safari, and Edge) prevent your browser from storing search history on your device. When you close an Incognito or Private window, the browser forgets everything you searched for in that window.

However, Incognito and Private Browsing do not hide your searches from Google if you are signed into your Google Account. Your searches still appear in your Google Account activity. They also do not hide your searches from your internet service provider or your employer if you are on a work network.

To open Incognito mode in Chrome, press Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows) or Command + Shift + N (Mac). To open Private Browsing in Firefox, press Ctrl + Shift + P (Windows) or Command + Shift + P (Mac). In Safari, click File, then New Private Window. In Edge, press Ctrl + Shift + P (Windows) or Command + Shift + P (Mac).

Preventing future searches from being saved

If you want to search without creating a record in your Google Account, sign out of Google before you search. Click your profile picture in the top right of any Google page and select Sign out. After you sign out, searches you make will not be added to your account history, though your browser will still store them locally.

You can also turn off Web & App Activity in your Google Account to stop Google from recording searches automatically. Go to myactivity.google.com, click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top left, then Settings. Under Web & App Activity, toggle it off. This stops new searches from being saved, but it does not delete searches that are already there.

What happens after you delete your searches

Once you delete searches from your Google Account, they are gone from your account activity page. Google may keep encrypted backups for a short time, but you cannot recover them yourself. Deleted browser history is also permanent — your browser does not keep a copy once you clear it.

Deletion does not affect search results you have already clicked on or websites you have already visited. Those sites may still have records of your visit in their own logs. It also does not remove searches that other people saw you make, or searches you made on a shared device that someone else was also using.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to clear Google Account history and browser history separately?

Yes. Google Account history and browser history are stored in completely different places. Clearing one does not affect the other. You need to delete from both your Google Account (at myactivity.google.com) and your browser's history settings to remove all traces of your searches.

Will clearing my search history delete my saved passwords and autofill information?

It depends on what you select when clearing. If you check Cookies and other site data, you may lose saved passwords and autofill information. To keep those, uncheck that box and only clear Browsing history and Search history. Check your browser's settings to see exactly what each option deletes.

Can I delete individual searches instead of all of them at once?

Yes, in Google Account. Go to myactivity.google.com, find the search you want to delete, and click the trash icon next to it. In your browser, you can also right-click on a search in your history and select delete, though this is slower than clearing all at once.

If I use Incognito mode, will my searches be hidden from Google?

No. Incognito mode only hides your searches from your browser's local history. If you are signed into your Google Account, Google still records those searches in your account activity. Sign out of Google before searching in Incognito mode if you want Google to not record the search.

Will deleting my search history affect my search results or recommendations?

Yes. Google uses your search history to personalize your results and recommendations. After you delete your history, Google will show you less personalized results until you build up a new search history. Your YouTube recommendations and Google Maps suggestions will also reset.