Social media businesses regard privacy as an annoyance rather than a human right. If users want to maintain privacy, they must take matters into their own hands. Despite the inclusion of the European Union (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the United Kingdom (UK) GDPR, the United Kingdom (UK) Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA ACT), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and many others, the user must still approve, correct, or opt-out in writing or online. The possibilities differ by location, and the US currently lacks rules comparable to the GDPR or the UK’s DPA ACT. Internet privacy control in the United States requires more work than in the EU, including the United Kingdom. Regardless, many companies provide privacy controls in the United States, just as they do in the European Union, making it easier to manage your personal information. It is easy to clear your Instagram search history. There are just a few steps you need to follow to achieve that.

What exactly is Instagram Search History?

Instagram search history is a database of all of your searches, whether they be for actual people, profile names, topics, or specific subjects like Star Wars or Nascar. Instagram search history is not visible to other users, but the company uses it to recommend new people/profiles to follow. The data may also be used for other (unspecified) purposes, but you may control what Instagram stories by manually deleting your search history from an Android, iOS, or PC browser. The more you use Instagram, like many other social networks, the more detailed their dossier on you develops, and this is legal. Perhaps it’s time to reclaim some of that, which is also legal in the US and EU. You can start by clearing your search history before moving to other Instagram privacy settings. Here’s how to go about it.

How to Clear Instagram Search History

If you don’t want the company to use the information to fine-tune your follow suggestions, you must clear your Instagram search history. This is especially important if you’ve conducted several searches with many entries over time, resulting in misguided suggestions or lists you’re not interested in. Cluttered data might mislead IT bots or technology, resulting in mistargeted recommendations. Follow the steps below to clear your search history and regain some privacy.

How to Clear Instagram Search History on Android and iOS

Both Android and iOS have identical processes, locations, and appearance for each step, with the exception that certain icons on iOS are line art, and Android has a few more menu options. The extra menu items, however, are irrelevant to this procedure. On Android and iOS, follow these steps to clear your Instagram search history.

1. Launch Instagram and tap the profile symbol in the lower right corner of the screen. When you choose the profile icon on iOS, it looks like line art that inverts.

1. In the top-right area, click the hamburger icon (triple-lined-icon).

1. Select Your activity from the list of options.

1. Select Recent searches.

1. Tap on the X next to the entries you want to delete on the Recent Searches tab to bulk-delete all Instagram history.

1. Select Clear All in the confirmation window that displays.

Your search history has been erased, and unless you deleted particular searches, nothing shows when you enter the search box. Your preferred people list has also been reset.

How to Clear Your Instagram Search History using a Browser (Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, etc.)

Using a browser to clear Instagram searches is similar to the steps used for Android/iPhone; however, navigation is a little different. Given the recent change to using Instagram on a computer, here’s how you can currently remove all Instagram search history using your chosen browser.

1. Open Instagram in your browser and select Explore from the left-hand menu.
2. Now, at the top, click on Search.
3. You can clear them one at a time by clicking X, or you can clear them all in the top right.

Download Your Instagram Profile

As previously mentioned, the more you use a social network, the more detailed a profile they create for you. If you’re curious about what Instagram knows about you, you can find out. Instagram will provide you a data dump in the form of a zip file in an email within 48 hours if you request one.

1. Log in to Instagram and choose your account.

1. To access Options, click the Hamburger menu at the top right of the page.

1. Select Settings, then Security.

1. Select Download Data from the Data and History menu.

1. Enter the email address to which you want your data delivered.

1. Tap Request Download at the bottom of the screen and, when requested, enter your Instagram password.

When the email arrives, it will include a ZIP archive file. To read it, you must first decompress it someplace on your computer. You may then open it in a text editor to examine how much information the network has gathered on you.

Commonly Asked Questions

How can I remove Instagram search suggestions?

By heading to the horizontal list called Suggestions for You, you can remove suggested Instagram contacts from the app. If you click the X in the upper-right corner of the list box, all suggestions for that session will be removed. If there is a person on the list whose profile photo or name you do not want to be suggested again, pick that user’s profile picture or name and tap X.

Is it possible to search Instagram without having an account?

You certainly can. All you need is someone’s Instagram link from a web browser, and then you can search for other people using the search box on that profile.

Conclusion

Is relatively east to clear your Instagram search history, but keeping your private data safe from prying eyes is not. Social media may be a fun way to meet and communicate with new and fascinating people, but it’s also important to understand how to restrict and limit your online presence to certain people.