How to see my search history on google

Your web browser history is a peek into your inner world, motivations and behaviors. And as such, you might not want your Google digital diary shouting its contents to anyone who peeks over your shoulder at just the wrong moment.

You can manage this sensitive history no matter which browser you use, from Chrome, to Firefox, to Apple's Safari, but the steps are all a little different. And keep in mind that if you have multiple devices — and more than one browser on each device — that you may have to repeat some of these processes so that your main squeeze doesn't know that you've been, for example, searching for an engagement ring online.

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Here's how to view and delete your history in various browsers. We'll start with Chrome, which is made by Google. Google is now such a ubiquitous and powerful search engine that the company's products, such as its Chrome browser, log your previous searches by syncing them between your various devices (laptop, tablet smartphone). However, once you delete your history in one device, it will remove it from all devices. These steps will remove searches using other search engines as well.

In Google Chrome:

  1. Click or tap the menu icon with three dots on the upper-right side of the browser window.
  2. Click or tap History > History (CTRL+H).
  3. On the left hand side, scroll to Clear Browsing Data. A box will appear which will ask you how much history you want to delete.
  4. If you want to completely clear out your history, also click the boxes for cookies and other site data and cached images and files. Then click Clear Data. That'll clear out your previous searches.
  5. You may also want to prevent Chrome from auto-completing searches in the future. In Settings, (also found by tapping on the three dots on the upper-right of your browser) click Sync and Google services, and scroll to Other Google Services. Under Other Google Services, find Autocomplete searches and URLs and toggle this switch off (to the left).
  6. If you need to clear your mobile history, tap on the three dots, then on History. Click on Clear Browsing Data, then tap Clear Data.

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To delete search activity from Google Maps, YouTube and Other Google products:

On your computer:

  1. Go to your Google account (https://myaccount.google.com/)
  2. Scroll the left hand panel and click Privacy & personalization.
  3. Under "Activity and timeline," click My Activity.
  4. From the left hand panel, click Delete activity by.
  5. Select the date or time you wish to delete and hit delete.

On your Android phone/tablet:

  1. Open your device's Settings app to Google or click on the Google icon from your phone's main screen.
  2. Click on Google Account or Manage Your Account (depending on which way you arrived at the account)
  3. Click on Manage Your Data & Personalization
  4. Under Activity and time, click My Activity
  5. To the right of the search bar, click on the three dots and select Delete activity by
  6. Select the date or time you wish to delete and hit delete.

On your iPhone/iPad:

  1. Open the Gmail app. If you don't use Gmail, go to https://myaccount.google.com/)
  2. Click on Menu (three bars), then Settings, then your account, Click on Manage your Google Account
  3. At the top, click on Data & Personalization
  4. Under "Activity and timeline," click My Activity
  5. At the top right of the page, click on the three dots and select Delete activity by
  6. Select the date or time you wish to delete and hit delete.

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Now That's Interesting

Signing into any Google service, like Gmail, also automatically logs you into Chrome, and thus, offers up your search history. That could be a problem, particularly on a shared devices. Use these steps to prevent automatic Chrome login.

Be afraid. Be very, very afraid. Ever since Google launched 18 years ago, it's been storing every single search you've made – even those naughty ones you'd thought you'd managed to hide - and now you can go back and look at your entire search history. Eep.

We're not just taking about the recent searches that pop up on your current machine either. We're talking every search you've made on every device, EVER. If you made a search while logged in with your current Gmail or Google account, it's been recorded.

Yes, "Oh shit" indeed.

Whether your searches were mobile or desktop locked, they've all been stored, and they're just waiting to be discovered. Assuming you know where to look that is...

HOW TO SEE YOUR ENTIRE GOOGLE SEARCH HISTORY

Google Phone

Related: 9 scary things you didn't notice in Google's small print

Curious and worried in equal measure? We don't blame you. So, how can you see every Google search you've ever made? Well, if you shield your eyes, make sure you've got the house to yourself and point your browser in the direction of history.google.com/history, your whole sordid past will be displayed for your perusal.

On top of being able to see every search you've made, as well as the exact date and time they were made, you can go all meta and search your own search history for forgotten gems and fond memories.

Not only can you see everything you've ever searched for on Google, you can break down your internet hunting history by medium, with image searches, Chrome activity and even Maps exploration able to be broken down and picked apart in minute detail.

Google Search history

This isn't just a tool design to embarrass you: as well as letting you unearth forgotten gems (that hilarious spooked cat video), the intimate data breakdown also raises questions like "Why did I search for 'Gordon Ramsey's face' on May 27, 2012?"

Go back far enough, and you can even see the very first thing you Googled with your current account – Chuck actress Yvonne Strahovski back on May 12, 2010, in case you were wondering.

CAN I DOWNLOAD MY ENTIRE SEARCH HISTORY?

Google download search history

Although you are only able to view your entire search history, be warned, if you leave your Gmail account logged in on a communal or family machine, not only can people snoop on your emails, they can browse your searching history too.

If, however, you've got nothing to hide and would like a physical copy of your entire search history (y'know, for some light reading), Google will let you do just that. They've even supplied play-by-play instructions on how to download your past searches. You're welcome.

HOW CAN I STOP GOOGLE RECORDING MY SEARCH HISTORY?

Google Activity Controls

While some will be comfortable with all this, we're guessing most of you would, like us, rather stop Google sticking its nose in on what you once considered to be your private searches.

Fortunately you can stop Google recording your search history, and pretty easily too. Clicking the "details" control under any past search will see a pop-up window appear with all manner of data on that individual search.

Mixed in amongst this is the "Activity Controls" option. Clicking this will let you tweak what Google tracks. Importantly, clicking the topmost slider, marked "Web & App Activity", will see your future searches kept between just you and your conscience.

So there you go: you can now explore the past decade or so of your search history. Good luck. Now wash your hands.

Why can't I see my recent searches on Google?

Paused web and app activity: If you have paused your web and app activity, Google will not save your searches to your search history. You can check the status of your web and app activity by going to your Google Account settings and looking under the "Data & personalization" section.

How do I see my browsing history?

On a Windows PC, you can find your Chrome browser's search history by clicking on the three vertical dots in the upper right corner of your screen | History | History. A full screen of your search history will open in another tab.