How to clear your browsers history (the list of sites you’ve visited)

by Ross McKillop on July 3, 2006

Firefox Internet Explorer Safari

To learn how to clear (delete) the history of previously viewed or visited web sites, select your web browser below -

Android Browser (Android OS 2.x)
Android Browser (Android OS 3.x)
Google Chrome for Android (Android OS 4.x)
Internet Explorer 6 (Windows)
Internet Explorer 7 (Windows)
Internet Explorer 9 (Windows)
Firefox 1.5 and 2.0 (Windows and Mac)
Kindle Fire Browser
Safari 2.x (Mac)
Safari 5.x (Mac)
Safari 5.x (Windows)
Safari for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad
Camino 1.x (Mac)
Opera 9.x (Windows)

Internet Explorer 6 (Windows)

  1. To clear the History in Internet Explorer, select Tools from the top IE menu and then Internet Options… from the drop-down list

  2. On the General tab, click the Clear History button


    3. Click to enlarge

  3. Select Yes when prompted


    4. Click to enlarge

  4. That’s it! Your history is now clear.

Internet Explorer 7 (Windows)

  1. Start by clicking Tools and then select Clear Browsing History…

    2. Tools button for IE 7

  2. Click the Delete history… button

    3. ie7 clear internet options window
    Click to enlarge

  3. Click Yes

    4. delete history confirmation window

  4. Watch the pretty window…

    5. delete history animated window

  5. Click Close to return to IE.

    6. ie7 clear browsing info screen again
    Click to enlarge

Firefox 1.5 and 2.0 (Windows and Mac)

  1. The easiest way to clear the History in Firefox is to select Tools from the top menu and then Clear Private Data… from the drop-down list


    2. Click to enlarge

  2. Make sure that Browsing History is selected (the rest you can select at your own discretion) and click Clear Private Data Now. Note: the screenshot below is from Firefox 1.5. The Clear Private Data window is slightly different in Firefox 2.0, but not much.


    3. Click to enlarge

  3. That’s it! Your history is now clear.

Safari 2.x (Mac)

  1. Safari could not have made it easier (or faster) to clear your browsing history. To do so, select History from the top menu, and Clear History from the drop-down list


    2. Click to enlarge

  2. That’s it! Your history is now clear.

Camino 1.x (Mac)

  1. Similar to Safari, Camino has made it very easy to clear your browsing history. To do so, select Go from the top menu, and then Clear History from the drop-down list


    2. Click to enlarge

  2. Click Clear History when prompted


    3. Click to enlarge

  3. That’s it! Your history is now clear.

Opera 9.x (Windows)

  1. The fastest way to clear the History in Opera is to select Tools from the top menu, and then Delete private data… from the drop-down list

  2. Make sure that the 4 Clear History entries are selected. They others you may choose to select at your own discretion. When you’re done, click Delete


    3. Click to enlarge

  3. That’s it! Your history is now clear.
  • fc

    What the hell is a “Firefox” and a “Safari”??

  • Brendan Smoker

    This website is so awesome. i needed to know how to clearly and your directions were so easy to follow. Thanks alot.

  • J

    They’re internet browsers, just like Internet Explorer.

  • http://msn.com victor

    bueno mi pregunta es como borrar los popups de mi comp y porke se buelve mas lenta al abrir una pagina web gracias les a gradeceria si me facilitaran esa pregunta gracias

  • arra

    går inte att ta bort historik på firefox din dumma jävel

  • Escape

    Thanks for the article. Had a clarification for Safari on Mac.
    If I was to click on the “Show All History” option and then select an individual item for deletion, do I need to delete the item from trash too (the equivalent of clear recycle bin as when I delete an items from Internet Explorer in Windows). Or is deletion of history a single step method with Safari. Thanks!

  • Café

    yo quiero saber cómo borrar Solo una de esas páginas visitadas no puedo. si seguis ese procedimiento borras todas las paginas, si las borras dandole una a una en el historial que está a mano izquierda y que tiene una estrellita no borra la lista desplegable de arriba?

  • roder

    Como apago o historico do navegador do meu blackberry?