How to Clear Google Search History from Desktop, Android or iOS

In today’s digital age, our online activities leave behind a trail of data that can accumulate over time. Learning how to clear your Google Search History is essential if you want to regain your privacy and keep your online searches discreet. Whether you’re using your desktop, Android, or iOS device, this guide will walk you through the steps to ensure your online search history remains your business.

Why might you want to clear your Google Search History, you ask? Well, the reasons can vary. You may be concerned about your online privacy and want to prevent others from finding out your search history. Perhaps you use a shared device and want to keep your browsing habits private.

Whatever your reasons, understanding how to delete Google Search History empowers you with control over your digital footprint. With this understanding, let’s begin with the article. 

How to Remove Google Search History From Your Desktop 

There are two ways to remove Google Search history from your desktop. The first method lets you clear your browsing history, while the second method will help you clear your Google account history. Let’s begin by clearing your browsing history.

How to Clear Browsing History on Chrome 

Using this method, you can remove your browsing history, including any cookies and passwords stored on your desktop, from websites you visit. Follow the steps below.

Note: The steps are the same for Chrome on Windows and Mac. Moreover, the process of clearing browsing history is similar in most browsers. 

Step 1: Open Chrome and click the three-dot icon in the upper right corner next to your profile picture. 

Step 2: In the drop-down menu, hover your mouse over History and select History from the list of options.

Step 3: You will be taken to the History page. Click ‘Clear browsing data’ on the left pane to delete all your Google search history and other browsing data stored on your PC or Mac.

Step 4: Check the Browsing history box in the pop-up modal, select your time range, and click the Clear data button at the bottom. 

Note: If you want to clear cookies and cache images alongside clearing browsing history, check the boxes next to them. 

There you go. You have cleared your browsing history in Chrome. You can use the same steps to clear the history for any other browser. If it is not the browsing history you want to clear but the Google account history, continue reading. 

How to Erase Search History on Your Google Account using My Activity

Unlike the method above, by using this method, you can clear out all the information from Google, including Google Search, YouTube, Maps, and so on, that is used to personalize your Google experience. Follow the below instructions.

Step 1: Go to Google’s My Activity page from your preferred browser on your Windows or Mac computer. 

Go to Google My Activity

Step 2: Click the Delete button. 

Step 3: In the pop-up, choose the period you want to delete your data. As we are deleting all data, we are going with All time. 

Step 4: On the ‘Choose activity to delete’ page, choose from the Google Products you want to delete activity from. If you want to delete all, click Select All and click Next. 

Step 5: In the confirmation window, review the populated details and click the Delete button. 

That’s it. You will see a confirmation that you have successfully deleted your Google account activity tracking. Keep reading if you want to do the same using your mobile device.

Also Read: What happens when you clear browsing data in Google Chrome

How to Delete Google Search History on Mobile Using Chrome

Deleting Google Search history from a PC or Mac is not the end. You may have browser or search history records available on mobile devices where your account is logged in. 

The steps to clear browsing history from Chrome on Android and iOS are distinct. Let’s begin with Android. 

On Android

Step 1: Firstly, launch the Google Chrome app on your Android device. Tap on the three-dot icon in the top right corner. In the drop-down menu, choose History.

Step 2: In the History screen, tap ‘Clear browsing data.’ On the next screen, check the box adjacent to Browsing history. Check the boxes next to the options if you want to delete cookies, cached images, and files.

Step 3: Now, go to the Advanced tab, select your desired time range (choose All time to delete all data), and tap Clear data.

That’s about it. You have cleared your browsing history on Android. If you want to do the same using an iPhone, continue reading.

On iOS

Step 1: Launch Google Chrome on your iPhone. Tap on the three horizontal dots at the bottom of the screen.

Step 2: From the bottom sheet, tap History. On the next screen, choose ‘Clear Browsing Data.’

Step 3: Now, choose the time range for the browsing data you want to clear. To erase the data completely, select All time. Additionally, you can select ‘Cookies, Site Data’ and ‘Cached Images and Files.’ Finally, tap ‘Clear Browsing Data’ to confirm.

There you go. You have cleared your browsing data from Google Chrome on iOS. You can follow the same steps to clear browsing data from any browser on your iPhone. 

All that said, if you want to clear all Google account activity, continue reading. 

Also Read: How to Manage the Location History on Your Google Account

How to Clear Google Browsing History Using Google Search App

Clearing all Google trackers and getting your Google activity history erased from your account may sound tricky, but it is quite simple. In addition, the steps are the same for both Android and iOS. 

The only difference is that the Search app comes by default for Android. However, for iOS, you’ll need to download it from the App Store before you start with the steps. 

Step 1: Firstly, launch the Google app on our Android device and tap on your profile picture in the upper right corner.

Note: On Android, the Google app is included by default. On iOS, you have to download it from the App Store.

Download Google App on iOS

Step 2: In the pop-up, choose Search history. You will be taken to the Search history screen. Tap on Delete.

Step 3: From the drop-down menu, choose the ‘Delete all time’ option.

On the ‘Choose activity to delete’ page, select which activities you want to delete, or check the Select All box to completely delete the activity, and tap Next. 

Step 4: Finally, on the next screen, review the activity and tap the Delete button at the bottom.

There you have it. You have easily cleared all Google account activity from your Android and iOS devices. If you don’t want to go through the hassle of deleting all Google search history from your account, check out our article that lets you set up auto-delete Google Account Data. If you have any queries, check out the FAQ section below. 

FAQs on Clearing Google Search History

Erase Your Digital Footprint

You have just learned to clear your Google search history on a desktop, Android, or iOS. This is a simple and effective way to protect your privacy and save yourself from seeing unwanted ads and suggestions based on your past searches. Happy browsing!