Clear your history in three steps from the Chrome menu
Open Chrome and press Ctrl + H (or Cmd + H on a Mac Chromebook). This opens your History page. On the left side, click Clear browsing data. A box will pop up asking what time range you want to clear — choose All time if you want everything gone, or pick a specific range like Last hour or Last 7 days. Make sure the checkbox next to Cookies and other site data is checked, then click Clear data.
That's the full process. Your browsing history, cookies, cached images, and files are now deleted from your Chromebook. The next time you start typing a web address in the address bar, Chrome won't suggest sites you've visited before.
If you want to skip the keyboard shortcut, you can also reach this menu by clicking the three vertical dots in the top right corner of Chrome, then selecting Settings, then Privacy and security, then Clear browsing data.
Key Takeaways
- Press Ctrl + H to open your History page, then click Clear browsing data on the left side to delete everything at once.
- Choose your time range — All time removes all history, while Last hour or Last 7 days removes only recent activity.
- Make sure Cookies and other site data is checked so websites can't track you using stored login information and preferences.
- Clearing history does not delete files you downloaded — those stay in your Downloads folder unless you remove them separately.
What gets deleted when you clear browsing data
When you click Clear data, Chrome removes several things at once. Your browsing history — the list of sites you visited — disappears. Cookies and site data go too, which means websites forget your login information, preferences, and tracking data. Cached images and files, which are copies of web pages Chrome stored to load them faster next time, are also deleted.
What does not get deleted: files you downloaded stay in your Downloads folder. Passwords you saved in Chrome remain saved unless you go into Settings and manually delete them. Bookmarks stay put. Only the history and temporary data go away.
Clearing history for a specific website only
If you want to remove history for just one site instead of everything, open your History page with Ctrl + H. Find the site you want to delete. Hover over it and click the checkbox that appears on the left. You can select multiple sites this way. Once you've checked the ones you want gone, click Delete at the top.
This removes only those specific entries from your history and clears cookies for those sites. It's faster than clearing everything if you just want to hide a few visits.
Set Chrome to clear history automatically when you close it
You can make Chrome delete your history every time you close the browser. Click the three vertical dots in the top right, then Settings, then Privacy and security. Under Clear cookies and site data, toggle on Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. From now on, your history and cookies vanish the moment you close all Chrome windows.
This is useful if you share your Chromebook with others or use it in a public place. Keep in mind that this only clears history when you fully close Chrome — minimizing it or closing a single tab does not trigger the deletion.
The difference between clearing history and incognito mode
Clearing history after the fact removes what Chrome already recorded. Incognito mode prevents Chrome from recording anything in the first place. When you open an incognito window (press Ctrl + Shift + N), Chrome does not save your browsing history, cookies, or site data. The moment you close that window, nothing remains.
Incognito mode is faster if you know ahead of time that you don't want history saved — you don't have to remember to clear it later. But it only works for that one window. If you browse normally in another window at the same time, that history still gets saved. Clearing history manually gives you control over what stays and what goes after you've already browsed.
Why websites still recognize you after clearing history
Even after you clear your browsing data, some websites may still recognize you when you visit again. This happens because websites use methods beyond cookies to track you. Your IP address, device fingerprinting (details about your browser and hardware), and login systems all help sites identify you.
Clearing history removes the easiest tracking method — cookies — but not all of them. If you log into a website after clearing history, that site knows who you are because you signed in. If a website uses your IP address to track behavior, clearing history won't stop that. For stronger privacy, use incognito mode or a privacy-focused browser extension, but understand that no method blocks all tracking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing history delete my saved passwords?
No. Clearing browsing data removes history and cookies, but passwords stay saved in Chrome. If you want to delete a saved password, go to Settings, then Autofill, then Passwords, find the password you want to remove, and click the three dots next to it, then Delete.
Can I recover my history after I clear it?
No. Once you clear your browsing history from Chrome, it's gone. Chrome does not keep a backup. If you need to find a site you visited, try searching your email for confirmation messages, checking your download history, or asking someone else who might remember the site name.
Will clearing history speed up my Chromebook?
Slightly, but not much. Clearing old history and cookies frees up a small amount of storage space, which can help if your Chromebook is very full. For most users, the speed difference is not noticeable. If your Chromebook feels slow, restarting it or closing unused tabs usually helps more than clearing history.
What if I only want to clear history from today?
Open your History page with Ctrl + H, click Clear browsing data, and select Last hour or Last 24 hours from the time range dropdown. This removes only recent history while keeping older entries. You can also manually delete individual sites by hovering over them and clicking the checkbox, then clicking Delete.
Does clearing history on my Chromebook clear it on my phone too?
No. Your Chromebook and phone are separate devices. Clearing history on one does not affect the other. If you use the same Google account on both, you can turn on Sync in Chrome settings to keep history synced across devices — but clearing history on one device will then clear it on all synced devices.