How to Delete Your Browser History in Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Independent guide, not affiliated with your browser
Every browser keeps a list of the pages you visit. You can delete one entry, a time range or everything, on desktop and mobile. The shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Cmd+Shift+Delete on Mac) opens the clearing screen in Chrome, Edge and Firefox.
Clearing browser history doesn’t remove activity saved to your online accounts. If you search while signed in to Google, also clear your Google search history.
At a glance
- Time required: About 1 minute per browser
- Shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+Delete / Cmd+Shift+Delete; history page: Ctrl+H (Cmd+Y in Chrome on Mac)
- Synced devices: Deleting while sync is on removes history on all synced devices
- Reversible?: No — cleared history can’t be restored from the browser
Google Chrome Help: delete browsing history (official site) ↗
Before you delete
- Choose what to keep: untick cookies and passwords if you don’t want to be signed out.
- Check sync: with Chrome, Edge, Firefox or iCloud sync on, history disappears on your other devices too.
- Bookmark pages you’ll want to find again.
Google Chrome (desktop)
- Press Ctrl+H (Windows) or Cmd+Y (Mac), or open the ⋮ menu > History > History.
- Click Delete browsing data (called Clear browsing data in older versions).
- Choose a time range and tick Browsing history (plus other data types if you want).
- Click Delete data. To remove a single page, tick it on the History page and click Delete.
Menus change often. If a button has moved, use the search box in the app's settings or the official help link above.
Safari (Mac, iPhone and iPad)
- Mac: choose History > Clear History in the menu bar, pick a range (last hour, today, today and yesterday, all history) and click Clear History.
- iPhone/iPad: open Safari, tap the bookmarks icon > History > Clear, choose a range and confirm. Or go to Settings > Apps > Safari > Clear History and Website Data.
Safari clears history from all devices signed in to the same iCloud account with Safari sync on.
Mozilla Firefox
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Cmd+Shift+Delete on Mac) or open the menu > History > Clear recent history.
- Choose the time range and tick History (and other data if needed).
- Click Clear.
Microsoft Edge
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Delete or go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data > Choose what to clear.
- Pick a time range and tick Browsing history.
- Click Clear now.
Chrome on Android and iPhone
- Tap ⋮ (Android) or … (iPhone) > History or Delete browsing data.
- Choose a time range, tick Browsing history and tap Delete data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing browser history delete saved passwords?
No, unless you tick passwords. History, cookies and passwords are separate data types.
How do I clear history automatically?
Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > History > Use custom settings > Clear history when Firefox closes. Edge: Settings > Privacy > Choose what to clear every time you close the browser. Chrome can delete cookies on exit; for history, use Incognito windows.
Can I recover deleted browser history?
Not from the browser. Your Google Account activity, employer or network provider may still keep separate records.
Does private or Incognito mode save history?
No. Private windows don’t save history, but websites, your employer and your internet provider can still see your activity.