Clearing your browsing history takes about thirty seconds, and it's worth knowing how. But there's a catch most guides skip: the history on your device is only one copy. If you're signed in to Google, Apple or Microsoft, there may be another copy in your account, and clearing your browser doesn't touch it. This guide covers both, plus the things that clearing history simply can't reach.
Google Chrome
On a computer
- Open Chrome and click the three dots (More) at the top right.
- Choose Delete browsing data.
- Pick a time range. All time clears everything.
- Tick Browsing history, plus anything else you want gone, such as cookies.
- Click Delete data.
On an Android phone
- Open Chrome and tap the three dots (More) at the top right.
- Tap Delete browsing data.
- Choose the time range, tick Browsing history, then tap Delete data.
If you use Chrome on an iPhone, the option is in the same three-dots menu. If Chrome sync is switched on, deleting history on one device deletes it on the others too.
Safari
On an iPhone
- Open the Settings app, tap Apps, then Safari.
- Scroll down and tap Clear History and Website Data.
- Choose how far back to clear, then tap Clear History.
This doesn't delete your saved AutoFill details. If the button is greyed out, there's either nothing to clear or Screen Time restrictions are switched on.
On a Mac
- Open Safari and choose History > Clear History from the menu bar.
- Use the pop-up menu to choose how far back to go, then confirm.
If Safari uses iCloud, the history is cleared on your other Apple devices as well. Your downloaded files stay put; only the record of downloading them goes.
Microsoft Edge
- Click the three dots (Settings and more), then Settings.
- Go to Privacy, search, and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, choose Choose what to clear.
- Pick a time range, tick what you want removed, and click Clear now.
With sync on, Edge clears it on all your signed-in devices. To clear only this computer, turn sync off first (Settings > Profiles > Sync).
Firefox
- Open the menu (three lines, top right) and choose History.
- Choose Clear recent history. The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl + Shift + Delete on Windows, or Command + Shift + Delete on a Mac.
- Pick a time range and what to remove, then confirm.
The copy people forget: your account history
If you're signed in to a Google account, Google may keep its own record of your searches and the sites you visit in Chrome, under Web & App Activity. Clearing Chrome's history on your phone doesn't delete it. To see and remove it:
- Go to myactivity.google.com and sign in.
- Click Delete at the top, choose All time, then Next and Delete.
Better still, set it to tidy itself up. In your Google Account, go to Data & privacy, pick the activity type under History settings, choose Auto-delete and pick how long to keep it. Or pause the activity entirely if you don't want it saved at all.
Microsoft keeps a similar record for Edge if you sync it. You can view and clear it from the Microsoft privacy dashboard at account.microsoft.com/privacy.
What clearing history doesn't clear
This is the honest bit. Clearing your history tidies up your own device and account. It doesn't reach:
- Your broadband or mobile provider. They can see which websites you connect to, whatever your browser remembers.
- Your employer or school, if you're using their network or their computer.
- The websites themselves. A shop or social network keeps its own records of what you did there, especially if you were logged in.
If you'd rather not create the history in the first place, a private window helps on your own device (see what incognito does and doesn't hide), and a VPN hides your browsing from your broadband provider (see how to use a VPN).
A sensible routine
- Set Google's auto-delete once, so your account history looks after itself.
- On a shared or borrowed computer, use a private window and sign out when you're done.
- Clear cookies too if you want sites to forget you. You'll have to sign back in to things afterwards.
None of this is dramatic. It's just housekeeping, and it takes less time than making a cup of tea.