How to Permanently Delete Your Google Search History and Location Timeline

Every time you search for a symptom, look up directions on Google Maps, or watch a video on YouTube, Google logs the activity to build personalized search recommendations and targeted ad profiles.

If you value privacy, Google provides a centralized My Activity dashboard where you can permanently wipe your historical activity logs and configure automated deletion timers so Google never retains your data for more than 3 months.

Here is how to purge your Google search history and location timeline completely.

Step 1: Open Google 'My Activity' Dashboard

1. Navigate to myactivity.google.com on any phone or desktop browser.
2. Sign in with your Google account.
3. You will see three core activity categories:

• Web & App Activity (Searches, Chrome history, Android app usage)
• Timeline / Location History (GPS places visited)
• YouTube History (Videos watched and searches made)

Step 2: Delete All Existing Search History Permanently

1. Under the main search bar on the My Activity page, click the Delete button.
2. Select All time from the menu.
3. Check all services you want to purge (e.g., Search, Image Search, Chrome, Discover, Google Assistant).
4. Click Next and confirm by clicking Delete.
5. Google will display a confirmation stating 'Deletion complete'.

Step 3: Set Up Automated Auto-Delete (Set and Forget)

Instead of manually clearing history every month, enable Google's automated purge:

1. On the My Activity homepage, click Auto-delete.
2. Select Auto-delete activity older than.
3. Choose your preferred retention window: 3 months, 18 months, or 36 months.
4. Click Next and Confirm. Google will automatically discard anything older than the threshold continuously.

Step 4: Delete Your Google Maps Location Timeline

Google has transitioned Timeline storage to be stored locally on your device for enhanced privacy:

1. Open the Google Maps app on your phone.
2. Tap your Profile picture in the top right.
3. Tap Your Timeline.
4. Tap the three dots in the top right corner and choose Timeline settings (or Privacy settings).
5. Scroll down to Location settings and tap Delete all Location History (or Delete a range of Location History).
6. Check the box 'I understand and want to delete' and tap Delete.