Delete your Safari history in three steps
Open Safari and press Command + Y (on Mac) or tap the clock icon with an arrow (on iPhone or iPad). This opens your History panel. At the top, select the time range you want to clear — "the last hour," "today," "today and yesterday," or "all history." Then click or tap "Clear History" and confirm.
That removes the list of websites you've visited from Safari's sidebar and search suggestions. It does not automatically delete the files Safari downloaded, the passwords it saved, or the cookies websites left on your device — those require separate steps if you want them gone too.
If you want Safari to stop keeping history altogether, you can turn on Private Browsing, which creates a temporary window that doesn't save any history, cookies, or autofill data once you close it. Open a new Private Browsing window by pressing Command + Shift + N on Mac, or by tapping the tabs icon and selecting "Private" on iPhone or iPad.
Key Takeaways
- Clearing history in Safari removes only the list of visited websites, not cookies, passwords, or downloaded files.
- Use Command + Y on Mac or the clock icon on iPhone and iPad to open the History panel and select your time range.
- Private Browsing windows leave no history, cookies, or autofill data behind once you close them.
- If you share your device, clearing history alone does not prevent someone from seeing what you downloaded or which passwords are saved.
- Websites can still track you even after you clear history unless you also block cookies or use a tracking prevention setting.
What gets deleted when you clear history
Clearing history removes the record of websites you visited and the dates you visited them. This is the list that appears when you click the clock icon in Safari or when you start typing in the address bar and Safari suggests sites you've been to before. It also clears the list of search terms you've typed into search engines through Safari.
What it does not delete: cookies (small files websites leave on your device to remember you), saved passwords, autofill information like your address or credit card number, or files you downloaded. If you want those gone, you need to clear them separately. On Mac, go to Safari > Settings > Privacy and click "Manage Website Data" to see and remove cookies. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data.
Downloaded files stay in your Downloads folder regardless of whether you clear history. If you downloaded a PDF or image through Safari, deleting history won't remove it from your device.
Clear cookies and website data separately
Cookies are files that websites place on your device to remember you — what you put in your shopping cart, whether you're logged in, your language preference. They're not inherently harmful, but they do let websites track your activity across the internet. Clearing history does not remove them.
On Mac: Open Safari, go to Safari > Settings, click the Privacy tab, then click "Manage Website Data." You'll see a list of websites that have stored data on your device. You can remove all of it at once by clicking "Remove All," or select specific websites and click "Remove."
On iPhone or iPad: Go to Settings > Safari, scroll down, and tap "Advanced." Then tap "Website Data." You'll see the list of websites. Swipe left on any site to delete its data, or tap "Edit" and then "Clear All Website Data."
If you want Safari to ask you before accepting cookies, or to block them entirely, you can adjust this in Safari's privacy settings. On Mac, go to Safari > Settings > Privacy and look for the "Cookies and website data" section. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Safari and look for "Block All Cookies" or similar options. Keep in mind that blocking all cookies may break some websites.
Remove saved passwords and autofill information
Safari stores passwords, credit card numbers, and addresses so you don't have to type them every time. These are separate from history and cookies. If you share your device with someone else, clearing history won't prevent them from seeing your saved passwords or using your autofilled information.
On Mac: Go to Safari > Settings, click the Autofill tab, and uncheck the boxes next to "Using saved contacts," "Credit cards," or "Other forms" depending on what you want to stop saving. To remove passwords you've already saved, click the Passwords tab, find the entry, and click the minus sign.
On iPhone or iPad: Go to Settings > Safari > Autofill and toggle off the categories you don't want saved. To remove individual passwords, go to Settings > Passwords, find the entry, tap "Edit," and delete it.
Use Private Browsing to avoid saving history in the first place
Private Browsing is a mode where Safari doesn't save any history, cookies, autofill data, or search history. When you close a Private Browsing window, everything from that session disappears. This is useful if you're using a shared device or if you want to browse without leaving a record.
On Mac: Press Command + Shift + N to open a new Private Browsing window. The address bar will have a dark background to remind you you're in private mode. Open as many tabs as you need; they all stay private until you close the window.
On iPhone or iPad: Tap the tabs icon (two overlapping squares) at the bottom right, then tap "Private" at the bottom left. Tap the plus sign to open a new private tab. The interface will look slightly different to remind you you're in private mode.
One important limit: Private Browsing does not hide your activity from your internet service provider, your employer if you're on their network, or websites themselves. It only prevents Safari from keeping a local record on your device.
Understand what clearing history does and doesn't protect
Clearing your Safari history is useful for privacy on a shared device — it removes the visible record of where you've been. But it has real limits. Websites can still see that you visited them (they have their own logs). Your internet service provider can still see which sites you connected to. And if someone has access to your device, they can see your saved passwords and autofill data even after you clear history.
If you're concerned about tracking across websites, Safari has a "Prevent Cross-Site Tracking" setting that blocks some cookies and tracking pixels. On Mac, go to Safari > Settings > Privacy and check "Prevent cross-site tracking." On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Safari and toggle on "Prevent Cross-Site Tracking." This is on by default in newer versions of Safari.
For stronger privacy, you might also consider using a VPN (a service that encrypts your connection and hides your IP address from websites), but that's a separate tool from clearing history. Clearing history alone is mainly about removing the local record on your device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing Safari history delete my passwords?
No. Clearing history removes only the list of websites you visited. Passwords are stored separately and remain saved unless you delete them manually in Safari Settings > Passwords (Mac) or Settings > Passwords (iPhone/iPad). If you want passwords deleted when you clear history, you have to remove them one by one.
Can someone see my Safari history if I delete it?
Once deleted, the history is gone from Safari itself. However, if you're on a shared device, the person who uses it next can still see your saved passwords and autofill data. If you're on a work or school network, your network administrator may have logs of which websites the device connected to, regardless of whether you cleared Safari's history.
What's the difference between clearing history and Private Browsing?
Clearing history removes the record of past browsing from your device. Private Browsing prevents Safari from saving any record in the first place — once you close the window, nothing is stored. Private Browsing is better if you want to avoid leaving a trace; clearing history is better if you've already browsed and want to clean up afterward.
Will clearing history stop websites from tracking me?
No. Clearing history removes Safari's local record, but websites still know you visited them because they have their own logs. To reduce tracking, turn on "Prevent Cross-Site Tracking" in Safari Settings, which blocks some cookies and tracking pixels. For stronger protection, consider a VPN, though that's a separate tool.
How often should I clear my Safari history?
That depends on your situation. If you share your device, clearing history regularly keeps others from seeing where you've been. If you're the only user, clearing history is optional — it doesn't improve Safari's performance or security. Some people clear it weekly, others monthly. There's no "right" frequency.