Google is adding new ways to let users add extra protection to their Google Search history saved in their account including a new tool. “We’re announcing a new tool to add extra protection to the Search history saved to your Google Account,” the tech giant announced in a blog post.
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Search will now let users add an extra layer of verification to view the search history saved in their account in the ‘My Activity section’. If a user’s Web & App Activity setting is on, their Search history is saved to their account. Google said that it is done so “to enable more personalized experiences across Google services.”
My Activity
Users can view and delete that Search history at any time at My Activity. “But maybe you share a device and want to make sure others who use it can’t go into My Activity and look at your Search history. Now, we’ve given you a way to put extra protection around the searches saved in your account,” it explained. Users, when signed in can now choose to require extra verification for My Activity.
It is also rolling out a new feature that lets users quickly delete their last 15 minutes of saved Search history. The feature was first introduced along with several other improvements to Chrome at Google’s at I/O 2021 event earlier this year. It is now rolling out the feature to all users. “You can also try out a new way to quickly delete your last 15 minutes of saved Search history with the single tap of a button. This feature is available in the Google app for iOS, and is coming to the Android Google app later this year,” it said.
With the current auto-delete controls, users can choose to have Google automatically and continuously delete their Search history, along with other Web & App Activity, from their account after three, 18 or 36 months. For new accounts, the default auto-delete option for Web & App Activity is 18 months. Users can always choose to update their settings.