How to manage your online activity with Google

Google offers its users controls that enable them to set their online activity data such that it is automatically deleted within 3 or 18 months.

Users can also wipe off their entire online activity data from Google all at once. (REUTERS)

Google knows a lot about you. Probably way more than you realise. It knows who you are. It knows what you like. It knows where you have been to. It knows the apps that you downloaded and all the games that you played. It also knows what all things you have been searching for online.

Simply said, Google knows almost everything about you. Admittedly, that sounds scary. But it doesn't have to be as Google offers you extensive controls that allow users to precisely select what information they want Google to collect and for how long they want the company to store that information.

So, here's a step-by-step description of how you can manage your online activity with Google:

Step 1: Sign into your Google Account.

Step 2: Click on ‘Manage your data and personalisation' option.

Step 3: Scroll down to Activity Controls and click on the Web & App Activity option.

Step 4: Toggle the Web & App Activity button if you don't want Google to store any of your online or app-based information.

Step 5: Tap on the Auto Delete button to set 3 months or 18 months as the limit when your online activity data is automatically erased.

Step 6: Tap on Manage Activity button to see a date-wise record of your entire online activity.

Step 7: To delete the individual entries, click on the hamburger menu next to each item and then click on the Delete button.

Step 8: To delete entries from a specific date, click on the Trash button next to the individual date.

Step 9: To delete all the entries, click on the hamburger menu on the right corner of the search bar > click on Delete Activity by > select the Custom Range button > add the dates and click on Next button.