What Google search suggestions are and why they appear
Google search suggestions are the words and phrases that appear in a dropdown menu as you type into the search box. They come from two sources: your own search history on that device or account, and popular searches other people have done. The suggestions tied to your account — the ones that say things like "weather" or "how to reset a password" — come directly from searches you have performed while signed into Google.
These suggestions exist because Google assumes you might want to search for the same thing again. But if you share a device, use a public computer, or straightforward do not want Google remembering what you searched for, you can delete them. The process is different depending on whether you want to remove one suggestion, clear your entire search history, or stop Google from storing suggestions going forward.
Key Takeaways
- You can delete individual search suggestions by highlighting them and pressing the Delete key on your keyboard.
- To clear all search suggestions at once, go to your Google Account settings, select Data & Privacy, and delete your entire search history.
- Turning on Incognito mode in Chrome or private browsing in other browsers prevents Google from storing any suggestions from that session.
- If you are signed out of your Google Account, suggestions will only show popular searches, not your personal history.
- Deleting a suggestion removes it from appearing again, but Google continues to store your search history unless you turn off Web & App Activity in your account settings.
Delete one suggestion at a time from the dropdown
The fastest way to remove a single suggestion is to highlight it and press Delete. Open Google Search, start typing a word or phrase, and when the dropdown appears, use your arrow keys to highlight the suggestion you want to remove. Then press the Delete key on your keyboard. The suggestion will disappear from the dropdown when ready and will not appear again for that search term.
This method works on desktop computers and laptops. On phones and tablets, you cannot delete individual suggestions this way — you will need to clear your entire search history instead, which is covered in the next section.
Deleting one suggestion does not remove it from your Google Account's stored history. It only removes it from the dropdown. If you want to prevent Google from storing that search at all, you will need to adjust your account settings, which is explained later in this article.
Clear all search suggestions by deleting your search history
To remove all suggestions at once, you need to delete your search history from your Google Account. Go to myactivity.google.com in your browser while signed into your Google Account. This page shows every search you have performed, every video you have watched on YouTube, and every website you have visited while signed in.
On the left side of the page, click Delete activity. A menu will appear with options for what to delete. You can delete activity from the last hour, the last day, the last week, the last month, or all time. Select the time range you want to clear. Then click Delete to confirm. Once deleted, those searches will no longer appear as suggestions in the dropdown.
If you want to delete only your search history and not your YouTube watch history or website visits, click the Search filter at the top of the myactivity.google.com page before you delete. This narrows the list to searches only, so you can delete just those without affecting other activity.
Stop Google from storing suggestions in the first place
Deleting suggestions removes them from the dropdown, but Google continues to record new searches unless you turn off the setting that allows it. To stop Google from storing your search history going forward, 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. If it is blue and switched on, Google is currently storing your searches. Click the toggle to turn it off. Google will ask you to confirm. Once you do, Google will stop recording your search history, and suggestions will no longer be based on your personal searches — only on what is popular.
Keep in mind that turning off Web & App Activity affects more than just search suggestions. It also stops Google from storing your YouTube watch history, your location history, and your activity on other Google services. If you use Google services across multiple devices and want them to work together — for example, if you want YouTube recommendations based on what you have watched — turning this off will affect that too.
Use Incognito or private browsing to avoid storing suggestions
If you do not want to change your account settings but want to search without creating suggestions, use Incognito mode in Chrome or private browsing in other browsers. In Chrome, press Ctrl + Shift + N on Windows or Cmd + Shift + N on Mac. In Firefox, press Ctrl + Shift + P on Windows or Cmd + Shift + P on Mac. In Safari, press Cmd + Shift + N.
When you search in Incognito or private mode, Google does not store those searches in your account history, and they will not appear as suggestions later. However, your internet service provider and the websites you visit can still see what you are searching for. Incognito mode only hides your activity from Google and your browser, not from your network.
Incognito mode is useful if you are using a shared device and do not want your searches to appear in suggestions for other people who use that computer. It is also useful if you want to search for something without it affecting your recommendations on YouTube or Google News.
What happens when you sign out of your Google Account
If you sign out of your Google Account before searching, Google will not store your searches or show personalized suggestions. Instead, the dropdown will show only popular searches — the terms that many people are searching for right now. Your searches will not be tied to your account, and they will not appear as suggestions when you sign back in.
Signing out is different from using Incognito mode. When you sign out, you are not using any Google Account, so nothing is stored. When you use Incognito mode, you are still signed out of your account for that session, but your browser is also not storing cookies or other tracking data. Both prevent suggestions from being stored, but Incognito mode offers additional privacy protections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete suggestions on my phone or tablet?
You cannot delete individual suggestions on mobile devices the way you can on a computer. Instead, go to myactivity.google.com on your phone, sign in, and delete your search history from there. You can also turn off Web & App Activity in your Google Account settings to stop storing new suggestions.
If I delete a suggestion, does it delete the search from my Google Account?
No. Deleting a suggestion from the dropdown only removes it from appearing in the list. The search remains in your Google Account's activity history. To remove it from your account entirely, you must go to myactivity.google.com and delete it there.
Will other people see my search suggestions if they use my device?
Yes, if they are signed into your Google Account or using a shared browser profile. If you want to prevent this, sign out of your account before handing the device to someone else, or use a separate user account on the device for other people.
Does clearing my search suggestions affect my Google search results?
No. Deleting suggestions does not change the results you see when you search. It only removes the dropdown list of past searches. Your search results are based on the keywords you type and Google's ranking system, not on your history.
What is the difference between deleting suggestions and turning off Web & App Activity?
Deleting suggestions removes past searches from the dropdown. Turning off Web & App Activity stops Google from storing new searches going forward. You can do one without the other — delete old suggestions but keep storing new ones, or turn off storage but keep old suggestions visible.