How to Delete the History From Your Computer

Web browsers store a list of the Web pages you visit on your computer in your browsing history. You can use the history to return to pages you've visited. Anyone with access to your browser can view the history and see a list of Web pages you've visited in chronological order. Because this can be a privacy concern, Web browsers provide a way of deleting your entire history. If you have more than one Web browser installed on your computer, each browser stores its own separate history.

Instructions

Internet Explorer

1. Click the gear icon at the top right corner of the Internet Explorer window and select "Internet Options." Click the "Tools" menu if you don't see a gear icon.

2. Click the "Delete" button under Browsing History on the General pane of the Internet Options window that appears.

3. Enable the check box to the left of "History" in the Delete Browsing History window by clicking it if it's unchecked.

4. Specify the other types of personal data you want to delete by clicking the check boxes to the left of each type of data in the window.

5. Click the "Delete" button," then click "OK."

Mozilla Firefox

1. Click the "Firefox" menu button, point to "History" and click "Clear Recent History." If you don't see the Firefox menu button, click the "Tools" menu and select "Clear Recent History."

2. Click the drop-down box to the right of "Time Range to Clear" and select "Everything."

3. Click the arrow to the left of "Details."

4. Enable the "Browsing & Download History" check box by clicking it if it's unchecked.

5. Select the other types of personal data you want to clear by clicking the check boxes in the details pane, then click "Clear Now."

Google Chrome

1. Click the wrench icon at the top right corner of the Google Chrome window, point to "Tools" and select "Clear Browsing Data."

2. Click the drop-down box in the Clear Browsing Data pane and select "The Beginning of Time" to clear your entire browsing history.

3. Enable the "Clear Browsing History" check box by clicking it if it's unchecked.

4. Specify the other types of personal information you want to delete by clicking the check boxes.

5. Click the "Clear Browsing Data" button.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use your browser's private browsing mode to temporarily browse without saving any browsing history to your computer. Select "InPrivate Browsing" from Internet Explorer's Safety menu in the gear menu, "Start Private Browsing" from Firefox's Firefox menu or Tools menu, or "New Incognito" window from Google Chrome's wrench menu to start browsing privately.

References

• Microsoft: Delete Webpage History
• Mozilla: Clear Recent History
• Google: Delete Your Browsing History