Update: This feature is now rolling out to Android devices as well
Google has introduced the ability for users to delete the 15 minutes of their mobile search history on iPhone. For now, the feature is exclusively available on iOS devices, but an Android rollout is expected later in the year.
This new feature was originally announced at Google’s I/O 2021 event and will operate alongside the platform’s existing auto-delete features. Currently, you can choose to have your search data auto-scrubbed every three, 18, or 36 months, but now you can also remove the last quarter of an hour if you need to quickly remove your most recent search history.
This feature will be useful in several scenarios. Perhaps you’ve been browsing for a present for someone on a shared device, or maybe you don’t want whatever you’ve recently been researching to be picked up by the Google algorithm. We’ve all made some questionable web searches in the past; we’re not judging.
Deleting the last 15 minutes of search is a little easier than constantly having to remember to switch to an incognito tab ahead of time. Plus, its integration within the Google iOS app makes it a feature that is extremely user-friendly.
How to delete the last 15 minutes of your search history
After announcing this new feature at I/O 2021, Google has rolled out the ability to delete the last 15 minutes of search history on iOS. Here’s how to scrub your recent searches:
1. Open the Google app on your iOS device and click the account icon in the top right-hand corner.
2. From the account settings window, you will see a subheading for Search history and underneath that the option to delete the last 15 minutes of your search history. Click “Delete last 15 mins”.
3. You should now see a notification alerting you that your last 15 minutes of search is being deleted. If you change your mind you have a small window to click Undo before this pop-up window disappears and your recent search history is permanently erased.
More Google Search tips
We've also got tips for deleting your entire Google search history as well as how you can remove your contact details from Google Search. If you use Google Maps, you'll also want to know how to look up your location history.
