Have you ever noticed that Google seems to know what you are searching for, watching, or where you’ve been? That’s because Google tracks and stores your activities. It keeps data on what you search for, your app usage, YouTube history, and even where you go using your phone’s GPS. While this can improve your experience, it can also feel like your privacy is being compromised. In this guide, you will learn how to delete your activity history in Google, both on your mobile phone and your computer.
What Data Does Google Collect?
Google stores various types of data, creating a digital footprint of your activity. Here’s a breakdown of what Google tracks:
| Data Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Search History | Google keeps a record of everything you search. |
| Location Data | Your phone’s GPS, Wi-Fi, and cell towers track where you go. |
| App Usage | Apps send data to Google, tracking how long and how often you use them. |
| Emails & Messages | Gmail scans your emails for showing ads and providing relevant information. |
| Voice & Audio | When you use Google Assistant, your voice is recorded to improve accuracy. |
Why Should You Delete Your Google Activity?
You may wonder why it’s important to delete your activity history in Google. The most crucial reason is privacy. With rising concerns about data breaches, it’s important to control how much personal information is being stored online. Deleting your Google activity minimizes the amount of data circulating on the internet. It also helps reset the recommendations and ads that are shown to you based on your activity. Now that you know the reasons, let’s learn how to do it.
How to Delete My Activity History in Google?
You can delete your Google activity history on both mobile devices and computers. Below are the steps for each method:
Deleting Google Activity on Mobile
- Open the Settings on your phone.
- Scroll down and find the option called Google or search for “Google” in the search bar.
- Tap on Google Account > Data & Privacy > My Activity
- You can either search for a specific activity or select a time range, such as the last hour, last day, or all time.
- Finally, choose the activities to delete and confirm.
Deleting Google Activity on PC or Mac
- Open your browser and go to myactivity.google.com.
- Above the list of activities, click on Delete. You will be given options like “Delete by last hour, last day, all time, or custom time range.”
- Select the range, click Next, and then hit Delete to confirm.
Can You Auto-Delete Your Google Activity?
Yes, Google allows you to set up automatic deletion for your activity history. You don’t have to manually follow the steps every time. Here’s how you can do it:
- Visit myactivity.google.com
- On the left side, click on Activity Controls.
- Select the Auto-Delete option.
- Choose the time range for automatic deletion (e.g., every 3 months or 18 months).
- Confirm your choice.
Note: This option works only if you have Web & App activity turned on.
How to Stop Google from Tracking You in the Future?
If you don’t want Google to keep tracking your activities, you can stop it altogether. This will give you more control over your data. Here’s how to do it:
- Go to myactivity.google.com.
- Turn off Web & App Activity, YouTube Searches, and Timeline tracking.
- By turning these off, you stop Google from saving your browsing history, searches on YouTube, and location data.
This way, you can choose the type of data you don’t want Google to store anymore, like your Chrome history, visual search history, and other app activities.
Final Thoughts
Google’s tracking helps create a personalized experience, but it’s not always welcomed by everyone. If you value your privacy, deleting your Google activity is an important step. It helps safeguard your personal information and gives you more control over what data is stored. With the steps mentioned above, you can easily delete your activity history in Google, either manually or automatically.
