Google’s Web & App Activity setting controls a category of account activity, not every record on every Google service. You can stop future saving under that control or set automatic deletion for older activity. Neither choice should be confused with immediately clearing everything already saved.
Open the setting for the intended account
Visit your Google Account, choose Data & privacy, and open Web & App Activity under the history controls. Confirm the email address before changing anything, particularly if work and personal accounts share the browser.
Read the description shown on your account. Google is gradually introducing separate controls for Search services. If you see Search Services History, review it separately for activity in services such as Search and Maps. Accounts that have not received those changes still use Web & App Activity for the affected history and recommendations. Do not rely on an older screenshot to decide which switch applies.
Pause saving or choose automatic deletion
- To stop future saving covered by Web & App Activity, select Turn off and read the confirmation.
- If offered a separate Turn off and delete activity option, use it only if you also intend to delete the stated existing activity.
- To keep saving but remove older records automatically, open Auto-delete, choose an available retention period, and review the confirmation before saving.
Check any additional controls for Chrome history, activity from sites or apps, or audio recordings. Availability and wording can vary. Automatic deletion may remove eligible older activity when you confirm the setting; review the affected records if you need to keep something.
Verify the scope of the change
Return to the setting to confirm its status or retention period. A paused setting can coexist with older visible entries. If you only paused saving, those entries do not prove the change failed.
Browser history, YouTube History, Timeline, and any separate Search Services History control need their own review. Turning this setting off also does not mean Google stops processing all data needed to provide and secure its services. Use the control’s description to judge the result rather than expecting a single switch to cover every record.
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References
Reviewed against the linked official and developer guidance on October 27, 2026. Available options and screen labels can vary by account, device, region, and organization policy.