Facebook keeps search history for a limited period of time before automatically deleting it. The exact length of time Facebook stores search history depends on the type of search.
Search history on Facebook website
When you search for something on Facebook using the website, Facebook stores that search for 6 months before automatically deleting it from their records.
Facebook has stated that they store search history for users in order to improve the relevancy of future search results. By keeping a record of what users have searched for in the past, Facebook can learn about your interests and preferences and tailor future search results accordingly.
After 6 months, Facebook permanently deletes the record of that search from their logs and databases. They do this to protect user privacy and prevent stored data from becoming outdated.
How Facebook deletes search history data
When Facebook deletes search history after 6 months, they completely remove it from their servers and databases. The data is not stored anywhere else – it is permanently erased.
Some key points about how Facebook handles deletion of search history data:
- The deletion process is automatic – no action is needed from users.
- Facebook will not keep or archive any part of the search data beyond 6 months.
- The deletion applies to searches conducted through the Facebook website only, not the mobile app.
- Facebook will also delete any metadata or algorithms derived from the search history along with the raw search queries.
- Once deleted, the search history data cannot be recovered.
In summary, 6 months after a search on Facebook, all records of that search are completely and permanently removed from Facebook’s systems.
Search history on Facebook mobile app
The Facebook mobile app also records user search history, but stores it for a shorter period of time compared to the website.
Specifically, any searches you perform in the Facebook mobile app are only stored for 48 hours before being deleted.
So if you search for something on Facebook from your smartphone today, that search query will be automatically erased from Facebook’s records in 2 days time.
The reason Facebook stores mobile search history for a shorter duration seems to be protecting privacy on-the-go. People tend to search for more personal or sensitive things from their phone compared to on a computer. By limiting retention of mobile search history to just 48 hours, Facebook reduces privacy risks around sensitive searches.
Why search history is stored at all
You may wonder why Facebook stores any search history at all, even if just for 48 hours or 6 months. There are a few reasons why:
- To improve relevance of future search results, as mentioned.
- To better understand user interests and preferences.
- To improve spell correction and search syntax analysis.
- For internal analytics, testing and product improvement.
Facebook claims they need to retain search history for short periods to enhance the search experience. But they also balance this with automatic deletion to protect user privacy.
How to delete search history early
If you don’t want Facebook storing any of your search history at all, even for 48 hours or 6 months, there are ways to manually delete it earlier:
- On the website: Go to your Facebook search history page and delete searches one by one or clear your full history.
- In the app: There is no way to view or delete your search history in the Facebook app itself. But go to your Facebook settings and turn “Search History” off to prevent any searches from being stored at all moving forward.
How to delete website search history
Here are step-by-step instructions for manually deleting search history from Facebook on the web:
- Go to facebook.com and log into your account.
- Click on the down arrow at the top right and choose “Settings & Privacy”.
- Go to the “Your Facebook Information” section and click on “View.”
- On the Activity Log page, click “Your Recent Searches” under the Search History category.
- This will display your recent searches – click the “X” icon next to any search you want to delete.
- To delete everything, click “Clear Searches” at the top.
This immediately erases these searches from Facebook’s records and storage.
How to turn off search history in app
To prevent the Facebook app from storing any search history at all:
- Open the Facebook app and tap the three-line menu icon.
- Scroll down and choose “Settings & Privacy” then “Settings.”
- Tap “Media and Contacts.”
- Turn “Search History” off.
With search history disabled here, any searches via the mobile app will not be retained by Facebook at all.
Private browsing
Another option is to always use Facebook’s private browsing mode. This prevents Facebook from recording any of your activity in a session, including searches.
On the website, you can enable private browsing mode in your browser. For example, in Chrome, open an Incognito window and use Facebook there.
In the Facebook mobile apps, tap the “More” tab and enable Private Browsing there. Any Facebook searches and activity during these private sessions are not logged or stored.
Conclusion
In summary:
- Facebook stores search history from the website for 6 months before deleting.
- Searches from the mobile apps are kept for only 48 hours.
- This allows Facebook to improve relevancy while limiting privacy risks.
- Users can delete search history early if they wish via settings.
- Private browsing prevents search history being stored at all.
So in general, any given Facebook search query will not be retained for more than 6 months before being erased. But users can take steps to delete search history sooner or prevent it being stored in the first place as well.