Search (or Spotlight search) is one of the most frequently used features of the iPhone. It’s the quickest way to search for anything on your iPhone and the web. Whether you find a contact, an app, a message, a saved note, or information from the web, iPhone users reach for Search more often than anything else with just a swipe. With Siri knowledge, you don’t even have to open the browser to get information on some topics.

But in iOS 16, the new Search also shows your recent searches when you open it. While some people don’t mind them, for others, it’s one of the only things to not like about it. They make it rather easy for others to snoop around. And there’s no option to disable them.

You can delete your recent searches but deleting them one by one can be an annoyance. Fortunately, with iOS 16.1.1, you can clear all your recent searches in one fell swoop. For people who don’t like the recent search results at all, an option to disable them might have been the better approach. But the ability to clear them in one go is a better tradeoff than going completely nuclear. Here’s how to do it.

Swipe down on your Home Screen or tap the ‘Search’ button to open Search on your iPhone.

Your recent searches will appear under ‘Siri Suggestions’. Tap and hold on any recent search result from the list.

Depending on the type of search, you’ll get a single or a few options on the screen; tap ‘Clear Recent Results’ from these options.

And voila! Your Spotlight Search screen will be free from the plague of your recent searches.

To refresh your memory, if you want to delete an individual search result, swipe left on the result and tap ‘Clear’.

iOS 16 is full of great features and it’s getting better every day with small enhancements. The ability to clear your recent searches is one such addition. It may be a small improvement, but many users are going to appreciate it.