---
title: "Google and Co.: Deleting Search History and Suggestions – Here's How It Works"
url: https://lookeen.com/blog/google-and-co-deleting-search-history-and-suggestions-here-s-how-it-works
lang: en
description: "Here we show you how to delete automatic suggestions and search history from Google, Windows Search, and others."
author: "Ben Golling"
published: 2016-01-09T10:03:55+00:00
modified: 2026-11-11T06:26:55+00:00
---

# Google and Co.: Deleting Search History and Suggestions – Here's How It Works

When you use a search engine, frequent usage results in an increasingly large list of suggestions. These are terms you have searched for previously. Windows allows you quick access to past search queries through this auto-complete feature. However, it is not just Windows that relies on this memory function. Whether in Microsoft Outlook, Google, or your browser, you receive automatic suggestions in many programs. However, these search entries can be deleted quite easily. Find out how here.

## Google: Delete and manage search activities

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The more frequently you search for a keyword on Google, the more entries accumulate in your search history. It can happen that you subsequently receive unwanted search suggestions due to the search history algorithm. You will learn how to manage and delete your search activities in our step-by-step guide.

1.  Click on the icon with your name in the top right corner, then select *Manage your Google Account.*

![Manage your Google account](https://lookeen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Google-Konto-verwalten-e1607695927623.jpg)

2.  In the next step, click on the Privacy & personalization tab.

![Google privacy and personalization](https://lookeen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Google-Datenschutz-und-Personalisierung-1024x657.jpg)

3.  Click on Activity controls, then on Web & App activity.

![Activity controls](https://lookeen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Aktivitaetseinstellungen-1024x462.jpg)

4.  If you want Google to automatically delete your search history, click on Auto-delete.

5.  If you want to view and delete specific entries, click on Manage activity.

## Windows: Delete individual search entries

In the upper right corner of the Windows File Explorer is a small search box. If you enter a term into this box, Windows will only search that folder and its subfolders. If you know exactly where you need to look for a file, this method offers a higher chance of success. Since Windows saves all your search queries, your list of automatic suggestions grows continuously. If you want to delete individual suggestions from the search box, proceed as follows:

1.  Open File Explorer and click into the search box of any folder. A list of search entries will appear.

2.  Move the mouse pointer over the entry you want to delete and press the *DEL* key on your keyboard. (If you are specifically looking for a word, type the first letters of the term into the box until it appears, then proceed as described above.)

## Windows: Delete all search entries

It becomes a bit more complicated if you want to delete all search entries at once. At least for Windows 7 users. If you are already using Windows 10, you can clear the search history under Search tools – Search.

![Delete saved search entries from File Explorer](https://lookeen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Sucheintr%C3%A4ge-und-automatische-Vorschl%C3%A4ge-l%C3%B6schen-Sucheintr%C3%A4ge-l%C3%B6schen-Windows-10.jpg)

Windows 7 users, on the other hand, must delete the entries via the registry:

1.  To do this, click Start and type regedit into the text field. Confirm your entry by pressing Enter or clicking OK, and confirm the following security prompt with Yes.

2.  Now navigate to the key \[HKEY\_CURRENT\_USER\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\WordWheelQuery\]

3.  Right-click on the WordWheelQuery entry and select Delete. Confirm the action with Yes.

4.  Close the Registry Editor and restart File Explorer (Windows Explorer). The following search queries will automatically create a new WordWheelQuery entry.

![Completely delete automatic search entries](https://lookeen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Sucheintr%C3%A4ge-und-automatische-Vorschl%C3%A4ge-l%C3%B6schen-Registry-e1474881645295.jpg)

## Delete search entries in other programs

Most other programs, such as Microsoft Outlook or various browsers, work similarly in this regard to File Explorer. Search queries are saved and become immediately available as automatic suggestions upon re-entry. The method for individual deletion can also be applied in these programs: Move your mouse pointer over the corresponding entry and press the *DEL* key. In particular, browsers additionally offer functions that delete the entire search history.

I hope this article has helped you keep your search history organized. See you soon!