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Do you know your Android gadget retains your Google searches? Quite a few websites and companies can use that knowledge to personalize advertisements and different kinds of suggestions.
For some, that degree of personalization makes utilizing the platform simpler. However on this trendy period, the place firms and websites can use that info to color a really specific image about you and your internet utilization, that might be thought-about an invasion of privateness. This may be problematic if you happen to by chance seek for the unsuitable factor, solely to then discover the associated advertisements to fall underneath the class of, “Why am I seeing this?” I’ve witnessed different folks’s eyes go broad when an add pops up on their telephones they both should not or did not wish to see. For many who worth privateness, you will need to reclaim management over how a lot of a browser’s search historical past is saved and when it is deleted.
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I’ll stroll you thru the method of each — manually deleting that search cache and configuring Android to auto-delete saved knowledge.
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The right way to manually clear the Google search cache
What you will want: To do that, you will want an Android gadget that’s linked to your Google account. I will be demonstrating on a Pixel 6 Professional operating Android 14 with the latest safety patch utilized.
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This course of ought to work the identical on most trendy Android units. If, nonetheless, you discover the directions do not apply to your gadget, it would take a little bit of analysis to find the way it’s carried out on an older model of Android.
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.
The Google app operating on a Pixel 6 Professional.
Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
From the ensuing menu, faucet Search historical past.
The Google app menu makes it straightforward to shortly delete the final quarter-hour of your search historical past.
Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
Earlier than you possibly can acquire entry to the Delete drop-down, it’s a must 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 got Android configured for the unlocking course of).
After a profitable verification, you need to then see a Delete drop-down.
As soon as you’ve got verified it is you, the Delete drop-down will develop into out there. Choose the time-frame for which you wish to delete (Delete In the present day, “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 okay the deletion, it’ll simply occur. As soon as deleted, that cache is gone.
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From this similar window, you possibly can undergo your historical past and delete particular searches.
You need to first confirm it is you earlier than persevering with.
Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
Auto-deletion setup
If you happen to want to have issues carried out automagically, Google has made it doable to set the cache to be auto-deleted. To do that, return to the identical place you ran the handbook deletion and faucet the Auto-delete (Off) entry. 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.
Enabling auto-delete so you do not have to fret about manually taking good care of the method.
Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
You possibly can select from three, 18, or 36 months. As soon as you’ve got made your choice, faucet Subsequent after which faucet Affirm to complete the setup.
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And that is all there’s to deleting your Google search cache (both manually or robotically). If you happen to’re involved about your on-line privateness, take into account this a must-do. And bear in mind, since you possibly can solely set auto-delete for at least three months, you may wish to often return to the display screen and manually delete your cache (to maintain your Android gadget from saving cached objects that aren’t greater than three months outdated).
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