What clearing your search history does
Clearing your search history removes the record of what you have searched for on Google. When you clear it, Google stops showing those searches in your account, and the searches no longer appear in the dropdown when you start typing in the search box. This does not delete the websites you visited — only the record that you searched for them.
The searches are stored in your Google Account if you are signed in. If you use Google without signing in, your searches are tied to your device and browser instead. Clearing history from your account affects all devices where you are signed in with that account. Clearing history from your browser affects only that device.
You can delete all your search history at once, or delete searches from a specific date range. You can also turn off search history recording entirely, though this means Google will not learn your preferences and search results will be less personalized.
Key Takeaways
- Clearing search history removes your searches from your Google Account, but does not delete the websites you visited or change what Google knows about you from other activity.
- You can clear all history at once or delete searches from a specific time period using the My Activity page.
- Clearing history from your Google Account affects all devices signed in with that account, while clearing browser history affects only that device.
- Turning off search history recording stops Google from saving new searches, but does not delete searches you have already made.
- Private browsing mode prevents your browser from recording searches on that device, but Google still records them in your account if you are signed in.
Clear search history from your Google Account
Go to myactivity.google.com in any browser while signed into your Google Account. This page shows all your Google activity, including searches, videos you watched, and places you looked up. On the left side, click Search to see only your searches.
At the top left, click the trash icon or the three-dot menu and select Delete. A window will appear asking what you want to delete. Choose All time to delete everything, or pick a date range like Last hour, Last day, or Custom range. Then click Delete. Google will remove those searches from your account within a few minutes.
If you want to delete individual searches instead of a whole batch, you can click the X next to each search on the My Activity page. This is slower but useful if you only want to hide certain searches.
Clear search history from your browser
Your browser also keeps a separate record of searches you made while using it. Clearing browser history does not affect your Google Account — it only removes the record from that device. The steps differ depending on which browser you use.
In Chrome: Press Ctrl + H (Windows) or Command + Y (Mac) to open your history. On the left, click Clear browsing data. Choose your time range at the top — All time deletes everything. Make sure Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files are checked, then click Clear data.
In Firefox: Press Ctrl + H (Windows) or Command + Y (Mac). On the left, click Clear Recent History. Choose your time range, make sure Search and form history is checked, and click Clear Now.
In Safari: Click Safari in the menu bar, then Clear History. Choose how far back you want to clear — all history removes everything. Click Clear History.
In Edge: Press Ctrl + H (Windows) or Command + Y (Mac). Click Clear browsing data on the left. Choose your time range, make sure Browsing history is checked, and click Clear now.
Turn off search history recording
If you do not want Google to save your searches going forward, you can pause Web & App Activity. Go to myactivity.google.com, click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) on the left, and select Settings. Under Web & App Activity, toggle the switch to Off. Google will stop recording new searches, but your old searches will remain unless you delete them separately.
Turning off Web & App Activity means your search results will not be personalized based on your history, and Google will not suggest searches based on what you have looked up before. You can turn it back on at any time by returning to the same setting and toggling it back to On.
If you want to keep your account history but hide searches on just one device, use private browsing mode instead. This prevents your browser from recording searches locally, though your Google Account will still record them if you are signed in.
Use private browsing to prevent local recording
Private browsing mode (called Incognito in Chrome, Private Window in Firefox and Safari, and InPrivate in Edge) stops your browser from saving searches and websites you visit on that device. When you close the private window, the browser forgets everything you did in it.
However, private browsing does not hide your searches from Google if you are signed into your Google Account. Google still records them in your account activity. Private browsing only hides them from your browser's local history and from anyone else using that device.
To open a private window: In Chrome, press Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows) or Command + Shift + N (Mac). In Firefox, press Ctrl + Shift + P (Windows) or Command + Shift + P (Mac). In Safari, click File and select New Private Window. In Edge, press Ctrl + Shift + P (Windows) or Command + Shift + P (Mac). Search normally in the private window, and the searches will not appear in your browser history.
What clearing history does not remove
Clearing your search history removes only the record of what you searched for. It does not delete the websites themselves, change your passwords, sign you out of accounts, or remove cookies that keep you logged in. If you want to do those things, you need to take separate steps.
Clearing search history also does not change what Google knows about you from other sources. Google tracks your location, the apps you use, the videos you watch on YouTube, and the ads you click on. Deleting search history alone does not affect any of that. If you want to limit what Google collects overall, you can adjust your privacy settings on the My Activity page or in your Google Account settings.
Similarly, clearing your Google Account history does not clear your browser history, and clearing your browser history does not clear your Google Account history. You may need to do both if you want to remove all traces of your searches from both places.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing search history delete the websites I visited?
No. Clearing search history removes only the record of what you searched for, not the websites themselves. If you want to remove websites from your browser history, you need to clear your browsing history separately using your browser's settings. The websites will still exist on the internet.
If I clear my Google Account history, will it clear on all my devices?
Yes. Clearing history from your Google Account at myactivity.google.com removes those searches from all devices where you are signed in with that account. Clearing history from your browser affects only that device. If you want to clear history on just one device, clear your browser history instead.
Can I delete individual searches instead of everything at once?
Yes. On the My Activity page, you can click the X next to any search to delete just that one. You can also delete searches from a specific date range without deleting everything. This is useful if you only want to hide certain searches but keep the rest of your history.
Will private browsing mode hide my searches from Google?
Private browsing hides your searches from your browser's local history and from other people using that device, but not from Google. If you are signed into your Google Account, Google still records your searches in your account activity. To hide searches from Google itself, you must clear your account history or turn off Web & App Activity.
What happens if I turn off Web & App Activity?
Google will stop recording new searches, but your old searches will remain unless you delete them. Your search results will no longer be personalized based on your history. You can turn Web & App Activity back on at any time, and Google will resume recording your activity.