Delete all your Chrome history at once

Open Chrome and press Ctrl + H on Windows or Command + Y on Mac. This opens your History page. On the left side, click Clear browsing data. A window will pop up asking what time range you want to delete — choose All time to remove everything, or pick a specific range like Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, or Last 3 months.

Make sure the checkbox next to Cookies and other site data is checked if you want to log out of websites automatically. The Browsing history checkbox should already be checked. Then click Clear data at the bottom right. Chrome will delete your history instantly.

You can also reach this same window faster by clicking the three vertical dots in the top right corner of Chrome, then going to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Ctrl + H (Windows) or Command + Y (Mac) to open your history, then click Clear browsing data on the left side.
  • Choose All time to delete everything, or pick a specific time range like the last 24 hours or last week.
  • Deleting history does not automatically log you out of websites unless you also check Cookies and other site data.
  • Chrome deletes your history instantly once you click Clear data, and the deletion cannot be undone.

Delete individual sites from your history

If you only want to remove certain websites from your history, open the History page with Ctrl + H or Command + Y. Scroll through the list and find the site you want to delete. Hover your mouse over any entry and a checkbox will appear on the left. Click the checkbox next to each site you want to remove.

Once you have selected all the sites you want to delete, a blue bar will appear at the top saying Delete. Click it, and Chrome will remove only those entries from your history. This method is slower than clearing everything at once, but it lets you keep the history you want to keep.

Stop Chrome from saving your history

If you do not want Chrome to record your browsing at all, use Incognito mode. Press Ctrl + Shift + N on Windows or Command + Shift + N on Mac to open a new Incognito window. Chrome will not save your history, cookies, or site data from anything you do in this window. When you close the Incognito window, all traces of your browsing disappear.

Incognito mode is useful for one-time searches or when you share your computer with other people. However, your internet service provider and the websites you visit can still see your activity — Incognito only hides your browsing from other people using the same computer.

Auto-delete your history on exit

Chrome can delete your history automatically every time you close the browser. Click the three vertical dots in the top right, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data. Toggle on the switch that says Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. From now on, your history, cookies, and cached files will disappear whenever you fully close Chrome.

This setting does not affect Incognito windows — those are already deleted when you close them. If you want to keep some cookies (so you stay logged into certain websites), you can click Sites that can always use cookies and add those websites to an exception list.

Search your history before you delete it

Before deleting everything, you might want to find a specific page you visited. Open your History page with Ctrl + H or Command + Y, and you will see a search box at the top. Type a word from the page title or the website name — for example, typing "recipe" will show all pages with "recipe" in the title. This helps you locate something before you delete it by mistake.

Chrome also shows your history organized by date, so you can click on a specific day to see only what you visited that day. This is useful if you remember roughly when you visited a site but not the exact name.

What happens when you delete your Chrome history

When you delete your history, Chrome removes the record of websites you visited from your browser. However, this does not erase your activity from the internet. Your internet service provider still has a record of where you went, and the websites themselves still know you visited. Deleting your history only removes it from your own computer.

If you synced your Chrome account across multiple devices, deleting history on one device may also delete it from your other devices if they are synced. You can check your sync settings by clicking the three vertical dots, going to Settings > Sync and Google services, and seeing what is turned on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover history after I delete it?

No, once you delete your Chrome history, it is permanently gone and cannot be recovered. Chrome does not have an undo button for deleted history. If you think you might need to find something later, search for it first before you delete.

Does clearing history log me out of websites?

Not automatically. Clearing only your browsing history leaves your cookies in place, so you stay logged in. If you want to log out of websites, you must also check the Cookies and other site data box when you clear your history.

Will deleting my Chrome history delete it from Google?

No. Your Chrome history is separate from your Google account history. If you want to delete your Google search history, you need to go to myactivity.google.com and delete it there separately. Clearing Chrome history does not affect Google's records.

Does Incognito mode hide my activity from my internet provider?

No. Incognito mode only hides your browsing from other people using the same computer. Your internet service provider can still see all the websites you visit, even in Incognito mode. Only a VPN can hide your activity from your internet provider.