How to Clear Instagram Search History?

How to Clear Instagram Search History?

Just like other social media platforms, Instagram also tracks your search history. Even though through recent searches you can quickly get hold of the content you’re looking for, your search history on Instagram could be a privacy concern as it contains all your interests. Sometimes you may have made a search that you might find awkward later on. So cleaning your search history will be a good option. 

What is Instagram Search History?

Instagram search history is nothing but a collection of searches you do through the ‘Instagram Search’ bar. It can be anything from a profile, topic, or even a hashtag. The social media giant gathers this information to show you relevant content. This data may also be used for other purposes which may not be completely specified but, the good news is that you have complete control over what Instagram stores about you. You can erase your search history via mobile devices or your PC system. 

Various privacy acts from countries around the world such as GDPR, UK’s DPA ACT, and CCPA have given more importance to this. So you need not worry about social media platforms holding information against your will. However, deleting your search history is one of the few steps that you have to do yourself. 

Steps to Clear Your Instagram Search History 

Removing your tracking history on Instagram is necessary if you don’t want the platform to use the data to refine the suggestions it shows you. This will be helpful when the platform shows content that is not relevant to you. You can follow the steps in the below sections to clear your search history and safeguard your privacy. 

How to Clear Your Search History on your Phone? (Android & iOS)

Android and iOS devices hold identical methods for removing your search history. But there might be some line icon differences and a few more options between the apps. The extra menu options will not apply to this procedure. Follow the steps below to wipe off your history,

  • Log in to your Instagram account via your mobile device
  • Click on the user button option on the bottom right corner
  • Next you have to click on the gear option in the upper right corner
  • Scroll down to the end and select the ‘Clear Search History’ option
  • You will get a confirmation pop-up message requesting you to take action 
  • Click on ‘Yes’ to clear your entire search history 
  • You can even return to the search page of the app for re-confirmation 

How to Clear Your Search History on your Laptop or Desktop?

Removing your search history through a laptop or desktop is similar to cleaning them using your mobile device. But the navigation part might be slightly dissimilar. Instagram has announced that the existing option to remove search history via a browser might be removed in 2022. Whether it’ll be entirely removed or appear in a separate section is still unknown. Until then, you can follow the below steps to remove your search history via a browser. 

  • Log In to your Instagram account through the browser of your choice 
  • Click on the user icon on the top right corner and select settings 
  • Under that choose the ‘Privacy and Settings’ option and then go to ‘View Account Data’
  • Next select ‘View All’ to see the entire list of searches and then clear your search history 

How to Clear Instagram Search Suggestions Via your Mobile?

If you don’t want to get the profile suggestions that Instagram displays for you, then you can remove them by simply clicking on the “x” on the right-hand side of your account name when these suggestions pop up. 

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How to Get your Data From Instagram?

Even if you erase your Instagram search history, Instagram will still have more information about you. Here’s how you can find that information, 

  • Log in to your Instagram account and choose your profile 
  • Select the menu available to your user name and then choose the ‘Privacy and Security’ option
  • Choose the ‘Data Download’ option and then click on ‘Request Download’
  • Next, you have to enter your Instagram login credentials for verification purposes 

Within 48 hours you’ll get a zip file containing  stories, videos, photos, messages, and other information

Conclusion 

There’s a good chance that Instagram has mapped more details about you based on your account activity. It is intriguing how social media gives you the option to share many things. But, it is not advisable to do certain things out of privacy concerns.

For example, if you tag your location on every post you share, finding where you are will be quite easy and someone might use it to stalk you. If you’re a business, then this feature will not be a problem. If you have a personal account be careful with what you share. 

Hope the above steps will help you clear your Instagram search history easily.

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