Google uses a feature called Web & App Activity to collect and store your search information. Some folks are fine with that, but others not so much.
Luckily, it’s quite easy to turn it off if you’d like to prevent that info from being collected. Here’s how:
Note: The procedure below only works on laptops or desktop computers. It doesn’t work on mobile devices.
However, once you make the change using a computer it will be in effect regardless of the type of device you use to access Google.
1 – Visit the MyActivity page on the Google website and sign in to your Google account if you’re prompted to do so.
2 – Click the Activity controls link in the left-hand column.
You should now see a setting labeled “Web & App Activity” along with a slider button that controls that setting over on the right.
If the slider button is blue that means “Web & App Activity” is currently active on your account and it’s saving your search history in Google’s database.
If it’s gray that means it isn’t (and you should see the word “paused” somewhere on that line).
To disable “Web & App Activity” simply click the blue slider button and then confirm your selection by clicking PAUSE at the bottom of the box that pops up.
3 – (Optional) There are boxes you can check right below the “Web & App Activity” line that will also prevent Google Chrome from collecting and storing your browsing history and voice and audio recordings. You can check those as well if you want to prevent Google from archiving that information.
That’s all there is to it. Once you have disabled (i.e. paused) the “Web & App Activity” feature Google will no longer gather and store your search history.
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