How to Show Your Search History

By Emilio Alvarez

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Every time you do a Web search on your computer, the search is saved on your computer. Regardless of the Web browser you use, the process of finding the Web search history is generally the same. To access your computer's search history, use the Registry Editor. Additionally, you can easily manage and monitor your Web search history, including recent video, image or news searches when you have a Google account such as Gmail or a Youtube account. For a simplified method of monitoring all your search history in a centralized location, you may download free applications that provide that service.

Google search history

Step 1

Launch a Web browser and access the Google Accounts Web page. (See References.) Log into your Google account using your Gmail email address.

Step 2

Click on \"All History\" on the left pane to display all your recent Search history. View the \"Searched for...\" items. Each item displays the exact word you entered and the Web pages you clicked on as a result.

Step 3

Click on the \"Video\" link on the left panel. All your recent video searches display on the right pane. Click on any of the left pane categories to view specific search items, such as images, news, blogs, maps and more.

Show your search toolbar history

Step 1

Launch your browser on which the Google or Yahoo search toolbar is installed.

Step 2

Click on the toolbar's downward arrow next to the search text field.

Step 3

View the recent words or phrases you searched for in the drop-down menu options. Depending on the toolbar you use, up to 50 recent searches may display in the drop-down menu options.

Step 4

Show the Google toolbar search history in Windows XP. Access the \"Documents and Settings\" folder and follow this directory as it applies to your system: Documents and Settings \ [your username] \ Application Data \ Google \ Local Search History. Open the Google file in the \"Local Search History\" folder with the Windows Notepad application to show the recent search history.

Show your system search history

Step 1

Click on the \"Start\" menu, click on \"Run,\" type \"regedit\" in the command line and press \"OK\" to confirm. The Registry Editor will open.

For Windows Vista and 7 users click on the Start Orb button, type \"regedit\" in the \"Start Search\" text field and press \"Enter.\"

Step 2

Expand the \"HKEY_LOCAL_USERS\" hive and continue expanding the following sub-keys or folders: \"Software\" > \"Microsoft\" > \"Search Assistant\" > \"ACMru.\"

Step 3

Click on the \"5603\" and the \"5604\" folder and view the contents in the right pane. Look under the \"Data\" column to see the files, or searched items, that correspond to your system's search history.

Show your Web search history

Step 1

Launch Internet Explorer, click on the \"View\" menu, mouse-over the \"Explorer Bar\" option and select \"History\" from the drop-down menu. The History pane will display on the left side. Click on the \"View\" drop-down menu to sort the search history by date, site or other. A list of the searches will display.

Step 2

Launch Firefox, click on the \"History\" menu, and select \"Show All History\" from the drop-down menu. Expand the \"History\" category on the left pane. View your search history for specific time periods, including the \"Last 7 days,\" \"Yesterday,\" \"Today,\" \"This month\" or others.

Step 3

Launch Safari and click on the \"History\" menu. Select \"Show All History\" from the drop-down menu. The \"History\" window opens up. Click on the \"History\" category under the \"Collections\" column on the left pane. View the search history in the right pane.

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