How to Clear The Browser History (sites you’ve visited)

This guide will explain step by step how to clear the browser history (the list of sites you’ve visited) in most modern web browsers, and many old (legacy) browsers as well.

This list of browsers was first compiled all the way back in 2006. Now it’s been updated to include all modern (2020) popular web browsers, with the old ones still included here but in the Legacy Browsers section.

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

Clear The Browser History in Modern Browsers

How to Delete Your Browsing History in Google Chrome
How to Clear the Firefox Cache, History and Cookies
How to Delete Your Browsing History in Microsoft Edge
How to Delete Your Browsing History in Safari
How to Clear Your Browsing History in Chrome Canary
How to Clear Your Browsing History in Vivaldi

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Google Chrome

To clear the history (and/or cache, cookies etc) in Google Chrome, start out by opening the browser and type the keyboard combination Control + Shift + Delete. This will bring up the Clear browsing data window. Make sure that all 3 items are selected, and then click the Time range menu.

Select All time from the list of options.

Then click the CLEAR DATA button. After that, click the Advanced tab and review the options there as well. You probably don’t need to delete things like your Media licenses, but do consider clearing things like form data, saved passwords etc.

That’s it – Chrome’s clean! :)

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Safari

Apple makes it painfully easy to clear your browsing history. Just select Safari from the Apple Menu, and then Clear History… from the pull-down list.

Select all history from the Clear menu and then click the Clear History button.

That’s it – you’ve just cleared the history of sites you’ve been to in Safari!

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Clear The Browser History in Legacy Browsers

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)

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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


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3. Select Yes when prompted


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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. Click the Delete history… button


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3. Click Yes
4. Watch the pretty window…
5. Click Close to return to IE.


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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


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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.


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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


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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


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2. Click Clear History when prompted


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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


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