Google Maps can be a useful tool when traveling or searching for places. However, it is important to understand how your location data and search history are used.
On the one hand, this data allows Google to provide personalized recommendations and remember places you have visited before.
At the same time, this level of tracking means that Google collects a lot of personal information about you.
Likewise, your searches and movements create a digital profile that could be used in ways you may not want.
Moreover, over time, this accumulation of data could even reveal personal details such as your political or religious opinions.
The good news is that you have control over the amount of data Google collects.
Consequently, adjusting your account and device settings allows you to selectively opt out of location history, delete previous searches, or disable certain data collections entirely.
Likewise, with a few tweaks to your privacy controls, you can still use Google Maps freely while sharing only as much information as you’re personally comfortable with.
Therefore, this guide will provide information on how to delete your Google Maps search history from your desktop browser and your mobile phones (Android and iOS).
How to delete Google Maps search history on Windows and Mac ?
If you want to delete your previous Google Maps searches from your account, you need to access your Google Account location history. Furthermore, you can easily do this on a PC or Mac using your web browser.
To begin, follow below mentioned steps to delete Google Maps search history on PC and Mac:
- First, go to the Google My Activity website and sign in.
- Next, click on the Web and App Activity option on the main page.
- Then, under see and delete activity, click the Google Maps icon.
- Subsequently, on the Maps Activity page, click the Delete button.
- Alternatively, select the time period you want to delete your data from the drop-down menu. Google Maps is going to remove your data on its own.
- Likewise, when the deletion is finished, press OK to confirm.
- Furthermore, after clearing your Google Maps search history, you can also set Google to automatically delete your data in the future.
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How to automatically remove your Google Maps search history on Windows and Mac ?
If you don’t want Google to track your Google Maps search history, you can set your account to automatically delete the data. Similarly, this way you can protect your privacy and save storage space.
To configure your account settings, follow below mentioned steps to automatically delete Google Maps search history from your computer devices:
- Firstly, go to the My Google Maps Activity website.
- Afterwards, click on the Automatically Delete option there.
- Then a pop-up window will appear. Next, select the time period that best suits your needs from the Automatically delete activity older than drop-down menu.
- Also, after making your selection, click Next > Confirm.
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How to delete Google Maps search history on mobile devices ? (Android and iPhone)
In addition to deleting your Google Maps search history from a browser, you can also delete it directly from the Maps mobile app on your device.
Furthermore, the following process can be used for Android phones, although iOS users should also be able to manage their data privacy settings in a similar way.
Follow below mentioned steps to delete your Google Maps search history on your mobile devices:
- Firstly, launch the Google Maps application.
- Secondly, tap your profile icon in the top right corner.
- Then, from the pop-up menu, choose the Google account.
- After that, tap Settings.
- Next, in Settings, tap Maps History.
- Subsequently, tap Delete and select a time period to delete.
- Finally, after you choose a time period, Google Maps will clear your search history immediately.
How can I automatically erase my Google Maps search history on mobile devices?
Follow below mentioned steps to automatically delete your Google Maps search history on your mobile device
- Firstly, open Google Maps and tap your profile icon > Settings > Map History.
- Secondly, tap Auto-delete.
- Then, choose a time period from the Automatically delete activity older than drop-down menu.
- Next, tap Next > Confirm.
This change will affect your entire Google account. Your search history will also be deleted on PC and Mac if you change the settings in the Google Maps app.
How to delete your timeline and location history ?
Google Maps can remember where you go when you use the app. Furthermore, it will save the places you go to in a “timeline” in your Google Maps account settings.
Additionally, this can be useful if you want to look back at where you have been.
However, some people don’t want Google Maps to keep a lot of information about where they go.
Similarly, if you are one of them, don’t worry – you can delete your location history on Google Maps easily.
Deleting timeline and location history using Android device
It is easy and simple to check and change your timeline using your Android phone.
Follow below mentioned steps to delete time line and location history using Android devices:
- First, access Google Map tap your profile photo in the top right corner of Google Maps on your phone or tablet.
