Where tablet history lives and why you might want to clear it

Your tablet stores three kinds of history: browser history (the websites you visited), search history (what you looked up), and cached data (images, scripts, and files that websites saved to speed up loading). Clearing history does not delete your saved passwords or usernames unless you specifically choose that option. Most tablets let you clear each type separately or all at once.

You might clear history to free up storage space, remove traces of websites you visited, or fix a browser that loads slowly because it is holding too much cached data. The steps differ depending on whether you use an iPad, Android tablet, or a different system, and which browser you use — Safari, Chrome, Firefox, or another app.

Key Takeaways

  • Browser history, search history, and cached data are three separate things, and you can clear one without clearing the others.
  • On an iPad using Safari, go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data and choose a time range.
  • On an Android tablet using Chrome, tap the menu icon (three vertical dots), select History, then tap Clear Browsing Data and choose what to delete.
  • Clearing history does not remove your saved passwords unless you check that box during the process.
  • If you use a different browser like Firefox or Edge, the steps are similar but the menu locations differ slightly.

Clearing history on an iPad with Safari

Open the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Safari. You will see an option labeled "Clear History and Website Data" — tap it. A popup will ask you to choose a time range: the last hour, today, today and yesterday, the last week, the last month, or all time. Select the range you want and tap "Clear History and Data."

This clears your browsing history, search history, and cookies in one action. If you want to clear only cookies and cached data while keeping your history, go back to the Safari settings and look for "Advanced" at the bottom, then tap "Website Data" and swipe left on any site you want to remove. You can also tap "Remove All Website Data" to clear everything at once.

Clearing history on an Android tablet with Chrome

Open the Chrome app. Tap the three vertical dots in the top right corner (called the menu icon). Scroll down and tap "History," then tap "Clear Browsing Data" at the top. A window will open with checkboxes for different types of data: Cookies and site data, Cached images and files, and others. Check the boxes for what you want to delete.

At the top of the window, you will see a dropdown menu that says "All time," "Last 24 hours," "Last 7 days," "Last 4 weeks," or "Last 90 days." Choose your time range, then tap "Clear Data." Chrome will remove only the items you selected for the time period you chose.

Clearing history in Firefox on any tablet

Open Firefox. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner on Android or top right on iPad. Tap "Settings." Scroll down to "Privacy" and tap "Delete Browsing Data." Check the boxes for History, Cookies, and Cache, or select only what you want to remove. Tap "Delete" to confirm.

Firefox also offers a "Clear on Exit" option in the same Privacy menu — if you turn this on, Firefox will automatically clear your history, cookies, and cache every time you close the app. This is useful if you share your tablet with others and want privacy without having to remember to clear manually each time.

Clearing history in Microsoft Edge on any tablet

Open Edge. Tap the three dots in the bottom right corner (Android) or top right (iPad). Tap "Settings," then "Privacy, search, and services." Scroll to "Clear Browsing Data" and tap "Choose What to Clear." Check the boxes for Browsing History, Cookies and Saved Website Data, and Cached Images and Files. Choose your time range from the dropdown, then tap "Clear Now."

Edge also has an option to clear data automatically when you close the app. In the same Privacy settings, toggle on "Clear Browsing Data" under "Clear Browsing Data." You can then choose which types of data to clear automatically.

What gets deleted and what stays when you clear history

Clearing history removes the list of websites you visited, the searches you performed, and temporary files stored on your tablet. It does not remove your saved passwords, usernames, or payment methods unless you specifically check that box during the clearing process. It also does not sign you out of websites — you will stay logged in to your email, social media, and other accounts.

If you want to remove saved passwords, you have to do that separately. On iPad, go to Settings > Passwords and Autofill > Website & App Passwords, find the password you want to delete, and swipe left. On Android Chrome, tap the three dots, go to Settings > Passwords, find the password, and tap the trash icon next to it.

Freeing up storage space by clearing cached data

Cached data — the images, videos, and code that websites store on your tablet — can add up over time and slow down your device. Clearing the cache is one of the fastest ways to free up storage without deleting apps or photos. On most tablets, cached data takes up between 100 megabytes and several gigabytes depending on how much you browse.

If your tablet is running slowly or you are running low on storage, clearing the cache is usually the first step. You can do this without clearing your history by unchecking the "History" box and checking only "Cached Images and Files" when you clear browsing data. Repeat this monthly or whenever you notice your tablet slowing down.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing history sign me out of my accounts?

No. Clearing history removes the list of websites you visited, but it does not sign you out of email, social media, banking, or other accounts. You will stay logged in unless you manually sign out or the website's session expires on its own.

Can I clear history from only one website?

Most browsers do not let you delete history from a single site. Instead, you can clear all history from a specific time period. Some browsers like Safari let you delete individual website data (cookies and cache) by going to Settings and finding the website in your stored data, but the history itself clears as a group.

What if I want to keep some history but delete other parts?

You can clear history and cached data separately from cookies and passwords. When you open the "Clear Browsing Data" menu, uncheck the items you want to keep and check only the ones you want to remove. For example, you can clear cached images while keeping your history and passwords.

Does clearing history delete my saved passwords?

No, unless you check the box for "Passwords" or "Saved Passwords" during the clearing process. By default, most browsers protect your passwords and do not delete them when you clear history. If you want to remove a specific password, you have to do that through your password settings separately.

How often should I clear my tablet's cache?

If your tablet is running smoothly and you have plenty of storage space, you do not need to clear the cache regularly. If you notice your tablet slowing down, running low on storage, or having trouble loading websites, clearing the cache once a month or as needed will help. Some people clear it weekly if they browse heavily.