Google adds a new feature to instantly delete the last 15 minutes of search history

Google also offers the option to password protect your search history

American tech giant Google recently launched a new privacy feature for search that lets users instantly delete their last 15 minutes of search history on mobile.

According to The Verge, this new option was first revealed alongside several other search and Chrome improvements at I/O 2021 and is now rolling out to everyone. The option to delete the last 15 minutes of search history is currently only available in Google’s iOS app and is headed to Android later this year.

On desktop, the options for deleting searches are limited to setting history to auto-delete every three, 18, or 36 months (18 months is the default for new accounts), or deleting searches by hand.

Google has said that it only tracks user search history to “personalize” their experience when the “Web and App Activity” setting is enabled.

Adding a way to instantly delete history is great for peace of mind, but it also means that users can get some of the benefits the people who’ve taken the time to mess with their settings receive, without doing the extra work.

This new feature can be thought of as an emergency “oh no” button for terrible, embarrassing, or just plain private searches.