Android users are about to get a very useful tool for Google search, one that iOS users have been able to use since last summer. It's the ability to wipe the last 15 minutes of your search history with a single tap.
This new feature was first spotted by XDA editor-in-chief Mishaal Rahma, and confirmed by Google in a statement to The Verge. Apparently Google is rolling out the feature to Android users, and expects it to be available to everyone within the coming weeks. (But if you're using Chrome on a desktop, you'll want to keep it updated.)
Some members of the Tom’s Guide staff have access to the new feature, but others do not — myself included. However, it’s easy to check and see whether you’re one of the lucky ones that got the feature early.
Head into the Google app on Android, and tap your Profile Picture in the top right corner. You should then see an option to Delete last 15 minutes between “Search History” and “Recent." With that one tap Google will wipe any and all search history from your account from within that 15 minute timeframe.
There are several ways to delete your search history on Android. But until now the only options were to wipe it all, or the arduous process of manually deleting each term yourself. This update means you have another option.
This should make life easier if you’ve been hunting for a gift for your significant other, or you’ve been looking at stuff you don’t want visibly tied to your Google account for more than a few minutes.
Google originally announced this feature would come to Android by the end of 2021, and it’s unclear why it missed that deadline. It’s also not clear whether it will be coming to desktop devices in the future. However, now that iOS and Android users are covered, desktop could be next.
Next: Here are 11 hidden Google Search features that will make your life easier.
