How to Hide Google Search History and Stop It From Tracking?

VPN Expert, BEng in Network Engineering

Updated on

06 Oct 2024

Internet users know websites can track their activity. But few understand how deep this digital intrusion goes.

Google knows almost everything about us. They know our names, locations, and what we search for. They even know our medical conditions and what videos we watch. And there’s more.

Thanks to big data, Google can find anonymous users. They can identify you by your past internet behavior. Even small details like spelling errors can give them away.

That’s incredibly scary!

So, how can you protect yourself from Google’s watchful eyes?

Here are some tips to keep your privacy:

Switch to DuckDuckGo

Don’t use Google for your searches. Bing, a Microsoft product, is also intrusive.

Try DuckDuckGo instead. It’s a privacy-focused browser that doesn’t store your data. Your searches will stay private.

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Use a Different Browser for your searches

Google owns Chrome, so you can’t use it for privacy. Use different browsers to stop websites from tracking you. Firefox, for example, deletes cookies and cache after each session.

Most browsers let you hide your location. Firefox and Opera are popular choices for privacy.

Delete Current Data and Prevent Future Collection

Google lets you see all your past activity. You can also delete it and stop it from collecting more. You can choose what data you want Google to keep.

Go to the My Activity page in your Google Account. Click the vertical ellipsis (⋮) and then “Delete Activity By”.

Choose what data to delete. It’s best to delete everything.

Then, visit the “Activity Controls Page”. Here, you can pause Google’s data collection. This includes your location history and search activity.

Use TOR

The TOR browser hides your internet activity. It offers great anonymity. But, it’s slow and websites with CAPTCHA can block you.

A VPN is a better choice for privacy. It’s faster and works around CAPTCHA issues.

Use a VPN

A VPN gives you the same protection as the TOR network but without speed limits. Your connection speed depends on your local ISP. Some big VPN providers say they offer unlimited speed.

Make sure your VPN doesn’t log your internet use. NordVPN is known for strong privacy features. A VPN service anonymizes your Google searches by changing your IP address. It works best with Browser Incognito Mode.

Use Private Mode on Browsers

If you must use an intrusive browser like Chrome browser, use privacy mode. Chrome calls it Incognito Mode. All search history and cookies are deleted when you end your session.

But, privacy mode only clears your current session’s data. It doesn’t stop Google from collecting your data. To keep your activity private, use a VPN with privacy mode.

Log Out From Your Google Accounts

Logging in to Google Search maps your search behavior to your email account. Browser cookies can trace your online behavior when you’re signed in.

Also, avoid Chrome sign-ins. Chrome asks you to sign in with your Google account. This links all your browser activities to your Google account. Even with tracking disabled, this is risky.

Avoid Google Apps

Google collects a lot of data from its apps. These include Maps, Calendar, Duo, Google Photos, Google Play Store, Google Chrome, Google Keep, and more. It’s hard to stop using Google apps completely. For example, Google Maps alternatives are not as good.

But, you can avoid most Google apps. Mobile users can use DuckDuckGo instead of Google Chrome. There are also open-source alternatives to Calendar, Keep, Photos, and other Google apps.

Disable Google Ad Tracking on Mobile

Android users can disable personalized ads by going to Settings > Accounts & Sync > Google > Ads. On some phones, the Google section is in the Settings window.

On iOS devices, go to Settings > Privacy > Advertising to limit ad tracking.

Use AdBlocker for Browsers

Searching for ad blockers in your browser’s app store will show many options. Find one that suits your needs. We recommend open-source ad blockers like uBlock Origin, developed by Raymond Hill.

Even better, use a VPN with an ad-blocker feature. They block ads, malicious websites, and trackers.

Don’t Use Google Devices

It’s not about Apple being better. They collect data too. Many are switching to feature phones to avoid this. Some are even moving to Linux from Windows and Mac.

But, Linux is hard for most users. And, we often need smartphones for work or personal use.

So, we can avoid devices like Google Home Mini, Google Nest Hub, Chromecast, and others.

Use Third-party Password Managers

Many of us let browsers save our passwords. It’s convenient but risky. Chrome stores passwords in your Google account if you’re signed in. A hack into Google’s servers could get to your passwords.

Using a third-party password manager is safer. You must trust the security of the manager you choose. Zero-knowledge encryption managers like LastPass or Bitwarden are good choices. They claim your passwords are safe even if they’re hacked.