Google updated its Google app to allow Android users to permanently delete the last 15 minutes of their search history. The history can be deleted if the app has been updated in the Google Play Store. This feature is a good alternative to your browser's incognito mode.
Deleting your search history using this method won't just delete the searches from the app's history, but it will also delete any data Google collected. It only takes a minute to permanently delete photos from Google Photos, but it won't delete photos you downloaded during the 15-minute window.
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Here's how to delete the last 15 minutes of your search history in the Google app:
- Launch the Google Search app.
- Ensure that the app is open. The Google Search widget will not open with the correct buttons.
- To open the app menu, tap your profile picture at the top right.
- Select Delete last 15 minutes from the menu
You will receive a confirmation message after deleting your history. Don't worry if your searches don't disappear immediately, it takes some time to delete them.
Deletion is permanent
There is no going back once you delete your search history for the last 15 minutes. Ensure any new passwords or important pages are saved.
Your browsing history can still be deleted manually if you don't make the 15-minute cutoff. You can delete a search by long tapping on it and selecting the Delete option.
If any search request is made on your phone, it will appear on all your devices that are synchronized to your Google account, even though Chrome for desktop doesn't have a delete option for the last 15 minutes of search history.