Stop Google From Saving Future Searches
You can turn off Google Search History from Google.com while signed in to your Google account. This changes whether Google saves future searches to your account. It works from a browser on a PC, laptop, Mac, Chromebook, iPhone, or Android phone.
The setting is called your search services history setting. When it is on, Google saves your search history. You can switch it off and keep existing activity, or switch it off while deleting the activity already saved.
Video Tutorial
Turn Off Google Search History
- Open a browser and go to Google.com.
- Make sure you are signed in to the Google account whose search history you want to manage.
- Select your profile icon in the top-right corner of the page.
- Select Search history.
- Look for the search services history setting. If it shows that history is on, select the arrow next to the setting.
- Select the On dropdown.
- Choose either Turn off or Turn off and delete activity.
- Review the information Google shows, then select Got it to confirm the change.
After you choose Turn off, Google confirms that future searches will no longer be stored. The confirmation may also state that your previous activity was not deleted. That is expected when you choose the standard turn-off option.
Choose the Right Turn-Off Option
The two choices do different things, so check the wording before confirming.
Turn off stops Google from saving searches you make in the future. It does not remove search activity that was already stored in your account. Choose this if your main goal is preventing new searches from being added to your history.
Turn off and delete activity also stops future search saving, but it gives you the option to delete activity that is currently saved. Choose this if you want to handle both parts at once: stop new history from being stored and remove existing history.
If you only select Turn off, do not assume your past searches disappeared. Read the message shown after confirmation. Google specifically indicates when activity was not deleted.
What Changes After You Turn It Off
This setting controls future searches associated with the signed-in Google account you changed. Once it is off, future searches you make will no longer be stored in that account through this setting.
You should still make sure you changed the correct account. If you use more than one Google account, check the profile icon before opening Search history. The profile icon is where you begin, and it indicates the account whose setting you are managing.
You can use the same process from different types of devices because the steps begin at Google.com in a browser. The page layout may look slightly different depending on your screen size, but the key items demonstrated are your profile icon, Search history, the arrow for the search services history setting, and the On dropdown.
Check That Google Search History Is Off
Return to Search history from your profile icon whenever you want to review the setting. The important thing to verify is that the search services history setting is no longer on.
If you chose Turn off, remember that this only prevents future searches from being saved. If you wanted past activity removed too, use the option labeled Turn off and delete activity when managing the setting.
Keeping these two results separate makes the setting easier to manage. Turning history off handles future searches. Deleting activity handles searches that were saved before you changed the setting.
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