How to Clear the Drop-Down Option on My Browser
Some Internet browsers give you the option to view your recent web history by selecting a drop-down box on your URL address bar. While this is convenient, it also leaves you open to snooping--anyone who uses your computer after you do will be able to see your web history by clicking this drop down box. So it's a smart idea to clear this drop-down box after each session. Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox, two predominant browsers as of 2010, both give you this option.
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Instructions
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Internet Explorer
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1
Click "Tools" then "Internet Options." Select the "General" tab.
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Click "Delete" under the "Browsing History" section. You can also select "Tools" then "Delete Browsing History" as an alternative to bring up this dialog box.
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3
Choose the option to "Delete history." This will clear the drop-down list of all addresses. Click "Close" to return to the "Internet Options" dialog box.
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4
Select "Settings" in the "Browsing History" section. Under the history settings, choose "0" under "Days to keep pages in history." This will prevent your web history from remaining on the computer past one day (optional).
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Check the drop-down list in the address bar to be sure that it is completely clear before you close the browser.
Mozilla Firefox
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6
Click "Tools" then "Options" from the main menu of your Mozilla Firefox browser.
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Select the "Privacy" tab. Check the option to "Clear history when Firefox closes." Click "Settings," which is located right next to this option and make sure that "Browsing History," "Download History" and "Form and Search History" are all checked. Then click "OK."
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Deselect the option to "Remember search and form history" if you do not want the browser to track and store information about the websites that you have visited. Under "Location Bar" select "Nothing" if you do not want the browser to suggest websites to you in the address bar.
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Select "OK" to save all of your new settings.
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Tips & Warnings
These instructions apply specifically to Internet Explorer 7 and Mozilla Firefox 3, but are very similar for other versions of these and many other browsers.
