Whenever you search on Google, it shows you the trending search results. So, sometimes when you want something specific, Google’s trending suggestions can be distracting. In such a case, you can simply turn off Google’s trending searches and autocomplete your search query on the browser.
Without further ado, let’s learn how these searches work and how you can remove the trending searches from Google.
How Do Trending Searches Work?
Like any business, Google strives to enhance the user experience. Trending search suggestions and autocomplete tools are designed to improve the search journey. Most of the time, Google predicts your search correctly, thereby, saving you time and effort.
This search engine analyzes data from global searches and calculates the frequency of such searches across regions and languages. It also tracks short-term trends and real-time events to predict searches based on collective user behavior.
Why Turn Off Trending Search on Google?
While the trending Google searches or suggestions can be helpful, it can also become bothersome. Disabling them enhances privacy, especially since Google tracks users’ online activities, including online searches, visited websites, and purchases.
Companies leverage this data to tailor offerings based on their preferences and predicted lifestyles. Turning off trending searches is a step towards keeping your web browsing private.
How to Disable Trending Searches in Google?
Some of the effective ways in which you can remove or delete trending searches are:
- On Google App
Follow the below steps to remove access to trending searches on your Google app:
Step 1: Open the Google app.
Step 2: Tap on your profile picture and go to Settings.
Step 3: Select General from the drop-down list.
Step 4: Toggle off the button beside “Autocomplete with trending searches.”
- On Windows
Here’s how to remove suggestions from Chrome on Windows 10 and 11:
Step 1: Open the Chrome browser.
Step 2: Type Google.com in the search bar and hit enter.
Step 3: On the Google page, click on the Settings option at the bottom.
Step 4: Choose Search settings.
Step 5: Now, go to the “Auto-complete with trending searches” option and select “Do not show popular searches.
Step 6: Click on Save.
- On Android Devices
If you want to know how to delete suggestions on Chrome Android or turn off trending searches Android, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open your browser.
Step 2: Click the hamburger icon at the top left of your screen.
Step 3: Select Search Settings from the tab.
Step 4: Scroll down and select the “Do not show popular searches” option and choose save.
- On iPhone Devices
When you want to delete the recent searches on Google from this phone or remove suggestions from Chrome mobile on an iPhone, complete the following steps:
Step 1: Open the Google Chrome app on your iPhone.
Step 2: Tap your profile picture.
Step 3: Scroll down and select Settings and then the General tab.
Step 4: Disable “Autocomplete with trending searches” and click Save.
- On a MAC
Removing the trending search option on MAC is quite simple. Follow the below steps to do so:
Step 1: Open any web browser and navigate to Google.com.
Step 2: Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Settings.
Step 3: In the Settings menu, click on Search Settings.
Step 4: In this section, you will find “Autocomplete with trending searches.” Choose the option “Do not show popular searches” to disable the trending search option.
- Using Incognito Mode
You can even choose to turn off the trending searches or suggestions in the Incognito mode of your browser as well. Here is how you can do so:
Step 1: Click on the three vertical dots on the top-right corner of your browser and select New Incognito window or press Ctrl+Shift+N to launch this mode.
Step 2: Type Google.com in the search bar and click enter.
Step 3: Scroll down to the Settings options and select Search settings.
Step 4: Go to the “Auto-complete with trending searches” options and select the “Do not show popular searches option.”
Steps You Can Take When Cannot Turn Off Google Search Suggestions
In some cases, you might not be able to turn off the trending searches option despite following the above steps. Follow the troubleshooting steps in order to disable the Google hot searches:
- Reboot Your Browser
Sometimes you need to reboot your browser so that it is able to process the changes made. Change the settings, close your browser, and wait for a few seconds. After this, refresh your desktop and launch your browser again to see if the changes have been reflected. If the settings are still turned on, try changing the settings again and reboot it once more.
- Block Search Cookies
You can try to manually block the search cookies to remove the trending searches. Follow the below steps:
Step 1: Open your browser.
Step 2: Type in- chrome://settings/syncSetup?search=autocomplete+searches+and+urls
Step 3: Disable the “Autocomplete Searches and URLs” option.
Step 4: Restart your browser.
If the trending searches are still showing up, complete the following steps:
Step 1: Open a new tab.
Step 2: Type- chrome://flags
Step 3: Search for Omnibox Trending Zero Prefix Suggestions and disable it.
Step 4: Click on Relaunch or restart your browser.
- Update Your Browser and Clear Cache
When blocking your cookies does not work, that means your Chrome browser is outdated. You need to update Chrome as well as clear the cache by deleting any cookies stored in your browser.
Step 1: Open Chrome and click on the three dots at the top right corner to open Settings.
Step 2: Go to the Privacy and Security section and click Settings.
Step 3: From there, navigate to the “Privacy and Security” option.
Step 4: Select the “Clear Browsing Data tab.”
Step 5: Select the time range you want to clear and click on the “Clear data” button.
After these steps, you need to update your Chrome browser:
Step 1: In Settings, go to the Help option and click “About Chrome.”
Step 2: Click “Update Google Chrome” if it is available on your browser.
Step 3: Restart your browser to complete the process.
- Reset Your Browser Settings
If none of the above options are working, you can try resetting your Chrome to the original settings to see if you can eliminate the trending searches after that.
Step 1: Click on the three dots in the top-right corner for the drop-down menu options or you can directly type in chrome://settings/reset.
Step 2: While following the first option, click on Settings.
Step 3: Select Advanced from the right-hand panel.
Step 4: Select the “Rest and clean up” option.
Step 5: Click on “Restore settings to their original defaults.”
Conclusion
Thus, there are numerous ways in which you can turn off trending Google searches. Follow the relevant steps mentioned in this blog according to the different devices. If those steps do not work, try the different steps for troubleshooting to ensure the successful switch off of these searches on Google.