Maintaining privacy in the digital age is quite tricky. Your search history is always out there, and it’s a way for advertisers, hackers, and internet service providers to track your activities. Your search history also affects your online experience, affecting the type of ads you receive, the kind of content you view, and the speed of your internet.
Deleting history from your Google search bar is a fairly simple process, and it can help keep your data private. In this blog post, we will be guiding you through several methods to delete the history of Google search bar.
Video Tutorial:
Why You Need to Delete History of Google Search Bar
Google search bar is a convenient and resourceful way to search for information online. However, it’s worth noting that every search you make in the Google bar is recorded and saved on Google servers. This includes the phrases you search, the websites you visit, and the images you view. If you are conscious about your privacy and want to keep your browsing history clean, you will need to delete the history of Google search bar.
Deleting your Google search history is also essential when you are using a public computer where you can’t risk leaving any personal information behind. By deleting your search history, you get to keep your internet use private and secure. Here are some methods for doing that.
Method 1: Via Your Google Account
Deleting your search history through Google is straightforward, and it helps you clear your web activities across all devices that are connected to your Google account. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Go to your Google account and sign in.
2. Once you log in, click on “Data & personalization” on the left-hand side.
3. Look for “Activity and timeline” and click on it.
4. Click on “My Activity.”
5. Go to the three-dot icon on the top-right corner of the screen.
6. Click on “Delete activity by,” then set the time range you want to delete.
7. Once you have selected your preferred date range, click on “Delete.”
Pros:
– You can delete all Google activity over a certain period.
– You can access your activity from any device with your Google accounts login details.
Cons:
– It may take some time for the activity to be permanently deleted.
Method 2: Clearing Google Search History on Mobile App
Clearing your search history on your mobile app is another straightforward method. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide on how to delete your Google search history using your mobile app.
1. Launch the Google app.
2. Click on your account image on the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Click on “Manage your Google Account” from the dropdown menu.
4. Click on “Data and personalization” from the menu bar.
5. Find the “Activity and timeline” tab and click it.
6. Click on “My Activity,” then click on the three-dot icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
7. Choose your preferred delete period or click on “All time” to delete everything.
8. Click on the “Delete” button.
Pros:
– Has options to delete specific periods or the whole search history.
– Fast method for deleting search history on mobile devices.
Cons:
– Could be challenging for some users who aren’t familiar with Google’s settings.
Method 3: Using Incognito Mode
Using incognito mode is another way of protecting your search history. This method is quite useful when you don’t want your web activities saved to your device. Follow these simple steps to take advantage of the incognito mode feature in your web browser:
1. Open your web browser.
2. Look for the “three-dot” icon on the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Click on the “New incognito window.”
4. A new window will open. Anything you search for in this window won’t save your browser history.
Pros:
– Quick method to prevent search history from being saved.
– Does not require any additional settings or steps.
Cons:
– It does not prevent ISPs from tracking your internet activities.
– It can’t offer you complete privacy since it only hides your web activities within the incognito window.
What to Do If You Can’t Delete History on Your Google Search Bar?
Sometimes, you may run into problems deleting your Google search history or see an error message when trying to delete it. Here are a few fixes to try out:
1. Check that you have the authority to delete your account activity.
2. Use a different device or web browser to access your Google account.
3. Clear your browser’s cache.
4. Restart your device.
Bonus Tip
Invest in good antivirus software or VPN to provide an additional layer of internet privacy as you browse the internet. Antivirus software can help protect your device from any malicious attacks, while VPNs can provide you with a private and secure internet connection.
5 FAQs
Q1. Does clearing your Google search history entirely delete it from your device?
A1. Clearing your Google search history from your device only deletes your search history from that specific device.
Q2. Can I recover the history erased from my Google search bar?
A2. No, once you delete your Google search history, you cannot recover it again.
Q3. Does clearing my Google search history delete personalized search results?
A3. Yes, clearing your Google search history deletes all personalized search results that Google had stored about your habits and interests.
Q4. Will deleting my Google search history affect my device’s browsing speed?
A4. Removing your Google search history entirely should not impact your browsing speed.
Q5. Can I clear my search history automatically?
A5. Yes, you can. You can set Google to delete history automatically after a set period.
Final Thoughts
Clearing or deleting your Google search bar history is an essential step towards keeping your browsing experience private and secure. Whether you decide to use incognito mode or delete your history manually, every method listed in this blog post will help keep your search activities from being visible to others. Regularly cleaning your search history can significantly reduce the amount of information collected on you and help protect your online privacy.