Google provides you with full access to the Search History linked to your Google account, you can view or delete your search history at any time by logging in to your Google Account. This tutorial provides you with the steps to view and delete your Google Search History, either selectively or entirely.
Google Search History
Your Google Search History is generated every time you carry out web searches while you are still logged in to your Google account. This search history is separate and in addition to the browsing history as recorded by your web browser.
In case you were not aware about this, you should be able to spend some interesting time taking a look at your entire search history, right from the time you created your Google Account to this date. You might be able to unearth a useful website or information that you were trying to remember.
However, there is really nothing to be worried or concerned about your Google Search History. Your search history can only be viewed by logging into your Google Account, no one else can access your search history, without knowing your Google ID and password.
You also need to be aware that Google uses the search history of its users in a general and collective way to improve its services and user experience. To understand this better you can take a look at What does Google do with the data it collects?
Delete Your Google Search History
Follow the steps below to view and delete your Google Search history, in case you wish to. As mentioned above, you can either delete your entire search history (which may affect Google’s ability to serve you better) or delete your search history partially or selectively.
1. Visit Google’s home page on your computer (www.google.com)
2. Go to the extreme top Right corner of your screen and click on the Sign in button.
3. Sign in to your Google Account by entering your Gmail ID and Password.
4. After signing in to your Account, click on the Gear Shaped icon that you can see at the top right corner of your screen (See image below).
5. From the drop-down menu click on History. You will be taken to your Google Search History page where you will be able to view all your Search history. As mentioned by Google, only you can see this data.
6. You can view your entire search history and delete any search item (one or more) by just clicking on the box next to the search history item and clicking on Delete option that appears at the top (See image below)
7. You can also quickly delete your entire or partial Search History by clicking on the 3 dot icon located at the top right of your screen (See image below)
8. Select Delete Options from the menu that comes up (See image above).
9. Once you click on Delete Options, you will see three options to Delete your Web and App Activity – Today, Yesterday and Advanced.
10. Select Advanced and Click on Select Date.
11. Once you click on Select Date, you will get further options to delete your Search History by “Past 4 Weeks” or “All time”.
12. Make your selection and click on the Delete button.
13. You will see a pop-up informing you that deleting your search history may limit Google’s ability to serve you better. Also, Google informs you that you won’t be able to recover your search history, once it is deleted.
14. Click on Delete, in case you want to go ahead or click Cancel to preserve your search history.