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Your Android machine retains your Google searches, enabling numerous websites and providers to make use of that knowledge to personalize advertisements and different sorts of suggestions.
For a few of us, that degree of personalization makes utilizing the platform simpler. Nevertheless, on this fashionable period, with firms leveraging such data to create a extremely customized image of you and your internet utilization, one may think about this observe an invasion of privateness. This may be particularly problematic in case you by accident seek for the improper factor, solely to be inundated with advertisements that fall below the class of, “Why am I seeing this?“
I’ve witnessed folks’s eyes go large when an advert pops up on their telephones that they both should not see — or did not need to see. For individuals who worth privateness, it’s attainable to reclaim management over how a lot of a browser’s search historical past is saved and when it is deleted.
I’ll stroll you thru two processes:
- Manually deleting that search cache.
- Configuring Android to auto-delete saved knowledge.
Learn how to manually clear the Google search cache
What you may want: To do that, you may want an Android machine that’s linked to your Google account. I am going to first be demonstrating on a Pixel 6 Professional working Android 14 (with up to date directions afterward for more moderen software program variations).
This primary course of works equally throughout most Android releases. If, nevertheless, you discover that the directions do not apply to your machine, it might take some analysis to find the way it’s finished on an older model of Android. I may also describe a way of clearing the Google search cache that ought to work on most units.
Let’s get to work.
Out of your Android App Drawer, open the Google app. Within the ensuing window, faucet your profile picture on the top-right nook.
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From the ensuing menu, faucet Search historical past.
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Earlier than you may achieve entry to the Delete drop-down, you need to confirm it is you. To do this, faucet the Confirm button and you will be prompted for both your PIN, sample, password, fingerprint, or face scan (relying on how you’ve gotten Android configured for the unlocking course of).
After a profitable verification, it’s best to then see a Delete drop-down.
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As soon as you’ve got verified it is you, the Delete drop-down will change into obtainable. Choose the timeframe for which you need to delete (Delete Immediately, “Delete customized vary,” “Delete all time,” or “Auto-delete.”) and Android will empty the cache for that specified vary. You’ll not be prompted to OK the deletion; it should simply occur. As soon as deleted, that cache is gone.
From this identical window, you may undergo your historical past and delete particular searches.
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An alternate methodology
As I discussed, this is how the identical factor is achieved on a Pixel working on more moderen Android software program.
1. Open Settings > Apps
Pull down the Notification Shade twice and click on the gear icon within the bottom-right nook. As soon as you’ve got finished that, find and faucet Apps inside Settings.
2. Find the Google app
Faucet “See all X apps” (the place X is the variety of apps you’ve gotten put in). On the ensuing web page, scroll down till you discover the entry labeled, Google. Faucet that entry.
3. Clear the cache
On the ensuing web page, faucet “Storage & cache” after which faucet “Clear cache.” That can clear the search cache out of your machine.
Auto-deletion setup
In the event you favor to have issues finished automagically, Google has made it attainable to set the cache to be auto-deleted. To do that, go to the Google app, faucet your profile picture, and faucet Settings from the drop-down. Within the ensuing window, faucet “Search historical past,” after which faucet Auto-delete. Within the ensuing window, faucet to allow “Auto-delete exercise older than” after which, from the drop-down, choose the date vary to be deleted.
You possibly can select from three, 18, or 36 months. As soon as you’ve got made your choice, faucet Subsequent after which faucet Verify to complete the setup.
And that is all there’s to deleting your Google search cache (both manually or mechanically). In the event you’re involved about your on-line privateness, think about this a must-do. And bear in mind: Since you may solely set auto-delete for no less than three months, you would possibly need to usually return to the display and manually delete your cache (to maintain your Android machine from saving cached objects that aren’t greater than three months outdated).
