I had my Google GMail account for a while but never realized some of the additional services that are included with my Google account like the Search History service. I decided to check it out and WAS I SURPRISED! It was a history of my searches since the day I signed up for GMail. Not only a history, but graphs on monthly, daily even hourly searches. How can I delete the search records? Better yet how can I disable the Search History service?
Many people are surprised to find out that Google has been tracking their searches since they created an account with Google. Most of them are confused as they think clearing the search history from their browser will erase past searches, only later to find out that Google's Search History Service also keeps a history of searches in their Google account.
Still confused? Let's take a closer look.
If you always stay logged on to your Google account, because you checked you GMail account or use any of Google's many services or products that tie into your Google account, your searches will be tracked.
How can you tell if you are logged on? If you have Personalized your home page, or if you have not, go to Google's home page, and you will see your GMail address at the top right of the page with three links, one them being Sign Out.
To locate your Search History, click on My Account, then under My Services click on Search History.
You will now see your entire Search History. You can select the type of searches on the left menus, by the calendar on the right or from the Older and Oldest buttons at the bottom.
Want to see how much web surfing you have done over time? Click on the Trends link and be amazed by the level of detail of time you spend on the Internet!
Now that you come back to reality, your probably thrilled or in shock. If the latter applies and you want to delete some or all of your history, or stop searches from being saved, follow the steps below:
Delete Searches: click on Search History, then select Remove items (left menu) and either select items you want cleared (left menu), then click Remove (right of Google logo). To clear your entire Search History, select Clear entire Search History (right of Google logo).
Note: you can also pause searches. Pausing temporarily stop searches from being saved.
Delete the Search History Service: Click on My Account, under My Services, select Edit next to My Services. Then click on Delete Search History and follow the instructions.
You may be thinking that Google is spying on you since they are keeping tabs on your searches, but my guess is that they are doing this to provide targeted advertisements based on your searches in the future. So the next time your left wondering why you spend too much money online…blame it on Google.
Comments on How To Delete Your Search History From Your Google Account
jatin @ 2:46 am
this exilent
moorpheus2 @ 7:13 am
Less dramatic, go to tools>internet Options>content>personal information>autocomplete-and clear the information from there.
@moorpheus
That's incorrect. What you suggested will only clear AutoComplete entries in Internet Explorer and has nothing to do with clearing your search history in your Google account.
For that matter, if you wanted to clear your history in IE 6, you would go to Tools \ Internet Options \ General tab and click Clear history button (this does not clear your Google account history which is completely separate).
raja @ 8:28 am
I've searched for images thru google search.. Usually i'll delete wat i've searched thru Int opt & delete cookies, files & history.. but when i open the history window there is a tab called search and if i type images and then click search.. i find the images link that i've seen earlier.. It's not getting deleted if i right click on it and click delete.. so pls help me to delete that images
salman @ 12:12 am
i,ve searched some images in the net. i,ve connect to the server room.
how delete them .without knowing to them so plz help me regarding this matter
Goog CCCP @ 1:45 pm
Wow this is shocking, but I believe that it's been made optional now, as I've tried to find my search history and it shows none at all. I checked "trends" etc and found nothing at all… but still, this whole Google-everything "convenience" is nothing more than a TRICK to get more and more people to continually use google, so they can build profiles on the populous and then sell that info to nefarious private corps. They also allow the government to secretly pull an individual's data-profile if they "suspect" you for "terrorism," etc.
Google is nothing more than a hidden-in-plain sight data-mining corporation, using the guise of "search-engine" to mask it's true intentions…
http://www.google-watch.org/
http://www.google-watch.org/jobad.html
PS- I'm not in ANY way affiliated with Google or any "group;" I'm just another citizen that stumbled upon the hidden activities by google through random searching for other unrelated facts. I would like to find an alternative to using Gmail, as I feel they are doing a lot more than they say they are with our "data…" Welcome to the Brave New World folks!
Ingrid @ 12:41 pm
OMG, thanks so much!!!
xxx
some internet dude @ 4:30 pm
the option to stop your history from being saved has been there since 2007
@some internet dude
Of course it has. You'll be surprised at how many people were unaware of the option.
ClaudeA @ 8:34 pm
@moorpheus, you are just plain wrong! In fact, you skipped over the statement that IE history has NOTHING to do with Google browsing recording!
Mike Boyds, I found this page as I searched for info on a mysterious clear mask over the Top Left of the Compose window in Firefox!
I've now loaded this message to my gmail archives! Thank You!
i deleted my apna circle account..still my account details are displaying in google search.how can i deleted the details from search? @ 6:20 am
please provide any solution as early as possible.
some @ 6:22 am
i deleted my apna circle account..still my account details are displaying in google search.how can i deleted the details from search. please any one can help me as early as possible?
@i deleted my apna circle account..still my account details are displaying in google search.how can i deleted the details from search?:
es @ 6:35 am
can you please make a more updated version or someone please explain to my the steps cause the new google chrome does have some of these options :s
Ashok sahoo @ 1:56 am
Only to delete all xxx actions from my file
Uthumankani @ 12:32 am
My activity Google xxx.com delede