What gets deleted when you clear your history
Clearing your history removes the record of websites you've visited, searches you've made, and files your browser has stored locally. On most computers, this includes your browsing history, cookies, cached images and files, and autofill data. The exact items deleted depend on which browser you use and what settings you choose — you can usually pick and choose what to remove rather than clearing everything at once.
Clearing history does not delete files you downloaded and saved to your computer, emails in your inbox, or documents you created. It only removes the browser's record of where you've been and temporary files it stored to load websites faster. If you want to delete downloaded files, you'll need to find them in your Downloads folder and remove them separately.
Different browsers store this information in different locations, so the steps to clear it vary. The three most common browsers — Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox — all have a dedicated menu for this task, but the names and keyboard shortcuts differ slightly.
Key Takeaways
- Clearing history removes your browsing record and temporary files, but not downloaded files or documents you created.
- You can choose to clear only history, only cookies, or a combination — most browsers let you select what to remove.
- Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox each have a dedicated history-clearing menu accessible through keyboard shortcuts or the settings menu.
- You can set your browser to automatically clear history when you close it, so you don't have to do it manually each time.
Clearing history in Google Chrome
Open Google Chrome and press Ctrl + H on Windows or Command + Y on Mac to open your history page. On the left side, click Clear browsing data. A window will appear with a dropdown menu at the top that says "Time range" — select how far back you want to clear. Choose All time to remove everything, or pick a specific range like "Last hour" or "Last 7 days".
Below the time range, you'll see checkboxes for different types of data. The boxes for Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files are usually checked by default. Leave them checked unless you have a reason not to. Click the blue Clear data button at the bottom right. Chrome will clear the selected items when ready, and the window will close.
If you want Chrome to clear your history automatically every time you close the browser, open Chrome's settings by clicking the three vertical dots in the top right corner, then select Settings. Go to Privacy and security on the left, then click Clear browsing data. Check the box that says Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. From that point on, your history will be wiped each time you close the browser completely.
Clearing history in Microsoft Edge
Open Microsoft Edge and press Ctrl + Shift + Delete on Windows to jump directly to the clear browsing data page. On Mac, use Command + Shift + Delete. You'll see a window with a "Time range" dropdown at the top — select All time or a specific period. The checkboxes below include Browsing history, read history, Cookies and other site data, and Cached images and files.
Make sure the items you want to remove are checked, then click the blue Clear now button. Edge will delete the selected data when ready. If you want to automatically clear your history when you close Edge, click the three horizontal dots in the top right corner, select Settings, then go to Privacy, search, and services. Scroll down to Clear browsing data and toggle on Choose what to clear every time you close the browser. You can also toggle on Clear browsing data to have Edge do it automatically without asking.
Clearing history in Firefox
Open Firefox and press Ctrl + Shift + Delete on Windows or Command + Shift + Delete on Mac to open the clear history window directly. At the top, you'll see a dropdown labeled Time range for "Clear Recent History" — select Everything to remove all history, or choose a specific timeframe. Below that are checkboxes for Browsing & read History, Cookies, Cache, and other data types.
Check the boxes for the items you want to remove, then click the blue Clear Now button. Firefox will delete the selected data right away. To set Firefox to clear history automatically when you close it, click the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the top right, select Settings, then go to Privacy & Security on the left. Under History, find the dropdown that says "Firefox will" and select Use custom settings for history. Check the box for Clear history when Firefox closes.
What to do if you need to recover deleted history
Once you clear your history, it's gone from your browser. Your internet service provider and any websites you visited may still have records of your activity, but your local browser history cannot be recovered through normal means. If you deleted history by accident and need to know what sites you visited, check your router's activity log or contact your ISP — they keep records of traffic that passes through their network.
If you're trying to find a specific website you visited recently but didn't bookmark it, try searching your email for confirmation messages from that site, or check your credit card or bank statements if you made a purchase. You can also search your computer's file system for downloaded files from that site, which may help you remember where you were.
Clearing history on mobile browsers
Mobile browsers work the same way as desktop versions, but the menus are slightly different because of screen size. On an iPhone using Safari, swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or tap the three lines icon), then tap the book icon to open History. Tap Clear at the bottom right, select a time range, and confirm. On Android using Chrome, tap the three dots in the top right, select History, then tap Clear browsing data and follow the same steps as the desktop version.
The data cleared on mobile is separate from your desktop browser, so clearing history on your phone does not affect your computer's history, and vice versa. If you use the same browser account on multiple devices, some browsers offer an option to sync history across devices — clearing it on one device may clear it on others if that setting is turned on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing history delete my passwords?
No. Clearing history removes your browsing record and cookies, but not saved passwords. If you want to delete saved passwords, you need to go to your browser's password manager separately. In Chrome, go to Settings > Passwords. In Edge, go to Settings > Passwords. In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Passwords.
Will clearing history speed up my computer?
Clearing cached files may free up a small amount of disk space, but it won't noticeably speed up your computer unless your cache folder is extremely large. Browsers cache files to load websites faster, so clearing cache might actually make websites load slightly slower the first time you visit them after clearing, because the browser has to read those files again.
Can someone see my history if I clear it?
Clearing your browser history hides it from anyone who uses your computer. However, your internet service provider, your employer (if using a work network), and the websites you visit can still see your activity through their own logs. Clearing history only removes the local record on your device.
What's the difference between history and cookies?
History is the list of websites you've visited. Cookies are small files websites store on your computer to remember you — they let sites keep you logged in, remember your preferences, and track your activity. You can clear one without clearing the other, though most people clear both at the same time.
Should I clear my history regularly?
How often you clear history is a personal choice. Some people clear it weekly or monthly for privacy, others only when selling or giving away their computer. If you share your computer with others, clearing history regularly keeps your browsing private from them. If you're the only user, there's no technical reason to clear it unless you're running low on disk space.