How to Turn off Personalized Search in Google

The more you use Google search, no matter if you are a registered user or not, the more Google personalizes the search results based on past searches, geography and the search items you click. You can disable search personalization if you wish for search rankings to be unaltered and for clicked search results to remain unidentified by turning off Google search history and loading a cookie that indicates to Google that you do not wish to participate in personalization.

Instructions

Users With a Google Account

1. Launch a Web browser and navigate to Google.

2. Click your username, then select "Account Settings."

3. Click "Edit" located next to the My Products section header.

4. Click "Remove Web History Permanently" to disable search personalization when you are signed into your Google account.

Users Without a Google Account

1. Launch a Web browser and navigate to Google.

2. Click the gear icon at the top right and select "Web History."

3. Click "Disable Customizations Based on Search Activity" to disable personalized search results with a cookie. If you clear your browser cookies, this setting needs to be reapplied to maintain unpersonalized search results.

References

• Google Accounts: Personalized Search --- Turning off Search History Personalization