Google Search – How to Stop Storing Searches in Drop Down List

google-searchprivacy

This has nothing to do with my phone syncing with my home PC but when searching Google.com on Chrome for Android three of my previous searches appear in a drop down menu as soon as I click the search field. I've changed the privacy setting on my phone to "Pause" my activity/history/etc. and I've started clearing all the data, cookies, search history etc. via the Chrome menu and I even started using CCleaner (which is awesome overall, gets rid of stuff I didn't even know was there and frees up space on my phone whenever I use it) but none of this stops the previous searches drop down menu. I never asked Google to store everything I search for and it's annoying that this is happening even though I have nothing to hide because I know to use Incognito mode when necessary. How do I stop Google showing my past searches when I click the search field? Besides only browsing from Incognito mode that is.

Best Answer

Use the "Privacy Checkup" tool found at https://myaccount.google.com.

Specifically, under "Personalize your Google experience", you'll want to turn off (uncheck)

Web & App Activity

Save your search activity on apps and in browsers to make searches faster and get customized experiences in Search, Maps, Now, and other Google products.

Include Chrome browsing history and activity from websites and apps that use Google services

Your searches may also be saved by your browser. This Google Support page also has links to instructions for the most popular web browsers to delete the history in the browser.