When you tap on the search bar in the Google app or on the Google.com mobile homepage, a dropdown menu appears showing a list of your most recent search queries. While this is helpful if you frequently check the same weather forecast or sports score, it can be a significant privacy concern if you share your device with a spouse or child, or if someone is simply looking over your shoulder.
If you don’t want your past queries lingering on your screen every time you initiate a new search, you can stop Google from saving this history to your account.
How to Stop Google from Saving Search History
To prevent recent searches from appearing in the autocomplete dropdown, you need to pause “Web & App Activity” in your Google Account settings.
- Open your mobile web browser or the Google App and ensure you are logged into your Google Account.
- Go to myactivity.google.com.
- Under the “Web & App Activity” section, you will see it is likely turned On. Tap on this section.
- Tap the Turn off button.
- A confirmation screen will appear detailing what this action does. Scroll to the bottom and tap Pause.
- Tap Got it.
How to Delete Your Existing Recent Searches
Pausing your Web & App Activity will stop future searches from being saved. However, any searches you made prior to pausing the setting will still appear in the dropdown menu. You must delete them manually.
- Go back to the main page at myactivity.google.com.
- Scroll down slightly until you see the “Search your activity” bar. Next to it, tap the Delete button.
- Select All time (or choose a specific time range).
- Ensure the “Search” box is checked, then tap Next.
- Tap Delete to permanently erase your past search history.
Now, when you tap the Google search bar on your phone, you will only see algorithmic trending searches (which you can also turn off in the app settings), but none of your personal search history will be displayed.