Email hoarders are most likely to be overwhelmed by their inbox, but for many others, deleting everything right after you read it isn't always a possibility.
Even people who are meticulous about labeling their messages or assigning them to folders can find locating that family reunion photo or old email from their boss difficult. That's where Gmail's search feature comes in. Gmail search keeps track of previous inbox searches you've made when scrolling through your messages is too tedious. You can quickly locate emails based on the sender, the date, subject line, message text, and more.
When trying to locate a message using the search box, you can either type out keywords or let Gmail auto-populate the search term after you type a few letters. But just like your inbox, over time, these searches can pile up. This can become inefficient if it keeps bringing up a search term you used months or even years ago, slowing you down from finding the email you need.
Gmail search allows users to delete search terms from their history to erase your growing list so old words no longer auto-populate. The easiest way to do this is to through your Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Internet Explorer web browser if you're already signed into your Gmail account there. You can also erase search history on your mobile device through the Gmail app.
Here's how to do it.
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How to clear Gmail search history in your desktop browser
1. Sign in to your Gmail account in a browser on your Mac or PC.
2. Type a term in the search bar.
3. An "X" will appear on the right side of the search bar. Click on that "X." Now the term will be cleared from your search history.
How to search and delete Gmail history in batches in your browser
1. Go to google.com/history in a web browser.
2. In the Gmail history window, click on "Filter by date and product."
3. A window will pop up. Scroll down to Gmail and check the box on the right before clicking "Apply" in the bottom right.
4. You can now review your Gmail search history by date. Click on the trash icon to the right of each date to delete your searches in batches.
How to clear your Gmail search history in the Gmail app for iPhone
1. Open your Gmail app.
2. Tap on the three lines on the left side of your search bar.
3. Scroll down and select "Settings."
4. Tap on your account at the top of the next window.
5. Scroll down to the bottom and choose "Clear search history."
6. Select this to delete search history across all your devices.
How to clear your Gmail search history in the Gmail app for Android
1. Open your Gmail app.
2. Tap on the three lines on the left side of your search bar.
3. Scroll down and select "Settings."
4. Select "General Settings" at the top of the next window.
5. Tap on the three vertical dots in the upper right of the app and select "Clear search history."
Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:
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How to search your Google Hangouts chats to find key words or messages
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How to search your Google Calendar for events, people, and more
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How to delete your Google Maps search history on a computer or mobile device
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How to search for an email on your iPhone, in the Mail or Gmail app
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How to schedule send an email on Gmail on desktop or mobile, if you want to compose an email but schedule it to send at a later time
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