How to clear your browsing history on a Chromebook
Open Chrome and press Ctrl + H on your keyboard (or Command + Y if you use a Mac). This opens your History page. On the left side, click Clear browsing data. A window will pop up asking what you want to delete and how far back. Choose your time range — All time deletes everything, Last hour deletes only the past 60 minutes, or pick a custom date range. Check the boxes next to what you want removed: browsing history, cookies, cached images and files, or all of them. Then click Clear data.
That's the basic method. The rest of this guide covers what each option does, how to automate the process, and how to clear history from other devices signed into your Google account.
Key Takeaways
- Press Ctrl + H to open History, then click Clear browsing data to delete what you've visited and when.
- You can delete just the last hour, the last day, or everything — and you can choose whether to remove history, cookies, cached files, or all three.
- Clearing history does not sign you out of websites or delete saved passwords unless you specifically check that box.
- You can set Chrome to automatically clear your history every time you close the browser.
- Clearing history on your Chromebook does not automatically clear it from other devices — you have to do each one separately.
What each deletion option actually removes
Browsing history is the list of websites you visited. When you delete it, those sites stop appearing in your address bar suggestions and in your History page. This does not sign you out of any accounts or delete your saved passwords.
Cookies and other site data are small files websites store on your device to remember you. Deleting them signs you out of most websites and clears preferences like language or theme settings. Some sites may load slower the next time you visit because they have to rebuild their cache.
Cached images and files are copies of pictures, videos, and other content Chrome saved so pages load faster on repeat visits. Deleting them frees up storage space but makes some sites load slower until the cache rebuilds.
Passwords and other sign-in data is a separate checkbox. Leaving it unchecked means your saved passwords stay in place even after you clear everything else. Check this box only if you want to be asked for your password the next time you log into a site.
Set Chrome to clear history automatically when you close it
If you want Chrome to delete your history without asking, you can turn on automatic clearing. Click the three-dot menu in the top right corner of Chrome, then go to Settings. On the left, click Privacy and security, then Clear browsing data. Toggle on Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome.
Once this is on, every time you close all Chrome windows, the browser automatically deletes cookies and site data. Your browsing history stays unless you also toggle on Clear browsing history. You can choose which data types to clear automatically by clicking Always clear cookies and selecting what you want removed.
This setting only affects your Chromebook. If you sign into Chrome on another device, that device will not automatically clear history unless you turn on the same setting there.
Clearing history from your Google Account across all devices
If you sign into Chrome with your Google account on multiple devices, your browsing history syncs across them. Clearing history on your Chromebook does not automatically clear it from your phone, tablet, or other computers.
To clear history from all signed-in devices at once, go to myactivity.google.com in any browser. Sign in with your Google account. On the left, click Delete activity by. Choose your date range and click All time to remove everything. Then click Delete. This removes your activity from Google's servers, which affects what appears in your Google account across all devices.
Note that this clears your Google account activity — the record Google keeps of what you searched and visited. It does not automatically clear the browsing history stored on each individual device. To clear history on your phone or another computer, you have to open Chrome on that device and follow the same steps.
What clearing history does and does not do
Clearing your history removes the record of where you've been, but it does not erase your activity from your internet service provider's logs or from the websites you visited. Those sites still know you were there because they have their own records.
Clearing history also does not hide your browsing from anyone on your home network or from your school or workplace if you're using their internet. If you need privacy from those networks, you would need a VPN, which is a separate tool.
If you are signed into a Google account, Google may still have records of your activity even after you clear your local history. You can manage what Google stores by visiting your Google account settings and adjusting your Web & App Activity settings.
Using Incognito mode instead of clearing history
If you want to browse without creating a history record in the first place, use Incognito mode. Press Ctrl + Shift + N to open a new Incognito window. Chrome will not save your history, cookies, or site data from Incognito sessions. When you close the window, everything is deleted automatically.
Incognito mode does not hide your activity from your internet service provider, your network administrator, or the websites you visit. It only keeps Chrome from storing a local record on your device.
Clearing history from a shared Chromebook
If multiple people use the same Chromebook, each person has their own account and their own browsing history. Clearing your history only removes your own — it does not affect other users' histories.
To clear history on a shared Chromebook, sign in with your account, open Chrome, and follow the steps above. Other users will need to sign into their own accounts and clear their own histories separately. If you are the device owner and want to see what other users have been visiting, you can check the device activity logs in your Google Admin console, but that is a different process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing history delete my saved passwords?
No, not unless you specifically check the box for Passwords and other sign-in data when you clear browsing data. By default, passwords stay saved even after you delete everything else. If you want to remove a single password instead of all of them, go to Settings, then Passwords and autofill, find the site, and click the three dots next to it to delete just that one.
Will clearing history sign me out of websites?
Clearing cookies and site data will sign you out of most websites because cookies are what keep you logged in. Clearing just your browsing history without clearing cookies will not sign you out. If you want to stay logged in while clearing history, uncheck the Cookies and other site data box.
Can I recover history after I delete it?
No, once you clear your browsing history from Chrome, it is gone from your device. Chrome does not have an undo button for cleared history. If you need to find a site you visited, you might be able to search your email for confirmation emails or receipts from that site.
Does clearing history on my Chromebook clear it on my phone?
No, each device stores its own history separately. If you sign into Chrome on both devices with the same Google account, your history syncs between them, but clearing history on one device does not automatically clear it on the other. You have to clear history on each device individually, or go to myactivity.google.com to clear your Google account activity across all devices.
What is the difference between clearing history and using Incognito mode?
Clearing history removes the record after you have already browsed. Incognito mode prevents Chrome from creating a record in the first place — when you close an Incognito window, nothing is saved. Incognito is useful if you know you want privacy before you start browsing. Clearing history is useful if you want to remove old browsing records.