- Next, tap Your Timeline.
- Then, find the visit you want to delete in the Day tab.
- Afterwards, tap the three dots next to the visit and choose Delete or Edit.
- Finally, to delete an entire day, tap the three dots in the top right corner and select Delete Day.
Delete location history
- First, to clear your location history, tap your profile picture in the top right corner and tap your timeline .
- Then, tap Settings & privacy from top of the right corner.
- Next, tap Delete all location history to delete everything.
- Alternatively, choose Delete Location History Range to delete a specific time period.
- Additionally, tap Automatically delete location history to make it disappear after 3, 18, or 36 months.
Deleting timeline and location history on iPhone
While the Google Maps app for Android allows you to manage your location history and privacy settings directly within the app, furthermore, the process is slightly different for those using the iOS version on iPhone or iPad.
Follow below mentioned steps to delete timeline and location history on iPhone:
- First, access the Google Maps application on your phone or tablet.
- Next, tap your profile photo or initial in the top right corner and choose Your Timeline.
- Then, tap the three dots icon and tap Settings.
- After, tap All Location History on the Location Settings tab.
- Alternatively, to delete a certain date or time range, tap Delete Location History Range.
- Furthermore, to clear all search data for a day, tap Delete day.
- Additionally, to delete a specific stop, tap Show Calendar, find the stop, and tap Delete.
- Finally, follow the instructions to confirm your request.
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How to delete your timeline and location history on a desktop ?
You can use Google Maps on a computer to see where you’ve been and delete some places or times from your history.
Furthermore, this allows you to remove some places, trips or dates from the activity history of your maps.
However, the desktop version has fewer ways to filter and view your timeline than the mobile version.
Follow below mentioned steps to delete your timeline and location history on a desktop:
- First, sign in to your Google account, and click the three-line menu in the upper left corner of Google Maps in your web browser.
- Next, click Your Timeline.
- Then, use the filters in the top left corner to see where you were on a given day.
- After that, tap the three dots next to the place you want to remove from your location history and select Remove from day.
- Furthermore, tap the trash icon next to the date to delete an entire day from your timeline.
- Additionally, to clear your entire history or set auto-delete settings, use the desktop version of your timeline.
Delete location history
- First, click the three-line menu in the upper left corner of Google Maps in your web browser and sign in to your Google account.
- Next, click Your Timeline.
- Then, tap the trash icon in the bottom right corner to delete your entire timeline.
- Alternatively, tap the gear icon in the bottom right corner and select Automatically delete location history.
- However, these steps do not prevent Google from saving your location history.
- Additionally, if you want to prevent it from recording where you go and clear your history, turn off location history.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Google Maps is a great app for finding places and getting directions. However, it also collects a lot of data about your location and search history.
Furthermore, this data can be useful for personalizing your experience, but it can also raise privacy concerns.
That’s why you should know how to delete your Google Maps search history from your devices and your account.
Additionally, you can easily do this on your Windows, Mac, Android or iPhone devices. Similarly, you can also set Google to automatically delete your data after a set period of time.
Ultimately, by doing this, you will be able to enjoy using Google Maps without worrying about your privacy.
Reference:
google support/delete search history from map
google.com/manage/google maps activity
macrumours.com/clear google maps search histoy/(third party website)
androidpolice.com/google maps delete history/(third party website)
Frequently Asked Question’s (FAQ’s)
There are two possible reasons why you can’t delete your Google searches on your iPhone. If you’re signed in to Google, your searches are saved online. Turn off or delete Web & App Activity from your account or you’ll sign out of Google and your searches will be saved to your iPhone. Remove them from the Google app settings.
To delete your online searches, you need to sign in to your Google account or browser account and update it to the latest version. This will help you avoid problems with deleting your search history.
If you delete history saved to your Google Account, Google will retain it for a short period of time (usually about 2 months) before permanently deleting it. You can also choose to delete your history automatically after a certain period of time (3, 18, or 36 months) or never.