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How to delete your browser history

If you don’t want a record of the web pages you’ve visited, you can delete some or all of your browsing history.

Chrome (desktop) – Clear your history

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, click More.
  3. Click History and then History.
  4. On the left, click Clear browsing data. A new tab will open and a box will appear.
  5. From the drop-down menu, select the time range of history you want to delete. To clear everything, select All time.
  6. Check the boxes for the info you want Chrome to clear, including “Browsing history.”
  7. Click Clear data.

Delete an item from your history

You can delete certain parts of your history. To search for something specific, use the search bar at the top.

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, click More.
  3. Click History and then History.
  4. Check the box next to each item that you want to remove from your History.
  5. At the top right, click Delete.
  6. Confirm by clicking Remove.

Browse privately

If you don’t want Chrome to save your browsing history at all, you can browse in private with Incognito mode.

Chrome (Android) – Clear your history

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, click More.
  3. Click History and then History.
  4. Tap Clear browsing data.
  5. Next to ‘Time range’ select how much history you want to delete. To clear everything, tap ‘All time’.
  6. Check the boxes for the info you want Chrome to clear, including “Browsing history.”
  7. Tap Clear data.

Delete an item from your history

You can delete certain parts of your history. To search for something specific, at the top right, tap Search.

  1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Chrome app.
  2. At the top right, tap More. Then History.
  3. Find the entry you want to delete.
  4. To the right, tap Remove.

To delete multiple items, touch and hold an entry. Select other entries you want to delete. Then, at the top right, tap Remove.

Browse privately

If you don’t want Chrome to save your browsing history at all, you can browse in private with Incognito mode.

Safari (desktop) – Clear your history

You can remove all records that Safari keeps of where you’ve browsed during a period of time you choose. If your Mac and your other devices have Safari turned on in iCloud preferences, your browsing history is removed from all of them.

  1. In the Safari app on your Mac, choose History > Clear History, then click the pop-up menu.
  2. Choose how far back you want your browsing history cleared.

Browse privately

When you use Private Browsing windows, Safari doesn’t save your browsing history, and it asks websites you visit not to track you.

  1. In the Safari app on your Mac, choose File > New Private Window, or switch to a Safari window that’s already using Private Browsing.
  2. A window that’s using Private Browsing has a dark Smart Search field with white text.

Safari (iPhone / iPad) – Clear your history

You can remove all records that Safari keeps of where you’ve browsed during a period of time you choose. If your Mac and your other devices have Safari turned on in iCloud preferences, your browsing history is removed from all of them.

  1. In the Safari app on your iPhone/iPad tap the bookmarks icon (the open book). On iPhone this is at the bottom of the screen; on iPad it’s at the top left.
  2. Scroll down and tap Clear History and Website Data, then tap Clear History & Data when iOS asks for confirmation.

Browse privately

When you use Private Browsing windows, Safari doesn’t save your browsing history, and it asks websites you visit not to track you.

  1. Tap on the show pages button at the bottom right of your screen.
  2. Tap on Private in the lower left hand corner.
  3. Tap on done at the bottom right of your screen in the prompt that appears confirming you are in Private Browsing Mode.

Firefox – Clear your history

  1. Click the Library icon top right of your browser.
  2. Click History and then click Clear Recent History.
  3. Click the drop-down menu next to ‘Time range’ to clear to choose how much of your history to remove.
    Firefox will clear (the last hour, the last two hours, the last four hours, the last day or everything).
  4. Use the check boxes to then select what information you want to clear from your history.
  5. Click the Clear Now button.
    The window will close and the items you’ve selected will be cleared from your history.

Browse privately

Private Browsing using Firefox without saving history.

There are two ways to open a new Private Window:

  1. Click the menu button and then click New Private Window.
    The Private Browsing home page will open in a new window.
  2. Hold down the control key while you click on any link and choose Open Link in New Private Window from the context menu.

Tip: Private Browsing windows have a purple mask at the top.

Edge – Clear your history

Your browsing history – including info you’ve entered into forms, passwords, and sites you’ve visited – is the information that Microsoft Edge remembers and stores as you browse the web.

Most of this info is stored on your PC only, but if you use Cortana, some info is also stored in the cloud, to help her bring you more timely and personal suggestions and assistance.

  1. To view your browsing history, select Favourites > History.
    Select Clear history.
  2. Choose the types of data you want to remove from your PC, then select Clear.
  3. If you use Cortana and want to clear browsing history that’s stored in the cloud, select Change what Microsoft Edge knows about me in the cloud, then select Clear activity.

Browse privately

When you use InPrivate tabs or windows, your browsing data (like your history, temporary internet files, and cookies) isn’t saved on your PC once you’re done.

  1. In Microsoft Edge, select the Settings and More icon.
  2. Then select New InPrivate window.

Internet Explorer – Clear your history

To delete browsing history in Internet Explorer 11 and Internet Explorer 10:

  1. In Internet Explorer, select the Tools button, point to Safety, and then select Delete browsing history.
  2. Choose the types of data or files you want to remove from your PC, and then select Delete.

To delete browsing history in Internet Explorer 9:

  1. In Internet Explorer, select the Tools button, and then select Internet options.
  2. Under Browsing history, select Delete.

To delete browsing history in Internet Explorer 8:

  1. In Internet Explorer, select the Safety menu, and then select Delete Browsing History.
  2. Choose the types of data and files you want to remove from your PC, and then select Delete.

Browse privately

To launch InPrivate Browsing in Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on Settings > Safety > InPrivate Browsing.
  2. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+P to launch it.
  3. Alternatively, you can right-click on the IE taskbar icon and select Start InPrivate Browsing.