Android Users Can Now Scrub 15-Minutes of Search History With Just a Tap

Google desires you to know that Android is so safe, it has a Men In Black-style reminiscence eraser on your search queries.

The firm has began rolling out the flexibility to delete the final quarter-hour of search historical past with a easy faucet. It’s a function initially launched to iOS customers final summer season to assist carry Google again into the great graces of the iPhone-using crowd, and now it’s exhibiting up on Android gadgets.

Google confirmed the rollout to The Verge over the weekend. “We’re currently rolling this feature out on the Google app for Android and expect it to be available to everyone using the app in the next few weeks,” mentioned an organization spokesperson.

The function was initially noticed by former editor-in-chief of XDA Developers, Mishaal Rahman, who was tipped off to the function through a Twitter follower.

Some of us have already obtained the replace on their respective Android gadgets, together with 9to5Google, the place you’ll be able to see screenshots of what the function appears to be like like. The possibility to clean 15-minutes of search phrases will seem under the Search History possibility within the settings panel of the Google app.

Unfortunately, the flexibility hasn’t rolled out to my major Android machine, the OnePlus 9, neither is it on my Google Pixel 6 Pro.

What’s so useful about this function, anyway? If you’re like me and spend your Sunday mornings wanting up whether or not narwhals can leap on your child, it’ll assist in order that your algorithm isn’t affected by each search question.

In my case, I actively use Google’s Discover feed to remain tuned in to what’s trending whereas I’m out and about. The function lives to the left-most display screen on Android, and anybody who has used it for quite a lot of minutes at a time can attest that it’s fairly delicate to the remainder of your Google account exercise. I might somewhat not see information tales associated to the biology classes I try to impart upon my little one.

This capability to clean 15-minutes of search queries can also be a part of Google’s journey towards making Android a extra palatable cellular working system for the lots. While researching this story, I realized that I by no means chosen the choice to delete my previous Google search historical past. You would possibly think about heading into your account settings within the Google search app to make sure you’re on board with how a lot data the corporate shops on you. In my case, I requested Google to delete any search phrases which might be older than 36-months, although you’ll be able to select between three and 18-months.