Friday, March 29, 2024

Want a fresh start for your browser history? Here’s how to clear it in every major browser

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The internet can often take us to some strange places, and unless you are browsing in incognito mode, your browser is keeping a running record of every page you visit. If you share a computer with others, they might be able to see your history, either indirectly through autofilling, or directly by looking at the History section of your browser. If you don’t want someone to inadvertently see what you have been doing online — maybe you browse some disturbing subreddits, or have a secret life as a troll —  you may want to clear out your browser history from time to time. Here is how to do just that, no matter which browser you use.

Google Chrome

If you use Google Chrome, start by clicking the button represented by three vertical dots — it is located in the upper-right corner of your browser — to open a drop-down menu. Next, click the button labeled Settings.

Now that you are in the Settings section, click the button labeled Show advanced settings…

Next, under the Privacy heading, click Clear browsing data…

This will open a window in which you can select the specific data you want to clear, including download history and cookies. For our purposes, you should select Browsing history. You can also select the window of time you want to delete data from, whether it be the past hour or since the start of your browsing history.

Once you have decided how much data you want to delete, click Clear browsing data.

Safari

If using Safari, find the History tab at the top of your screen and click Clear History…

This will open a window that includes a drop-down menu, allowing you to decide what window of time you want to delete.

Once you select the time frame you want to delete, simply click the button labeled Clear History.

Firefox

If you’re using Firefox, first click the button in the upper-right corner — represented by three vertical lines — to open a menu. Afterward, click the History button.

Now that you are in the History tab, click the button labeled Clear Recent History.

A window will open, along with a drop-down menu where you can choose the amount of data you want to clear out. Once you’ve made your decision, click Clear Now.

Opera

If you’re using Opera as your browser, start by clicking the History tab at the top of your screen, then click the button labeled Show All History.

Next, click the button labeled Clear Browsing Data… located in the upper-right portion of your screen.

This will open a window, where you can choose specific types of data to delete, and the time frame of said data. Make sure you check Browsing History. Once you’ve finalized your decisions, click Clear Browsing Data.

Microsoft Edge

If you’re using Microsoft Edge, start by clicking the Hub button — it looks like unequal lines — then click the History button, which looks like a clock with an arrow running counter-clockwise.

Next, select Clear All History. This will provide you with options outlining the types of data you can delete. Be sure to select Browsing History.

Finally, click the Clear button.




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