How to clear your Chrome history in three steps
Open Chrome and press Ctrl+H on Windows or Command+Y on Mac to open your history page. On the left side, click Clear browsing data. A window will appear with checkboxes for different types of data — make sure Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files are checked if you want a complete clear. At the top, select the time range you want to delete (Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, All time), then click Clear data.
That single action removes your browsing history, search history, cookies, and cached files from Chrome. The data is gone from your device, though your internet service provider and the websites you visited may still have records on their end.
If you want Chrome to clear your history automatically every time you close the browser, go to Chrome's main menu (three dots in the top right), select Settings, click Privacy and security, then turn on Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. This setting does not delete your history — it only removes cookies and cached data.
Key Takeaways
- Press Ctrl+H (Windows) or Command+Y (Mac), click Clear browsing data, choose your time range, and click Clear data to remove your history in seconds.
- The Clear browsing data window lets you choose what to delete — history, cookies, cached files, passwords, and autofill data can be cleared separately or together.
- Clearing your history removes data from your device but does not erase records kept by your internet service provider or the websites you visited.
- You can set Chrome to automatically clear cookies and cached data every time you close the browser, though this does not affect your browsing history.
- Incognito mode (Ctrl+Shift+N or Command+Shift+N) does not save history, cookies, or site data at all during that session.
What data gets deleted when you clear history
Chrome's Clear browsing data window shows you exactly what will be removed. By default, it checks Cookies and other site data, Cached images and files, and Browsing history. You can also check boxes for Download history, Autofill form data, Passwords and other sign-in data, and Site settings.
Browsing history is the list of websites you visited. Cookies are small files websites store on your device to remember you. Cached images and files are copies of web pages and media that Chrome saved to load faster next time. Download history is the list of files you downloaded. Autofill form data includes names, addresses, and phone numbers you typed into forms. Passwords are login credentials Chrome saved. Site settings are permissions you granted to websites, like access to your camera or location.
You do not have to clear everything at once. If you only want to delete your browsing history but keep your passwords and autofill data, uncheck those boxes before clicking Clear data. Chrome remembers which boxes you checked last time, so your preferences stay the same for future clears.
Clearing history for a specific website
If you want to remove history for just one or two websites without clearing everything, open your history page with Ctrl+H or Command+Y. Search for the website name in the search box at the top. When the results appear, click the checkbox next to each entry you want to delete, then click Delete at the top right.
This method removes only those specific entries from your history, leaving the rest of your browsing record intact. It is useful if you visited a sensitive site and want to remove it without wiping out your entire history.
Using Incognito mode to avoid saving history
Chrome's Incognito mode does not save your browsing history, cookies, or site data during that session. Press Ctrl+Shift+N on Windows or Command+Shift+N on Mac to open an Incognito window. Any websites you visit in that window will not appear in your history, and Chrome will not save cookies or cached files from those sites.
When you close an Incognito window, all data from that session is deleted automatically. However, files you download in Incognito mode are still saved to your Downloads folder, and your internet service provider can still see which websites you visited. Incognito mode only hides your activity from Chrome and other people who use your device — it does not hide it from your internet service provider or the websites themselves.
Clearing history on shared devices
If multiple people use the same computer, each person should have their own Chrome profile. Open Chrome's menu (three dots), click Settings, then go to You and Google on the left. Click Manage other people to add a new profile. Each profile has its own history, cookies, passwords, and settings, so one person clearing their history does not affect anyone else's data.
If you share a device and do not have separate profiles, clearing your history will remove only your own browsing record, not anyone else's. However, if someone else uses your profile, they will see your history unless you clear it. Setting up separate profiles is the best way to keep browsing activity private on a shared device.
Troubleshooting when history will not clear
If you click Clear data but your history still appears, first check that you selected the correct time range. If you chose Last hour but your history is from yesterday, it will not be deleted. Try selecting All time to clear everything, then check if the history is gone.
If history still remains after selecting All time, sign out of your Google account and try again. Some Chrome data syncs across devices through your Google account, and signing out stops that sync temporarily. Go to Chrome's menu, click Settings, then You and Google, and click Sign out. After signing out, clear your browsing data again.
If you are using a work or school computer, your organization may have policies that prevent you from clearing history. Contact your IT department to find out what you can delete. On personal devices, if clearing history still does not work after trying these steps, restart Chrome completely and try once more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing history in Chrome delete it from my Google account?
Clearing history in Chrome removes it from your device, but if you are signed into your Google account, that history may still be stored in your Google account across your devices. To remove it from your account, go to myactivity.google.com, find the entries you want to delete, and remove them there. You can also turn off Web & App Activity in your Google account settings to stop saving history to your account.
Can someone recover my history after I clear it?
Once you clear your browsing history in Chrome, it cannot be recovered from your device. However, your internet service provider keeps records of websites you visited, and the websites themselves have logs of your visits. Clearing Chrome's history only removes the record from your computer.
Will clearing my history log me out of websites?
Clearing cookies will log you out of most websites because cookies store your login information. If you clear browsing history but leave the Cookies checkbox unchecked, you will stay logged in. If you check the Cookies box, you will be logged out of websites the next time you visit them.
How often should I clear my history?
How often you clear history depends on your privacy needs. Some people clear it weekly, others monthly. If you want Chrome to clear cookies and cached data automatically without touching your history, turn on the setting in Chrome's Privacy and security settings. For maximum privacy, use Incognito mode for sensitive browsing instead of clearing history afterward.
What is the difference between clearing history and clearing cache?
History is the list of websites you visited. Cache is the copies of images, videos, and web pages Chrome saved to load faster. Clearing history removes the list but may leave cached files. Clearing cache removes those files but does not delete your history. Chrome's Clear browsing data window lets you clear both at the same time by checking both boxes.