Teen skateboarder using phone with headphones outside
Your Google Maps history tracks most places you go.
Iuliia Bondar/Getty Images

By default, the Google Maps app tries to track your location history. It records the places you visit, so if you visit the same locations multiple times, it knows to recommend those places to you in the future.

This can be an incredibly useful feature, but for privacy-minded users, knowing that Google is recording your every move probably outweighs the benefits.

Luckily, you can clear Google Maps' location history via the website or mobile app. This not only erases all the data that Google has saved about where you go, but also clears your Google Maps search history.

How to delete your Google Maps history on a computer

1. Go to maps.google.com on your Mac or PC and click the three stacked lines in the top-left corner.

2. Select Your data in Maps.

A Google Maps menu, with the "Your data in Maps" option highlighted.
Location history is counted as "Your data."
Google; William Antonelli/Insider

3. Under Google-wide Controls, you'll see Location History - click the See and delete activity in that section.

A page titled Google-wide Controls. The "Location History" options are highlighted.
Find your search history by clicking "See & delete activity."
Google; William Antonelli/Insider

4. Click the red box in the bottom-left corner of your Timeline that shows how many places you've visited and saved.

5. Click the trashcan icon to delete all your saved locations.

A Google Maps page where you can see all the places you've visited.
Open your Google Maps history and delete it with the trashcan icon.
Google; William Antonelli/Insider

How to delete your Google Maps search history on a mobile device

1. Open the Google Maps app on your iPhone or Android phone and tap your profile picture in the top-right corner.

2. In the menu that opens, tap Settings.

The menu in the Google Maps app that lets you find your Settings.
Open your app's Settings menu.
Google; William Antonelli/Insider

3. Select Maps History.

The Settings menu in Google Maps.
Head to your "Maps history" page.
Google; William Antonelli/Insider

4. Find the Search your activity bar and tap the three dots next to it, then select Delete activity by.

A Google Maps menu that lets you select your location history and delete it.
You'll get to select how much history you want to delete.
Google; William Antonelli/Insider

5. You'll have to choose a timeframe for the history you want to delete. Selecting All time here really does mean all time - it'll go back to when you first created your Google account.

6. Once you've selected a timeframe, tap "Delete."

Two Google Maps screenshots showing how to select a history deletion timeframe and then confirm the choice.
Select what you want to delete, then confirm your choice.
Google; William Antonelli/Insider

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