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I have been using chrome on a machine I no longer have access to. I would like to access my browsing history. I had assumed it would be downloadable on google takeout along with eg location history and search history, but I don't see it. I know I have had my browsing history sync'd with other devices, which is what led me to think it was part of the cross-device "google profile". But if so, I don't know how to access it if not google takeout. In short, I'd like to access my browsing history given that:

  1. I don't have access to the physical machine with the browser so I can't just get the sql file stored on the local file system, and
  2. I don't have a machine I can trust enough to get chrome to sync browsing history with.

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Is Chrome browsing history stored as part of the google profile?

Yes, if you're signed in and have Chrome Sync turned on.


What's saved in your Web & App Activity

Activity from Chrome and other apps

When you check the box next to "Include history from Chrome and other apps in your Web & App Activity," Google saves information like:

  • Your Chrome browsing history (if you're signed in and have Chrome Sync turned on). This information helps you see more accurate results and suggestions. For example, if you read a lot of articles about your favorite sports team, you might see an option to receive news updates about that team.

  • The apps you use and the data they share with Google. This lets you see things like sites or content that you've looked at in other apps in your Google search results.

Source Google Web & App Activity


Further reading

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  • this is close but I was looking for the actual browsing history, whereas what I see in your link is the search history. (it does also store browser navigation one link away from google search results, though, which is helpful.) But if I just navigate to a site that site will show up in my chrome history (ctrl-H) but not in what you linked to. Perhaps the full (ctrl-H) chrome history just isn't part of the google profile (or at least what we're exposed to)? Jul 19, 2015 at 18:27
  • @JasonFarnon "Google saves information like: " Your Chrome browsing history (if you're signed in and have Chrome Sync turned on)."
    – DavidPostill
    Jul 19, 2015 at 18:39
  • @JasonFarnon Stored in "Web & App Activity". Answer updated.
    – DavidPostill
    Jul 19, 2015 at 18:42
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    Do you find it to be the case though? I have "Include history from Chrome and other apps in your Web & App Activity" checked in my account history (note from my question I don't have access to a trusted machine so I don't want to turn on syncing in chrome->settings). I visit website A by entering its URL directly and it doesn't show up in Web & App Activity. I then do a google search with website A's domain, click on the search result, and it does show up in Web & App Activity indexed by the google search. Jul 19, 2015 at 19:53
  • @JasonFarnon No idea, I haven't tested it. The docs say "if you're signed in and have Chrome Sync turned on". You don't have sync turned on as per your comment so it won't show up.
    – DavidPostill
    Jul 19, 2015 at 19:55

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