Google Maps keeps a record of places you search for and, if Location History is enabled, the places you visit. This can be useful when you want to find a location you searched for earlier, but you may also want to remove this information for privacy reasons.
You can delete your Google Maps search history and Location History separately. The process only takes a few steps, and you can choose to remove specific searches, clear activity from a certain period, or delete your saved location data completely.
Steps to Delete Google Maps Search History on Your Phone
You can remove individual searches from the Google Maps app on your Android phone in a few steps.
- Open the Google Maps app on your Samsung phone.
- Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner.
- Select Your data in Maps.
- Find Your search services history and tap Manage your search services history.
- Here, you can see all the search activity.
- To delete an individual search, tap the X icon next to it.
- To delete multiple searches, tap Delete and choose Delete today, Custom range, or Delete all time.
- You can explore individual tabs like Search, Maps, Shopping, etc., as well to delete data individually.
You can repeat these steps for other searches you want to remove.
How to Delete Google Maps Location History?
Google Maps Location History is separate from your search activity. It can save information about places and routes you visited when the feature is turned on.
You can delete this history from the Google Maps app.
- Open Google Maps.
- Tap your profile picture.
- Select Your Timeline.
- Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
- Select Location and Privacy Settings.
- Click on any option that you prefer (Delete all Timeline data, Delete range of Timeline data, Auto-delete Timeline data).
How to Stop Google Maps From Saving Location History?
If you do not want Google Maps to continue saving your location history, you can change the Location History settings.
- Open Google Maps.
- Tap your profile picture.
- Select Your Timeline.
- Tap the three-dot menu.
- Select Location and Privacy Settings.
- Click Timeline.
- Now, select Turn off.
- Here, you can either turn off the timeline option or both turn off and delete the activity data.
You can also choose automatic deletion if you want older Location History to be removed automatically after a certain period.
Why Does Google Maps Save Your Search and Location History?
Google Maps saves search activity and Location History to make the service more useful for you. Your previous searches can make it easier to find places you looked for before, while Timeline can help you remember places you visited and routes you took.
However, this information can also build a detailed record of your activity over time. Your search history may show the places you were interested in, while Location History can provide information about where you have been. This is why regularly reviewing and deleting old Maps activity can be useful if you want to have more control over the information stored in your account.
Deleting Google Maps Search and Location History is Useful for Privacy Concerns
Deleting your Google Maps search and Location History can help you have more control over the information connected to your Google Account.
These records can reveal the places you search for, visit, or travel to, which makes managing them important if you are concerned about your privacy. Regularly reviewing and deleting unnecessary location data can help reduce the amount of personal information stored in your account.
It is also important to know what type of data an app can collect and store before installing it on your Android phone.
If you are not sure how to judge an app before installing it, read my guide on “10 Things to Check Before Installing an Android App”. It will help you check important details about an app and make a more informed decision before installing it.
What Happens After You Delete Google Maps History?
Deleting your Maps activity removes the selected searches or location information from your Google Account. If you delete all of your Location History, the saved Timeline information covered by the deletion will also be removed.
Deleting your search history does not necessarily delete your Location History. These are separate types of activity, so you may need to delete both if you want to remove both your searches and saved locations.
Final Words
Deleting your Google Maps history is a simple way to remove searches and saved location information from your account. You can delete individual searches, clear all Maps activity, or remove Location History for a specific day or period.
If you want more control over what Google Maps saves, you can also turn off Location History or enable automatic deletion for older location data.
