How to Turn Off Trending Searches on Google: A Step-by-Step Guide

Intro

Google trending searches are a great way to get an overview of what people are talking about on the internet. However, sometimes you may not want your personal search history associated with these trends. This has led to users wondering how to turn off trending searches on Google or other search engines.

Surprisingly, many people still don't know about trending searches and that there is a way to turn them off. This guide will show you how in a few easy steps. But before diving into that, let's learn more about trending searches.

What Are Google Trending Searches?

When you type something into the Google search bar, you may notice a list of related topics appear underneath the search bar. These are called "trending searches" and show popular topics people search for on the internet.

Google pulls this data from various sources, including news outlets, social media sites, and even SEO blog websites. The topics that appear as trending searches are algorithmically determined based on these factors.

You can think of trending searches as a way to see what's popular on the internet at any given moment. For example, if a major news event happens, you will likely see it reflected in the trending searches.

Why is Google showing me trending searches?

Google is a huge tech company with many different products and services. One of their primary goals is to keep users engaged with their products for as long as possible.

Part of this engagement strategy is showing users relevant content they might be interested in. That's why you see trending searches when you use the Google search engine — it's a way for Google to show you popular topics that you might want to learn more about.

In addition, Google uses your personal search history to tailor the trending searches shown to you. So, if you've been searching for the best information about a particular topic, you're likely to see that topic appear as a trending search.

If you are a website owner and want to appear in the list of trending searches, you need to make sure your website is properly optimised for Google. This means having quality content that people are interested in and ensuring your website is set up in a way that makes it easy for Google to find and index your content. The Rank Tracker tool can help monitor your optimisation efforts' progress and ensure you're on track to appear in trending searches.

There are a few other reasons why Google may show you trending searches.

Shows Related Topics

If you've searched for something recently, Google may show you related topics in the form of trending searches. This is because they want to give you more information on the topic you're interested in. An example would be if you searched for "how to bake a cake," Google might show you related searches like "how to decorate a cake" or "types of cakes." You might also see popular videos of celebrities baking a cake that may not really be of help to you, but Google thinks you'll find them interesting.

Shows Popular Searches Based on Your Geographical Location

Google may show you trending searches that are popular in your geographic location. This is because countries, states, and even cities can have their own unique trends. For example, if a major news event happens in your city, you will likely see it reflected in the trending searches. This can help users stay up-to-date on local news and events.

Shows Popular Searches Based on Your Social Circle's Interests

Google may show you trending searches that are popular among your social circle. This is because they want to give relevant information to the people you know. For example, if your friend posts about a new restaurant on social media, you will likely see it reflected in the trending searches. This can help users learn about new businesses or products that their friends are talking about.

Shows Popular Searches Based on Your Interests

Fourth, Google may show you trending searches based on your past search history. The reason for this is that they want to give you information that is relevant to your interests. If you've been searching for a lot of information about a particular topic, you're likely to see that topic appear as a trending search. This can help users get more information on the topics they care about.

For example, if you've searched for much information about cars, shoes, or creating online stores you're likely to see topic-related searches as your trending searches.

Shows Searches Based on What's Popular Globally

Google may show you trending searches that are popular globally. These tend to be topics of general interest and don't necessarily have anything to do with your personal search history. The reason for this is that Google wants to give you information that is relevant to the world at large.

An example of a global trending search would be "Olympics" or "World Cup." Many people will search for these terms regardless of personal interests or location.

Google may also show you trending searches that are popular among people with similar interests. This is because they want to give you information that is relevant to the things you're interested in. For example, if you've searched for a lot of dog information, you're likely to see dog-related searches as trending.

Trending searches can be good or bad, depending on how you use them. If you're looking for information on a particular topic, it can be a good way to learn about new developments in that area. However, they can be a major distraction if you just want to kill time.

Turn Off Trending Searches on Google

There are ways to turn off Google trending searches via different device features like desktop and mobile devices. Here are the steps on how to turn off trending searches:

Steps to turn off trending searches in Chrome on an Android device

Android devices use the Google Chrome browser as their default. To turn off trending searches, follow these steps:

1. Open the Google Chrome app on your Android device.
2. Tap on three lines menu in the top left corner of the screen and select Settings.
3. Scroll down until you find Auto-complete with trending searches to disable trending suggestions.
4. Select Do not show popular searches and tap on Save.

Steps to turn off trending searches in Chrome on an iPhone device

iPhone devices nowadays have google chrome as their main browser. To turn off trending searches, follow these steps:

1. Open the Google Chrome app on your iPhone device.

2. Click on the three horizontal lines in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. A drop-down menu will appear.

3. Scroll down until you see the Settings option and click on it.

4. Once in the Settings menu, scroll down until you reach the Auto-complete with trending searches section.

5. Click on Do not show popular searches and tap on Save.

Steps to turn off trending searches in Safari Browser on an iPhone device

The Safari browser is another option for turning off google trending searches on your iPhone device. Here are the steps:

1. Go to Settings, then navigate to Safari.

2. Once in Safari Settings, find the option to turn off Search Engine Suggestions.

3. If needed, you can also disable all suggestions by going into settings and scrolling down to the suggestions tab located within safari settings.

Steps to turn off trending searches in Chrome on a PC

For PC users, the process of turning off trending searches is a little different. Here's how:

1. Open whatever browser you use and go to google.com.

2. Click Settings, found at the bottom right corner of your screen.

3. Select Search settings from the menu.

4. Under the Auto-complete with trending searches section, select Do not show popular searches.

Steps to turn off trending searches through the Google App

Google has its own app that can be utilised to search the Internet. If you have this app, here's how you can turn off trending searches:

1. Open the Google App on your device.

2. Tap your profile picture located at the top right corner of the application.

3. A drop-down menu will appear. Select Settings from the list of options.

4. Scroll down, find the General tab, and tap on it.

5. After clicking the General tab, locate the Auto-complete with trending searches option, then select Do not show popular searches.

Steps to turn off trending searches on Firefox Browser

Another browser that you may use is Firefox. If this is your case, here's how to turn off trending searches:

1. Open the Firefox browser on your device.
2. Click on the three horizontal lines in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. A new menu will appear.
3. Hover over the Search panel.
4. Uncheck the Provide search suggestions box.

(Image source: support.mozilla.org)

Conclusion

Trending searches are a great way to see what's popular online. This way, people can see what other people are talking about. From celebrities to current events, a lot can be learned by looking at trending searches. However, some people may not want to see this information. If this is the case for you, it is easy to turn off trending searches.

Many people also don't realize that their search engines constantly track their every move. This can be frustrating, especially if you are someone who values privacy. It's a good thing that there are ways to turn off this feature so that your searches are no longer being monitored.

People will resort to this if they don't want their data being tracked or if they simply want to keep their browsing history private. Regardless of the reason, it is good to know that there are ways to disable trending searches.