How do I view and delete the data Google collects about me?
Steps to review your Google search, location and tracking history, wipe it, and stop future recording.
Short answer
Go to myactivity.google.com, use the three-dot menu at top right and pick "Delete activity by" to clear your history, or turn on auto-delete after 3, 18 or 36 months. Then open Google Account > Data and privacy and pause Web & App Activity, Location History and YouTube History, and switch off ad personalization at adssettings.google.com.
What you need
Step by step
Open your activity history
Sign in at myactivity.google.com. You'll see a timeline listing your Search, YouTube, Maps and Assistant records in date order. Type a term such as "weather" into the search box at the top to filter every entry on one topic.
Review your ad profile
Visit adssettings.google.com. Google lists the age range, gender, interests and life events such as "new job" or "recently moved" it has assigned to you. Switch off the ones that are wrong, and read the full list to judge how accurate the profile really is.
Check your location history
Open the Google Maps app, tap the "You" tab next to your profile picture at top right, then scroll down and open "Explore your Timeline". Places you visited, routes you took and even travel modes like walking, transit or flights are marked on the map day by day.
Delete history and turn on auto-delete
On myactivity.google.com tap the three vertical dots at top right and choose "Delete activity by". Pick "All time" to clear everything, or use the auto-delete option and set 3, 18 or 36 months so future records are removed on their own.
Pause tracking
Go to Google Account > Data and privacy. Under "History settings", set Web & App Activity, Location History and YouTube History to "Pause" one by one. Deleting and pausing are different: deleting clears the past, pausing stops new records from being created.
Switch off ad personalization
Return to adssettings.google.com and turn the "Ad personalization" toggle off. Ads won't disappear, but they won't be targeted to your behavior. If you don't want voice recordings kept either, disable voice and audio activity in the same privacy panel.
Clean up Gmail and Drive by hand
Emails and Drive files aren't part of activity history, so you have to delete them separately. In Gmail, search for old messages containing personal details like deliveries, invoices and travel confirmations, delete them and empty the Trash. Files deleted in Drive stay in the bin for 30 days.
Tips
Watch out
Deleting data from the dashboard removes it from your view but does not erase it from Google's systems at the same moment. Some copies stay in backups or are kept for legal and operational reasons. Third-party sites using Google Analytics and AdSense also keep their own logs, and cleaning your account does not touch those.
Frequently asked questions
+Will deleting my history break recommendations?
Partly. Your YouTube home page and Maps suggestions stay generic for a while, then reshape as you use them again. With history paused, personalization stays weak permanently.
+Can I stop Google tracking me completely without deleting my account?
No. Pausing history settings and switching off ad personalization cuts tracking a lot, but some data is still collected in the background via Android and third-party sites.
+Which auto-delete period should I pick?
Three months is a good balance for most people: short-term convenience is kept while no long-term profile builds up. If you never use your history, pausing is more effective.
+Does browsing in incognito mode prevent data collection?
It only keeps local history off your device. The moment you sign in to your account, or if the site you visit uses Google tools, the activity can still be recorded.
+What can I do if Google refuses my deletion request?
Under most data protection regimes a written request must get a reply within about 30 days. If none arrives, or the answer is negative, you can file a complaint with your national data protection authority.
Sources and verification
Last verified: 12 Eylül 2026. tell us. Adapted for a general English-speaking audience; the original Turkish KVKK references were generalized to national data protection law.
This content is for information only; for official procedures the relevant institution’s current announcements take precedence. Details: disclaimer.