It won’t be hyperbole to say, virtually Google knows everything about us, more than we know. This is the reason you should know how to Password protect your google search history.
Google is everywhere and people rely on it to watch videos, locate a place, surf the web, use Google Assistant, and more. What’s shocking is that we give the permission willingly to do so.
Agreed, Google gives an option to keep a check on Web Activity. But this doesn’t mean it’s only visible to us. Anyone with access to the device on which we are logged into can see what was watched, searched, and asked. If we want to hide this from others, then?
Fortunately, now Google has a solution for this too. If you think Incognito mode is the solution, you are mistaken.
Now, you can password protect Chrome history using the new feature added to Manage My Activity Verification.
This means activities visible under the Web Activity section like –
- YouTube history
- Web and map searches
- Google Assistant queries and more can be hidden and password protected.
So, how does this feature work?
Well, to get an answer and learn how to password protect google search history, you will need to read the post till the end.
Note: Once the feature is enabled you, or anyone else who tries to check the activity history will need to enter the account password. This adds an extra layer of protection and allows hiding browser history.
Why Password Protect Google Search History?
Your search data is sensitive and if you share your device, anyone could access this data. Hence, protecting Google Search History with the help of extra verification can be helpful.
How To Password Protect Your Google Search History
How to Hide History in Chrome?
To enable this security feature and to password protect history on Chrome, follow the steps below:
1. Visit https://activity.google.com/
2. Log in to your Gmail account, if not logged in
3. Click Manage My Activity verification.
4. You’ll now get a new pop-up window. Select, “Require extra verification > Save.
5. Next, when asked for, enter the Google Account password.
6. This will enable the hide browser history feature.
7. To see the activity history, hit Verify button and enter the account password
Note: Every time you want to see activity history, you would have to verify it.
In addition to this, if you want you can also Set up automatic deletions.
How To Protech Your Google Search History Using Automatic Deletions?
To do so, all you need to do is follow the steps explained below:
1. Visit https://myactivity.google.com/activitycontrols/webandapp
2. Verify it’s you.
3. Click the downward arrow next to Delete and select either the date range or click Set up automatic deletions.
4. Select the radio button next to Auto-delete activity older than.
5. To set the date range click the down arrow.
6. Click Next and remove the history from Chrome.
Note: Setting up auto delete activity is an easy way to hide browser history.
How to Keep A Check on What Google Knows About Us
To keep a check on what Google stores, click here.
Once on the Activity controls page, you will be able to see all information related to Web & App Activity, Location, YouTube, and more
If this frustrates you and you just want to get rid of all this data, click Auto-delete or click Manage activity.
Choosing the former will open a pop-up window from where you can choose the time and clean the history.
In case this is not enough, and you want something concrete. We’ve got you covered.
How to generate random passwords and securely store passwords.
The easiest way to create random passwords and store them is to use a password manager, try using TweakPass – the best password manager.
Using this professional password manager, you can generate passwords and store them in a secure AES-256 encrypted vault. What’s more, you add sites, create passwords, use Secure Notes to save confidential data, and more.
Another thing that makes it unique is its browser extension that you can use on all the popular browsers. This means wherever you go, your passwords can be accessed.
To know about the tool, you can read the comprehensive review of the same.
Why use TweakPass – password manager?
In today’s scenario where cyber-attacks, data breaches are becoming unpredictable, securing data has become a top priority. Creating complex passwords should be the first line of defense but remembering them and creating a unique password for each account is not easy. Luckily, the solution to this problem is password managers. Using them, you can generate random passwords for each account and can save them in the secure vault.
The benefits of using TweakPass are:-
- No need to remember passwords for each account. All you need to do is recall the Master password to unlock the secure vault.
- Create strong passwords without putting much effort
- Faster access to passwords and usernames.
- Adds an extra layer of security
Is Google’s Manage My Activity Verification of any use?
If we look at it objectively, the new method does not add up much because anyone who has an access to the Gmail password can see the history. This means if the person you are trying to hide browser history from can still see it. So, what’s the use?
The best way to secure your account is to not share the password and use TweakPass – the best password manager to generate random passwords. This will help stay secure.
We hope we were able to answer how to password protect your google search history in Chrome and how to hide search history. In case you have any questions, do let us know in the comments section.
Frequently Asked Questions On Password Protect Your Google Search History
Q1. How to Password Protect Google Search History
To password protect Chrome Search History, follow the steps below:
- Visit https://myactivity.google.com/activitycontrols/webandapp
- Click, Manage My Activity verification link
- Select the radio button next to, “Require extra verification.”
- Enter your Gmail password
- That’s it. Now every time you would like to check Chrome History you will need to enter the account password.
Q2. How to hide your browsing history from others?
There are different ways to hide browsing history from others like –
- Clearing cache, cookies, and search history after each session.
- Using Incognito mode
But not all like or remember doing so. Hence, the best way to do it is to use the My Activity verification feature and password protect it.
Q3. What makes up browsing history on a computer?
Your online searches saved data, the number of sites you visit all make up for browsing history.
Q4. Where is my browsing history stored?
Browsing history is stored in temporary Internet files and cookies. Also, it is saved in the browser’s History section. You can clear it by removing all browsing data from the browser and deleting temporary files.