Table of contents
- What is “My Google Activity”?
- How to access Google My Activity
- The My Activity section and management options
- Why managing Google history matters
- Differences between browser history and Google My Activity
- How to delete activities step by step
- The Big G’s philosophy behind “My Activity”
When you use Google services every day whether it’s searching on Chrome, watching a video on YouTube, or using Maps to find a destination you inevitably leave digital traces.
This information ends up in the My Google Activity section, a central space created by the Mountain View company to allow users to manage their data. But what does having access to this history really mean, and what advantages or risks come with it?
In this article, I’ll guide you clearly and thoroughly, explaining how to access Google My Activity, how to interpret the history, and how to delete activities you no longer want to keep online.
What is “My Google Activity”?
The My Google Activity page is a tool that centralizes all the data collected from your Google account as you browse or use the Big G apps. It gathers information related to:
- Web & App Activity, meaning the searches you perform and the sites you visit.
- YouTube history, which includes videos you’ve watched and searched for.
- Location history, useful to review the places you’ve visited.
In other words, it’s a kind of digital diary that keeps track of everything you do using Google’s ecosystem. The difference from the standard browser history is that here, the information is linked to your own account, so it remains synchronized across all connected devices.
How to access Google My Activity
Accessing is very simple. Just open your browser and type “Google My Activity” or go directly to myactivity.google.com. After signing in with your Google account, you’ll find a dashboard divided into sections. Here, you can view your search history, watched YouTube videos, interactions with Google Assistant, and much more.
If you use My Google Activity Chrome, you’ll see not only the websites visited but also the searches performed within the browser. It’s important to note that the page doesn’t only show browsing data, but all actions carried out using Google services, from Gmail to Google Play.
The My Activity section and management options
Once inside the My Activity section, you can filter results by date, service type, or keyword.
Example
If you only want to check your YouTube history, simply select the appropriate filter. This gives you very detailed control over your digital habits.
You’ll also find clear commands to delete activities: you can remove a single search, an entire day, or your entire history. Google also offers the option to schedule automatic deletion of data after 3, 18, or 36 months. This way, you don’t have to worry about doing it manually.
Why managing Google history matters
Managing the information stored in My Google Activity history isn’t just a matter of privacy but also of convenience. On one hand, having location history or a list of past searches can help you rediscover something you had forgotten. On the other, leaving all your data unchecked means handing Google a detailed map of your daily habits.
Being aware of what is saved in your Google account is essential to balance convenience with privacy protection.
Differences between browser history and Google My Activity
Many users confuse Chrome’s history with Google My Activity. The first is tied to the device and browser and can be deleted by clearing browsing data. The second, however, is directly connected to your own account: this means that even if you erase data from your computer, the information remains stored online.
If you use multiple devices, such as an Android smartphone and a PC, it’s the Google My Activity platform that ensures synchronization of histories.
How to delete activities step by step
Here’s a quick guide to deleting activities:
- Sign in to Google My Activity with your account.
- Go to the section related to recorded actions.
- Click on the three dots next to an item and select “Delete.”
- If you prefer, choose “Delete activity by” and set a date range.
- Enable, if you wish, automatic periodic deletion.
This approach gives you full control, letting you decide what to keep and what to erase.
The Big G’s philosophy behind “My Activity”
Why does Google collect all this information? The official answer is to improve Google services. More data means more personalized search results, more relevant YouTube recommendations, and more precise voice suggestions from Assistant. However, behind the Big G narrative lies the issue of advertising profiling, which represents one of Mountain View’s main business models.
