How To Delete Recent Activity on Google Drive

Whenever you open the Google Drive application, you can see whatever you edited or modified recently. This can be annoying for security purposes.

Here is how you can remove recent activity in the Google Drive application. Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

How to View History in Google Drive

Before removing recent activity in Google Drive, we will see how to see the history in Google Drive application. Here are the below steps to follow.

Open the Google Drive application from your preferred browser.
The Drive page will appear on the left side, where you can see the option Recent. Click on that to see all the recent activities in your Google Drive application.

This is how we have to see recent activity in the Google Drive application.

How to Remove Activity in Google Drive

To remove activity in Google Drive, follow the below steps.

Select the particular file.
Click on the ‘Info’ icon on the right side of your Google Drive screen.
You can see two panes — Details and Activity.
Click on ‘Activity‘ to see recent changes.

To check activity on a specific file, click on the folder.
Scroll down enables you to see older changes from different or specific files.

How Can I Delete My Activity on Google Drive

To delete an activity, right-click on the folder name and scroll down to Move to bin.
Now, the file will be moved to the bin.

How to delete search history on Google Drive

By doing this, your recent activities will be deleted from Google Drive.

How to Permanently Delete Recent Activity on PC

Removing files from recent activity will only delete the file from the activity pane; it doesn’t delete the file from Google Drive. Therefore, the deleted file will still show up in your recent activity. But if you want to remove the file/folder from Google Drive permanently, follow the steps to do so.

Go to drive.google.com.
On the left side of the Google Drive pane, scroll down to Bin.
Then select the file/folder that you wish to remove by right-clicking on it.
You will see two options. To either Restore or Delete forever.
Click on Delete Forever.
Google will prompt you to Delete Forever or cancel. Click Delete Forever.

You have now successfully deleted the file permanently from Google Drive and recent activities.

How to Delete all your Google Activity, Including History and Searches

Even after clearing all activity from Google Drive, there is still some data left in your Google Account. For instance, when deleting your search history from your Activity, your Drive account will still show that you searched for a file, but it won’t show which file it was.

Steps to follow

Open your Google Account from your computer.
Click on Data and Personalization at the top left side of your screen
Under the Activity and Timeline option, Click on My Activity.
Then click on More Option at the top right side of your screen
Then click Delete Activity
Under the delete Activity option, you will see “All-time.” Click on this option.
Click Delete Option.

Delete Your Recent Activity on Google Drive Using Your Android Device

To clear your Google Drive history, look at the below steps.

Open the Google Drive App from your Android device.
You will see three dots at the top of your Android device.
Tap on the three dots, and when the page opens, choose to remove from the options available.

If you want to remove the file permanently from its location and recent activities. Follow these steps.

Open the Google Drive app on your Android device.
At the top of recent files, you will also see three dots.
Tap on the three dots and choose the select all option.
Then click on the bin under the Google Drive menu.
You will see the delete everywhere option and cancel option.
To proceed with permanent delete, tap on the delete everywhere option.

This is the way to remove Google Drive history.

Delete the Recent Activity on Google Drive Using Your iOS Device

Deleting your activity on Google Drive removes the files/folders from the activity view. The steps to follow are below.

Open you’re the Google Drive app on your iOS device
Follow the process above to view recent files.
Select the files that you no longer wish to see on your Google Drive Activity pane
Tap and Hold on to the file to open the options.
From the drop-down menu, tap on “Don’t Show in the Activity list.”
The process is complete, and the files and folders will not show on the recent activity pane.

By doing this, your recent activity will be deleted from your iOS device.

How Can I Clear my Recent History in Google Drive Without Deleting the Actual Files?

Currently, there is no option in Google Drive to use this function. However, it is a noble thought that Google app developers should think and develop a solution.

Conclusion

This tutorial explained how to view and delete recent activity in the Google Drive application. Removing recent history is mainly for security purposes. Try from your end and see the changes.