How to See Everything Google Knows About You Right Now

Go to myaccount.google.com right now and sign in. What you are about to see will surprise you. Google has been quietly building a detailed, searchable file on you, every website you have visited, every search you have ever typed, every YouTube video you have ever watched, every place you have physically been for years. Today we are going to show you exactly what is in that file, and exactly how to delete it.

What Google Is Collecting — The Full Picture

Most people know Google tracks their searches. Very few people know just how far that tracking goes.

Here is the complete list of what Google collects on every account holder:

• Every search you have ever typed — with the exact date and time

• Every website you have visited while signed into your Google account

• Every YouTube video you have watched — including ones you watched and then deleted from your history

• Your physical location history — a detailed timeline of everywhere you have been, sometimes going back years, with a map you can actually view

• Every ad you have ever clicked

• Your voice searches — if you have used "Hey Google" on any device

• Your Gmail content — Google's systems scan your emails to serve you relevant ads

• Apps you have used on any Android phone connected to your account

• Purchases you have made — pulled from your Gmail receipts

All of this data is stored in what Google calls My Activity, and you can see every single piece of it right now.

Step 1: See Your Complete Google Activity History

1. Go to myaccount.google.com in your browser

   
   

2. Sign in with your Google or Gmail account

   
   

3. Click "Data & Privacy" in the left menu

   
   

4. Scroll down to "History settings"

   
   

5. Click "My Activity"

   
   

You will now see a searchable, filterable timeline of everything Google has recorded about you. Use the filter button to narrow it down by product, try clicking "Search" first. Scroll back through time. What you find may genuinely shock you.

Step 2: See Your Location History — Where You Have Actually Been

This is the one that surprises people most.

1. Go back to myaccount.google.com

   
   

2. Click "Data & Privacy"

   
   

3. Under "History settings," click "Location History"

   
   

4. Click "Manage History"

   
   

5. A Google Maps timeline will open showing a map of everywhere you have physically been while carrying your phone

   
   

You can click on any date in the calendar on the left and see a detailed map of your movements that day, what time you left home, where you went, how long you stayed, and what route you took.

If this feels like something that should not exist without your explicit knowledge, you are right.

Step 3: See What Google Thinks You Are — Your Ad Profile

Google builds a profile of who they think you are based on everything they have collected. They use this profile to decide which ads to show you.

1. Go to adssettings.google.com

   
   

2. Sign in if prompted

   
   

3. You will see a list of categories Google has assigned to you, your estimated age range, your interests, your income bracket, your relationship status, and more

   
   

Take a look at what they have guessed about you. Some of it will be accurate. Some of it will be wrong. All of it is being used to target you with advertising every single day.

Step 4: Delete Your History — Completely

Now that you have seen it, here is how to delete it.

Delete your Search and Activity History:

1. Go to myactivity.google.com

   
   

2. Click the three dots (⋮) in the top right corner

   
   

3. Click "Delete activity by"

   
   

4. Select "All time"

   
   

5. Click "Delete" → confirm

   
   

Delete your Location History:

1. Go to myaccount.google.com → Data & Privacy → Location History

   
   

2. Click "Manage History"

   
   

3. Click the trash/bin icon at the bottom right of the map

   
   

4. Select "Delete all Location History"

   
   

5. Confirm

   
   

Delete your YouTube Watch History:

1. Go to myactivity.google.com

   
   

2. Click "Filter by date & product"

   
   

3. Select "YouTube"

   
   

4. Click Delete → All time → Delete

Step 5: Stop Google From Collecting This Data Going Forward

Deleting what exists is only half the job. Here is how to stop new data from being collected:

1. Go to myaccount.google.com → Data & Privacy → History settings

   
   

2. Click "Web & App Activity" → toggle it OFF

   
   

3. Click "Location History" → toggle it OFF

   
   

4. Click "YouTube History" → toggle it OFF

   
   

You will see a warning that some Google features may work differently. That is true, but your privacy is worth the tradeoff.

One Final Step: Turn Off Ad Personalization

1. Go to adssettings.google.com

   
   

2. Toggle "Personalized ads" to OFF

   
   

Google will still show you ads, but they will no longer be based on your personal profile. You become anonymous to their advertising system.

What You Should Do Today

Set aside 20 minutes today and go through every step above. Start with My Activity, just seeing what is there is eye-opening. Then delete it and turn off future collection.

You cannot undo years of data collection overnight. But you can stop it from continuing today.

➡️ Want to protect your privacy on Facebook too? [Read: Facebook Knows You're Depressed Before Your Doctor Does].

➡️ Concerned about what your smart home devices are collecting? [Read: Your Smart Home Devices Are Spying on You — Stop Them Now].

Were you surprised by what Google had on you? Leave a comment below, tell us what you found. You are not alone.