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Google adds delete button for last 15 minutes of Search activity, ‘Locked Folder’ for Pixel Photos

In a privacy push at Google I/O 2021, the company has announced a couple of new tools that will be rolling out. First, the option to quickly delete the last 15 minutes of activity on your Google account and, second, a “Locked Folder” on Google Photos for Android.

Google will add a handy one-tap option for Search that allows users to quickly delete the last 15 minutes of activity on their account. This makes it easier to remove the last Search you made from your account history without diving into wider account settings. Just one tap and the data is gone.

This feature, pictured above, is rolling out starting today.

We’re introducing a new, “quick delete” option to delete the last 15 minutes of your Search history with a single tap from the Google Account Menu.

Further, Google Photos on Android is adding a new “Locked Folder” feature. This hides personal or sensitive images behind a password, PIN, or biometrics. The feature is rolling out starting today to Google Pixel smartphones and will expand to other Android devices over the course of 2021.

Have you ever handed your phone to show someone a photo, but worried they might scroll to a personal or sensitive image — like a photo of your passport or a surprise gift? “Locked Folder” is a new feature in Google Photos —  a passcode-protected space where select photos can be saved separately. These photos won’t show up as you scroll through your grid or in shared albums. This feature is coming to Google Pixels first, and more Android devices throughout the year.

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Avatar for Ben Schoon Ben Schoon

Ben is a Senior Editor for 9to5Google.

Find him on Twitter @NexusBen. Send tips to schoon@9to5g.com or encrypted to benschoon@protonmail.com.


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