Where to find the clear history option on Samsung

On Samsung phones and tablets, the steps to clear your browsing history depend on which browser you use. Most Samsung devices come with either Samsung Internet or Google Chrome pre-installed, and each one stores history in a different place.

If you use Samsung Internet, open the app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner. Scroll down and tap "Settings," then "Privacy." You'll see "Delete browsing data" — tap that option and choose what you want to remove.

If you use Google Chrome, open the app and tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner. Select "History," then "Clear browsing data" at the top of the screen. A window will pop up with options for what to delete and how far back to go.

Key Takeaways

  • Samsung Internet and Google Chrome are the two most common browsers on Samsung devices, and each has its own history-clearing location.
  • You can choose to clear all history or set a time range — last hour, last 24 hours, last 7 days, last 4 weeks, or all time.
  • Clearing history removes the list of websites you visited but does not delete saved passwords unless you specifically select that option.
  • Some Samsung devices also let you set browsers to clear history automatically when you close the app.

What gets deleted when you clear history

When you tap "Clear browsing data," you're removing the record of websites you visited. The browser stops showing those sites in your address bar suggestions and in your history list. However, clearing history does not automatically delete other data tied to those visits.

By default, most Samsung browsers only clear the history itself. If you want to also remove cookies, cached images, and saved form data from those websites, you need to check those boxes before you confirm. Passwords and autofill information usually stay unless you specifically select "Passwords and other sign-in data" or "Autofill form data."

Clearing history on Samsung Internet step by step

Open Samsung Internet and look at the bottom of the screen. Tap the three-line menu icon on the right side. Scroll down past your bookmarks and open tabs until you see "Settings."

In Settings, tap "Privacy." You'll see several options — "Delete browsing data" is the one you want. Tap it, and a window will appear asking what time range to clear. Choose "All time" if you want everything gone, or pick a shorter range like "Last 24 hours" or "Last 7 days."

Below the time range, you'll see checkboxes for "Browsing history," "Cookies and site data," and "Cached images and files." History is checked by default. If you also want to remove cookies and cached data, check those boxes too. Then tap "Delete" to finish.

Clearing history on Google Chrome step by step

Open Chrome and tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner of the screen. Tap "History" — you'll see a list of sites you've visited. At the very top, tap "Clear browsing data."

A popup will appear with a time range dropdown at the top. The default is "All time," but you can change it to "Last hour," "Last 24 hours," "Last 7 days," or "Last 4 weeks." Below that are checkboxes for what to delete — "Cookies and site data" and "Cached images and files" are usually checked along with history.

Make sure "Browsing history" is checked, then tap "Clear data" at the bottom. Chrome will remove your history and any other data you selected. The process usually takes a few seconds.

Setting up automatic history clearing

Both Samsung Internet and Chrome let you set the browser to clear history automatically when you close the app. This is useful if you want your browsing activity deleted without having to remember to do it manually each time.

On Samsung Internet, go to Settings > Privacy and look for "Delete browsing data on exit." Toggle this on, and the browser will clear your history every time you close the app completely. You can still choose which data types to delete automatically by checking the boxes below this setting.

On Google Chrome, tap the three-dot menu, go to Settings, and scroll down to "Privacy and security." Tap "Clear browsing data" and toggle on "Clear browsing data." Then choose which data types you want deleted automatically — Chrome will remove them each time you close the app.

Clearing history from Samsung's system settings

If you want to clear data across multiple apps at once, you can use Samsung's built-in storage and cache clearing tools. Go to your phone's Settings app, tap "Apps," and select the browser you use. Tap "Storage," then "Clear cache" to remove temporary files, or "Clear data" to remove everything including history and saved passwords.

Be careful with "Clear data" — it will sign you out of websites and remove all saved information for that app. "Clear cache" is safer if you only want to free up space without losing your login information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does clearing history delete my saved passwords?

No, not by default. When you clear browsing history, passwords stay saved unless you specifically check the box for "Passwords and other sign-in data" before you delete. If you want to keep your passwords but remove everything else, leave that box unchecked.

Can I recover history after I clear it?

Once you clear your browsing history, it cannot be recovered from the browser itself. However, if you use a Samsung account or Google account, some data may be stored in your account backup. Check your account settings to see what's backed up and restore it if needed.

What's the difference between clearing cache and clearing history?

History is the list of websites you visited. Cache is temporary files — images, scripts, and other data — that websites store on your phone to load faster next time. Clearing cache frees up space; clearing history removes the record of where you've been.

Will clearing history speed up my Samsung phone?

Clearing history alone won't make a noticeable difference in speed. Clearing cache can free up storage space, which may help if your phone is running low on storage. If your phone feels slow, clearing cache is more useful than clearing history.

Can I clear history for just one website?

Most Samsung browsers don't have a built-in option to delete history for a single site. You can only clear history for a time range or all of it. However, you can visit a website and tap the menu to remove it from your suggestions, which hides it from your address bar but doesn't delete the history entry itself.