How to Delete Search History on Google, Browsers, and iPhone

When trying to delete your search history, you often find it’s easier said than done. The majority of users believe they simply have to click one button to delete all of their search history; however, your search activity is stored in many different places. Some of it is stored in your browser, while some of it is linked to your Google account and synced across all your devices.

To completely clear your search history, you must know where it is stored and how to delete it properly.

Your Search History Storage Locations

Your search history is generally stored in two locations:

• Your Google account, which includes all searches, websites visited, YouTube history, Google Map searches and apps used across all of your devices
• Your internet browser, which stores your local history for each specific device you are using

Deleting either location does not automatically delete the other.

Steps to Completely Erase Your Google Account Search History

Removing your Google account search history will eliminate your searches and activities associated with your Google account across all devices you are logged into with that account.

Steps to delete your Google account history:

• Go to myactivity.google.com and log in to your Google account if you were prompted to do so
• Find the “Delete” button near the top of the activity page
• Select a time frame:
  • Remove all time to eliminate all of your history
  • Or choose a time range you want to delete
• Click Next, then delete

Web & App Activity will be deleted along with your YouTube history and possibly additional history from other Google products, based on your current settings.

Steps to Clear Internet Browser Search History

Only deleting your internet browser search history will affect the browser and the device you are currently viewing the internet with.

Desktop (Chrome)

• Open Chrome
• Click on the three dots → History → History
• Select Clear browsing data
• Select All time from the drop-down list for the time frame
• Choose to check Browsing history (you can also check Cookies or Cache if you wish)
• Click on Clear Data

Shortcuts to Clear Browsing Data:

• Windows: Ctrl + Shift + Delete
• Mac: Cmd + Shift + Delete

Android (Chrome)

• Open the Chrome app
• Tap the three dots → History
• Tap Clear browsing data
• Select All time
• Check Browsing history
• Tap Clear data

How to Delete Search History on iPhone

If you use an iPhone, your search history may be stored in multiple places depending on how you browse the internet and which apps you use. Deleting search history on an iPhone often requires clearing data from Safari, individual apps, and your Google account if you use Google services.

Delete Safari Search History on iPhone

Safari is the default browser on iPhones, and its search history is stored locally on your device.

Steps to delete Safari search history:

• Open the Settings app
• Scroll down and tap Safari
• Tap Clear History and Website Data
• Confirm by tapping Clear History and Data

This will remove your browsing history, cookies, and cached data from Safari on that device.

Delete Search History From Safari Without Clearing All Data

If you want to delete specific Safari searches instead of everything:

• Open Safari
• Tap the book icon at the bottom
• Select the clock icon (History)
• Swipe left on individual entries to delete them
• Or tap Clear to choose a time range

Delete Google Search History on iPhone

If you use Google Search, Chrome, YouTube, or Google Maps on your iPhone, clearing Safari history alone will not remove that data.

To delete Google-related search history:

• Open a browser or the Google app
• Visit myactivity.google.com
• Sign in to your Google account
• Tap Delete
• Choose Delete all time or select a custom date range
• Confirm the deletion

This removes Google search activity synced across all devices, including your iPhone.

Delete Chrome Search History on iPhone

If you use Chrome instead of Safari:

• Open the Chrome app
• Tap the three dots at the bottom
• Tap History
• Tap Clear Browsing Data
• Select All time
• Check Browsing history
• Tap Clear Browsing Data

Delete App-Specific Search History on iPhone

Some apps store their own search history internally.

Examples include:

• YouTube
• Google Maps
• Amazon
• Social media apps

In most cases, you will need to:

• Open the app
• Go to Settings or Search History
• Clear or delete saved searches manually

Each app handles this differently, so reviewing app-specific settings is recommended.

Delete Individual Searches Versus Deleting Entirely

If you just want to remove certain searches and do not want to delete your entire search history, you can use Google’s feature to delete individual entries.

Steps to delete a specific search or activity:

• Visit myactivity.google.com
• View the activity timeline or use the search function to locate the specific search or activity you want to remove
• Click the “X” or delete icon next to the item you want to remove

This will only remove that one entry and leave your remaining history intact.

Deleting Your Search History From Additional Google Services

You are able to delete your search history from other Google products as well. On the My Activity page, you are able to filter by product and delete the search history from:

• YouTube search history and watch history
• Google Map locations and directions
• Any other Google product you have linked to your account

You can use the same delete options to delete history by date or product.

What Deleting Your Search History Will Not Do

Although deleting your search history removes past search records, it does not prevent Google from storing your new searches.

Deleting your search history does not:

• Prevent Google from recording your future searches
• Disable Web & App Activity
• Make your future searches private

To prevent your future searches from being recorded and tracked, you would need to change your activity settings and/or use private browsing modes.

Final Thoughts

Understanding how to delete your search history gives you better control over your digital footprint. Once you know how to delete your search history, whether it is removing everything, clearing a specific search, or cleaning out your browser data, the steps are very easy to follow.

Remember to delete your Google account history and your browser history to ensure that you remove all of your search history.

If you would like, I can help guide you through disabling Google’s activity tracking, setting auto-delete rules, or browsing the internet without your history being saved.