How to delete your Facebook search history

Each time you look for a friend, business, or personality on Facebook, it gets saved to your search history. Supposedly, this makes it easier for you to find what you were looking for later without much work. Unfortunately, the search history might be cluttered with queries that don’t require quick access — like someone you’ve already become friends with, a brand you’re already following.

If you want to limit some of the information Facebook is keeping about you, or just tidy up the list, it’s just a few clicks away. Here’s how to get started:

Step 1: Click on the Settings cog in the top-right corner. Choose the Activity Log option from the menu.

Step 2: You will see all of your recent Facebook activity. Under Photos, Likes, and Comments in the left side menu bar, click More, then choose Search.

Step 3: All of your search history, provided you haven’t deleted it before, will appear. Individual searches can be removed by clicking the block icon and then Remove. If you want to clear all of it, click on the Clear Searches link at the top.

What do you think about the Search history feature? Do you think Facebook should save all of your search queries? Have you ever found the search history helpful to revisit something you were looking for in the past? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Editors’ note, December 1, 2014: This How To post was originally published on February 21, 2014, and has been updated to include new information.