Google now lets you download entire search history

Google will now let you download and export your entire search history. (Tweet This)

The search giant already allowed users to view their history, but now they can download their entire history in just a few simple steps.

As first noticed by the unofficial Google Operating System blog and pointed out by VentureBeat, users just need to go to their Google Account history and then hit the gear icon in the upper right corner and hit "download."

A user's search history will only appear for the time that they have enabled the Web history setting.

Once a user opts to download their history, a window appears warning the user not to download the archive on a public computer. It also states that Google will email the user once the archive is ready.

The email displays the search history as JSON files organized chronologically by quarter. These can be downloaded as zip files to a desktop.

Since 2011, Google has offered a service called "Takeout," which enables users to move certain data out of Google, including Gmail, Google +, YouTube and Google Calendar. This is part of an effort to give users a sense of greater control over their data.

Last week, Google also enabled a new feature that allows Android users to find their phones by simply typing "Find my phone" into their Chrome browser. As long as the Android user has the phone logged into a Google account, users can track their device's location.

:story: CNBC