How to Turn Off (or Reduce) Predictions in the Chrome Address Bar

To reduce predictions in the Chrome address bar on a computer, click More (the three dots) > Settings > You and Google > Google services and turn off Improve search suggestions. That stops Chrome from sending what you type to your search engine for suggestions. Chrome has no single switch that removes every prediction, so the rest of this guide covers the ones that remain.

The steps below follow Google’s current Chrome Help pages for computers, Android, and iPhone or iPad. Menu names can change between Chrome versions, so update Chrome first if your screen does not match.

Where Chrome Address Bar Predictions Come From

The address bar at the top of Chrome is a combined web address and search box. Google also calls it the omnibox. According to Google’s page on how Chrome keeps your URL and search data private, the suggestions that appear when you click or type in it are based on two things: the browsing history on your device, and data from your default search engine.

Knowing the source tells you which fix to use.

Prediction type	Where it comes from	How to reduce it
Search phrases that complete as you type	Your default search engine	Turn off Improve search suggestions
Pages you have visited	Chrome browsing history	Remove the prediction, or delete browsing history
Suggestions based on your past searches	Activity saved by your search engine	Manage search history in your search engine or Google Account
Trending searches	Google Search	Turn off Autocomplete with trending searches in Google Search settings

How to Turn Off Improve Search Suggestions on a Computer

This works in Chrome for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chromebook.

1. Open Chrome.
2. At the top right, click More (three vertical dots), then click Settings.
3. Click You and Google in the menu on the left.
4. Click Google services.
5. Turn off the switch next to Improve search suggestions.

Google says that when this setting is on, the text you type is sent to your default search engine along with your IP address and cookies, so it can suggest ways to complete your search. With the setting off, that text is no longer sent for suggestions.

How to Turn Off Search Suggestions in Chrome on Android, iPhone, or iPad

Google lists the same path for the Chrome app on Android and on iPhone or iPad.

1. Open the Chrome app.
2. Tap More (three dots), then tap Settings.
3. Tap Google services.
4. Turn off Improve search suggestions.

Google documents this setting separately for each platform, so check it on every device where you use Chrome instead of assuming one change covers them all.

What Still Shows Up After You Turn It Off

Predictions do not disappear completely. Google states that even with Improve search suggestions off, Chrome may still offer suggestions based on your local search and browsing history. So you will probably still see sites you visit often when you start typing their names.

To cut those down too, remove individual predictions or delete your browsing history, as described in the next two sections.

How to Remove One Prediction From the Address Bar

If a single page or search keeps appearing, you can remove just that one on a computer. Google lists this in its Chrome keyboard shortcuts.

1. Click in the address bar and start typing until the prediction appears.
2. Press the Down arrow key until the prediction is highlighted. Do not press Enter.
3. On Windows, Linux, or a Chromebook, press Shift + Delete.
4. On a Mac, press Shift + fn + Delete. Google describes this as Forward Delete, or fn-Delete on a laptop.

The highlighted prediction should leave the list. This is a keyboard shortcut, so it applies to Chrome on a computer. In the mobile apps, delete the page from your history instead.

How to Clear History-Based Predictions

Warning: Google does not document a way to restore deleted browsing history, so treat this as permanent. If you are signed in to Chrome and sync your history, Google says the history is also deleted on your other signed-in devices. Leave Cookies and other site data unchecked if you only want to clear predictions, because deleting cookies signs you out of websites.

Google’s Delete browsing data in Chrome page confirms that when you delete browsing history, address bar predictions for those websites are no longer shown.

On a computer

1. Click More > Delete browsing data. You can also press Ctrl + Shift + Delete, or Command + Shift + Delete on a Mac.
2. Choose a time range. Select All time to remove everything.
3. Check Browsing history and uncheck anything you want to keep.
4. Click Delete data.

To remove only certain sites, click More > History > History, check the box next to each site, and select Delete. Our guide on how to view or delete Chrome history covers this in more detail.

