I had my Google GMail account for a while but never realized some of the additional services that are included with my Google account like the Search History service. I decided to check it out and WAS I SURPRISED! It was a history of my searches since the day I signed up for GMail. Not only a history, but graphs on monthly, daily even hourly searches. How can I delete the search records? Better yet how can I disable the Search History service?





Many people are surprised to find out that Google has been tracking their searches since they created an account with Google. Most of them are confused as they think clearing the search history from their browser will erase past searches, only later to find out that Google's Search History Servicekeeps a history of searches in their Google account.

Still confused? Let's take a closer look.

If you always stay logged on to your Google account, because you checked you GMail account or use any of Google's many services or products that tie into your Google account, your searches will be tracked.

How can you tell if you are logged on? If you have Personalized your home page, or if you have not, go to Google's home page, and you will see your GMail address at the top right of the page with three links, one them being Sign Out.





To locate your Search History, click on My Account, then under My Services click on Search History.

You will now see your entire Search History. You can select the type of searches on the left menus, by the calendar on the right or from the Older and Oldest buttons at the bottom.

Want to see how much web surfing you have done over time? Click on the Trends link and be amazed by the level of detail of time you spend on the Internet!

Now that you come back to reality, your probably thrilled or in shock. If the latter applies and you want to delete some or all of your history, or stop searches from being saved, follow the steps below:



Delete Searches: click on Search History, then select Remove items (left menu) and either select items you want cleared (left menu), then click Remove (right of Google logo). To clear your entire Search History, select Clear entire Search History (right of Google logo).

Note: you can also pause searches. Pausing temporarily stop searches from being saved.

Delete the Search History Service: Click on My Account, under My Services, select Edit next to My Services. Then click on Delete Search History and follow the instructions.

You may be thinking that Google is spying on you since they are keeping tabs on your searches, but my guess is that they are doing this to provide targeted advertisements based on your searches in the future. So the next time your left wondering why you spend too much money online…blame it on Google.