How do I clear the Google recently searched items that come up in search bar?
I just noticed that if I start typing a previously searched word it
will come up. How do I clear this?

Dear Mark, 

This could have nothing to do with Google: you haven't mentioned if it
happens when when you use the Google Toolbar, or if it happens on the
search bar of the page: www.google.com

If you use the Google Toolbar (as in the bar downloaded on
http://toolbar.google.com), it could remember your previous searches
(and it could be prevented from doing so). If you use Internet
Explorer 6.0 as a browser (which most users do), it could also
remember your previous searches.

If this appears on the Google Toolbar
=====================================
If you click the "Google" sign in the far left side of the bar, you
get several drop-down options:
- One is titled "Clear Search History" - hre you could clear the
history, if you want it to continue and save your previous search
history, but to erase those already done.
- One is titled "options". If you click on this one, you have an
option called "Drop Down Search History". If this option is checked,
un-check it. Consequently, future searches you make would not be
saved.


If this appears on the Google search line (as in the line on www.google.com)
=========================================
This could be your option on the Internet Explorer. 

You could remove this function, called "Auto Complete", like that:

(1) Go to Start  --->  "Settings" ----> Control Panel (or: click on
"Tools" on the top of your browser)

(2) Choose Internet Options 

(3) Choose "Content", in the folders beginning with "General" and
ending with "Advanced" (with
Security-privacy-content-connections-programmes in the middle).

(4) Click on "Auto Complete" and remove approvals next to "forms". 

(5) Click OK, then "Apply"/OK. 

[Note: If your computer is not in English, the names might change, but
not the way to remove Auto Complete].

In addition, you could also delete your history, that is - the sites
that you've visited in the past, by doing another process:

(1) Repeat stages 1-2 in the first instructions. 
(2) Choose the folder "General"
(3) Click on "delete cookies" (if you haven't done it for a while, it
might take some time)
(4) Click on "delete files" and approve deletion also of off-line content. 
(5) Click on "clear history" - you could decide how many days you
would like your computer to keep history in the first place.

Marcy Zitz from About.com provides here more information on the "Auto
Complete" feature and how to disable it:
<http://familyinternet.about.com/library/weekly/aa072501a.htm>

I hope this answered your question. Please contact me if you need any
clarification on this answer before you rate it.

Auto complete was the problem. Thank you!

Thank you for the rating!