How to Clear Your Browser History

Your browsing data — such as cache, cookies, and browsing history — can accumulate over time, potentially damaging your privacy. Whether you trying to free up storage, limit tracking, or protect yourself from digital forensics, clearing browsing data is an important first step on your privacy journey.

Google Chrome

To start, launch Google Chrome. On the upper right-hand corner, click on the three-dots icon to see a list of options. Then, click on Settings

Screenshot: Google Home Page

You should see the following menu.

Screenshot: Google Chrome Settings

On the left, navigate to Privacy and Security. You should see the following screen.

Screenshot: Google Chrome Privacy and Security Settings

Click Delete browsing data. Here, you can check whether to clear your browsing history, cookies, and cached images & files. Chrome also allows you select the time range of the data marked for deletion.

Screenshot: Google Chrome browser data options

After making any necessary changes, click Delete data.

Firefox

Start by launching Firefox. On the upper right-hand corner, click on the three-dot icon to see a list of options. There, click on Settings.

Screenshot: Firefox browser with Privacy Guides Homepage

On the left, navigate to Privacy and Security. You should see the following screen.

Screenshot: Firefox Settings

Scroll down to Cookies and Site Data.

Screenshot: Firefox Settings

You have the option of either clearing your browsing data within a time range or in selected websites. Note that the latter deletes the website’s cookies and cache, not history.

Screenshot: Firefox Settings prompt displaying browser data

Click on Clear data if you prefer the former. Like Google Chrome, you can chose what types of data to delete and its time range. After making your selection, click Clear to finalize the process.

Safari

Unlike Chrome and Firefox, Safari separates history settings from its privacy settings. For the purposes of this guide, we will delete browsing history first.

After opening Safari, move your cursor to the upper left-hand corner. Click History once the title bar appears.

Screenshot: Safari with Privacy Guides Homepage

If you want to clear browsing history in a specified time range, select Clear History at the bottom and follow the prompt. Otherwise, click Show All History.

Screenshot: History Panel in Safari

In this menu, you can choose websites to delete from your history. Use the search bar to find the exact name of the website. You can also navigate to a specific data and time.

Screenshot: History Panel in Safari

Now, lets delete the cookies and cache data. Move your cursor to the title bar again and click Safari to see a drop down menu.

Screenshot: Safari title bar

Then, click Settings and then navigate to Privacy. You will see this screen.

Screenshot: Safari Privacy Settings

Click Manage Website Data…

Screenshot: Prompt displaying website browser data

Another menu will appear with a list of websites and their corresponding browsing data types. As always, you can mark specified websites for deletion. Once you are done, click Remove.

Brave Browser

As a Chromium-based browser, Brave is quite similar to Chrome. To start, launch Brave. On the upper right-hand corner, click on the three-bars icon to see a list of options. Then, click on Settings

Screenshot: Brave Home Page

You should see the following menu.

Screenshot: Brave Settings

On the left, select Privacy and Security. You should see the following screen.

Screenshot: Brave Privacy and Security Settings

Click Delete browsing data. Here, you can check whether to clear your browsing history, cookies, and cached images & files.

Screenshot: Brave browser data options

Under Advanced, Brave also allows you select the time range of the data marked for deletion.

Screenshot: Brave Browser data options

After making any necessary changes, click Delete data.

Microsoft Edge

Finally, we will finish this tutorial with Microsoft Edge. Start by launching the browser. On the upper right-hand corner, click on the three-dots icon. Next, click Settings.

Screenshot: Edge Home Page

In the settings page, navigate to Privacy, Search, and Services

Screenshot: Edge Settings

Under Delete Browsing Data, click on Choose What to Clear.

Screenshot: Edge Settings

Modify the time range and data to be deleted. Afterwards, click Clear Now.

Screenshot: Edge data options