On Android

1. Open Chrome and tap More > Delete browsing data.
2. Next to Time range, pick a range or tap All time.
3. Check Browsing history and uncheck data you want to keep.
4. Tap Delete data.

For Google app searches as well as Chrome, see our guide to deleting search history on Android.

On iPhone or iPad

1. Open Chrome and tap More > Delete Browsing Data.
2. Next to Time Range, choose a duration. Google notes the default is 15 minutes, so change it if you want to clear more.
3. Tap Browsing Data, select the types to delete, and tap Confirm.
4. Tap Delete Browsing Data.

Other Ways to Reduce Predictions

• Browse in Incognito mode. Press Ctrl + Shift + N (Command + Shift + N on a Mac) or click More > New Incognito window. Google says Chrome does not keep a record of the sites you visit once the Incognito session ends, so those pages do not get added to your history. On a phone, see how to open an Incognito tab in the Chrome iPhone app.
• Turn off trending searches. On a computer, go to google.com, click Settings at the bottom, then Search settings > Other settings, and turn off Autocomplete with trending searches. This is a Google Search setting described on Google’s Manage Google autocomplete predictions page. Google notes there that its Search settings are being updated, so the labels may differ.
• Manage your search history. Google says you can manage your search history in your search engine’s settings. If you use Google while signed in, that history is saved to your Google Account and is not removed when you delete Chrome browsing data.

How to Confirm the Change or Turn Predictions Back On

Click in the address bar and type the first few letters of a common search. With Improve search suggestions off, you should see fewer suggested search phrases, though pages from your own history can still appear.

To undo the change, go back to Settings > You and Google > Google services and turn Improve search suggestions on again. Turning the setting back on does not bring back history you deleted, but Chrome builds new predictions as you browse.

Troubleshooting

I can’t find “Autocomplete searches and URLs”

Older guides refer to a switch named Autocomplete searches and URLs under Sync and Google services, and much older ones mention a prediction service checkbox under advanced settings. Google’s current help page uses the name Improve search suggestions on the Google services page. If you see neither name, update Chrome and look again.

The setting is missing or I can’t change it

Google notes that if you use Chrome at work or school, your network administrator may choose or manage your search engines for you. On a managed computer or Chromebook, some settings may be locked or absent. If that seems to be the case, ask your administrator.

A removed prediction comes back

Chrome learns from new browsing, so visiting the page again can bring the prediction back. If you sync history to your Google Account, Google also uses that history to provide suggestions, and pages visited on your other devices appear in your history. Delete the page from your history rather than only removing the prediction.

My search engine isn’t Google

The Improve search suggestions setting applies to whichever default search engine you use. Google says that when your default search engine isn’t Google, your suggestion requests and searches are logged under that search engine’s privacy policy. To check which one is set, go to Settings > Search engine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off all predictions in the Chrome address bar?

Google does not document a setting that turns off every prediction. Turning off Improve search suggestions stops what you type from being sent to your search engine for suggestions, but Chrome may still suggest items from your local search and browsing history. Deleting that history, or browsing in Incognito mode, reduces those.

Does Chrome send passwords I type in the address bar?

Google says Chrome detects certain kinds of sensitive information in the address bar, such as passwords, local file names, and HTTPS URLs with paths. When it decides the text may be sensitive, it does not send it for autocomplete suggestions.

Will deleting browsing history sign me out of websites?

Not if you only check Browsing history. Sign-ins are stored in cookies, which are a separate checkbox in the Delete browsing data window. Saved passwords are also separate and are managed in Google Password Manager.

Does deleting Chrome history delete my Google search history?

No. Google lists search history and other Google activity as data that is not removed when you delete Chrome browsing data. Searches made while signed in are saved to your Google Account and have to be deleted there.

Does the Shift + Delete shortcut work on a phone?

Google lists it as a keyboard shortcut for Chrome on a computer. In the Chrome app on Android, iPhone, or iPad, delete the page from History or use Delete browsing data instead.

Next Step

If the right-click menu on the Chrome taskbar icon also shows sites you would rather keep private, see how to hide most visited Chrome links when right-clicking in Windows.