Google Chrome's Incognito mode is ideal if you want to browse privately, but sometimes you might forget to open Incognito mode or want to do a single private search. To help, the Google app lets you delete the last 15 minutes of your search history. Use this alongside these essential privacy tips to keep your activity to yourself.
We show you how to delete the last 15 minutes of your search history in just a few taps. This feature is available on Android and iOS devices, but if you want to search privately on one of our favorite Chromebooks, you'll need to use Incognito mode.
How to delete the last 15 minutes of your Google Search history
You'll need the Google Search app to delete the last 15 minutes of your search history. This app is only available on mobile devices, but not Chromebooks. We also show you how to delete your search history beyond the 15-minute limit.
- Open the Google Search app.
- Tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner of your screen.
- Tap Delete last 15 minutes.
Don't worry if your search history isn't deleted immediately. It may take a few minutes. If you can't see your profile picture, you may have opened the Google Search widget instead of the app.
This deletes your search history on all devices where you've signed in with the same Google account. So if you want to delete the last 15 minutes of search history on your Chromebook or desktop computer, grab your phone and perform the above steps.
To delete searches beyond the 15-minute limit, tap and hold a previous search. Tap Delete, and the search is removed from your history.
Delete quick mistakes in a flash
Deleting the last 15 minutes of your search history is a permanent action. There's no way to recover it. While it's a handy way to improve your privacy on Google Search, we recommend exploring our top tips and tricks for Google Chrome if you usually search with the browser.