When you press the Super (Windows) key in Ubuntu, the “Activities Overview” appears, featuring a large search bar at the top (often referred to as the Dash). This search bar is incredibly powerful, allowing you to launch apps, find files, and even search the internet. However, as you use it, Ubuntu begins caching your recent file searches and application launches to provide faster suggestions.
If you share your computer with someone else, or simply use your machine in public, having your most recently opened private documents and search queries instantly populate the screen the moment you press the Super key is a massive privacy violation. To maintain a clean, private workspace, you can disable the search history.
How to Turn Off Search History in the Ubuntu Dash
You can disable the historical tracking directly from the GNOME Privacy settings.
- Click the network/battery icon cluster in the top-right corner of the Ubuntu top bar and select Settings (the gear icon).
- In the left-hand navigation sidebar, scroll down and click on Privacy.
- In the main window on the right, click on Search.
- Locate the toggle switch labelled Search History (or Keep Search History depending on your exact GNOME version).
- Click the toggle switch to turn it completely Off.
- Next, click the Clear History button below it to instantly wipe any data that has already been saved.
The Activities Overview search bar will now act strictly as a live search engine. It will no longer remember what you typed yesterday or which documents you opened last week. When you press the Super key, the screen will remain clean and blank until you explicitly begin typing.