Delete your Chrome history in three steps

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 appears with checkboxes for different types of data — by default, Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files are checked along with Browsing history. Choose the time range from the dropdown at the top (Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, All time), then click Clear data.

That removes the history from your device. If you sign into Chrome with a Google account, your browsing history also syncs to Google's servers — deleting it locally does not remove it from Google's copy unless you also clear your Google Account activity through a separate step.

You can also reach this same window by clicking the three-dot menu in the top right corner of Chrome, selecting Settings, then clicking Privacy and security on the left, then Clear browsing data.

Key Takeaways

  • The keyboard shortcut Ctrl + H (Windows) or Command + Y (Mac) opens your history page, where you can click Clear browsing data to delete it.
  • You can choose to delete history from the last hour, last 24 hours, last 7 days, last 4 weeks, or all time.
  • Deleting history from Chrome does not automatically delete it from your Google Account if you are signed in — you must clear that separately through your Google Account settings.
  • By default, Chrome also clears cookies and cached files when you delete history, but you can uncheck those boxes if you want to keep them.

What data gets deleted when you clear browsing history

When you click Clear data, Chrome removes the list of websites you visited, the search terms you entered in the address bar, and any autofill suggestions based on your history. If you leave the checkboxes checked for Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files, those get deleted too.

Cookies are small files that websites store on your device to remember you — deleting them logs you out of most sites and removes saved preferences. Cached files are copies of images and code that Chrome stored to load websites faster next time. Passwords are not deleted by default, and neither are bookmarks or saved addresses — Chrome keeps those separate.

If you want to delete only history without touching cookies or cache, uncheck those boxes before clicking Clear data. This is useful if you want to hide where you have been without logging out of every website.

Clearing history from a Google Account synced across devices

If you sign into Chrome with a Google account, your browsing history syncs across all devices where you are signed in. Deleting history on one device removes it from that device only — it stays on Google's servers and on your other devices.

To delete history from your Google Account itself, go to myactivity.google.com in any browser. Click Delete activity by on the left side. Choose the date range, make sure Chrome is selected under Products, then click Delete. This removes the history from Google's records, which also syncs the deletion to all your signed-in devices.

You can also delete individual items from myactivity.google.com by searching for a website name or date, clicking on an entry, and clicking the delete icon. This is slower than bulk deletion but useful if you want to keep most history and remove only specific visits.

Using Incognito mode to avoid saving history

If you want to browse without Chrome recording your history 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 browsing history, cookies, or site data from that window — when you close it, everything disappears.

Incognito mode does not hide your activity from your internet service provider, your employer if you are on a work network, or the websites you visit. It only prevents Chrome from storing a local record. If you are signed into a Google account, Chrome still syncs some activity like searches and YouTube views to your account.

Incognito windows show a dark theme and a small Incognito icon in the top left corner so you know you are in private browsing mode. You can open multiple Incognito windows at once, and they work the same as regular Chrome windows except for the history storage.

Automatically deleting history when you close Chrome

You can set Chrome to delete your browsing history automatically every time you close the browser. Click the three-dot menu, select Settings, then click Privacy and security on the left. Under Clear browsing data, toggle on Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome.

This setting only deletes cookies and site data — it does not delete your browsing history by default. To also delete history automatically, click Cookies and other site data and make sure it is toggled on. Some users prefer this setup because it logs them out of websites each time they close Chrome but keeps their history visible within the session.

If you want to delete history automatically too, you will need to use a Chrome extension, since the built-in settings do not offer that option. Search the Chrome Web Store for "auto clear history" to find third-party extensions that do this, but read the reviews first — some extensions collect data themselves.

Deleting history from specific websites only

You do not have to delete all your history at once. Open your History page with Ctrl + H or Command + Y, and you will see a list of websites organized by date. Hover over any entry and a checkbox appears on the left — click it to select that visit, then click Delete at the top of the page.

You can select multiple entries by checking several boxes, or search for a specific website using the search box at the top of the History page. Type a website name or URL, and Chrome shows only visits to that site. Check the boxes for the visits you want to remove, then click Delete.

This method is slower than clearing all history at once, but it lets you keep most of your history while removing only the visits you want hidden. You can also click on a date heading like "Today" or "Yesterday" to select all visits from that day at once.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does clearing my Chrome history delete it from Google's servers?

No. Clearing history in Chrome removes it from your device only. If you are signed into a Google account, the history stays on Google's servers. You must go to myactivity.google.com and delete it there to remove it from Google's records and all your synced devices.

Will clearing my history log me out of websites?

Only if you also clear cookies and site data. If you uncheck those boxes before clicking Clear data, your history disappears but you stay logged in. By default, both are checked, so you will be logged out of most sites.

Can I recover history after I delete it?

No. Once you click Clear data, Chrome permanently removes the history from your device. If you are signed into Google, you can still see it on myactivity.google.com until you delete it there too. After that, it is gone.

Does Incognito mode hide my activity from my internet provider?

No. Incognito mode only prevents Chrome from saving history on your device. Your internet service provider, employer, or network administrator can still see which websites you visit. Incognito does not encrypt your connection or hide your activity from anyone outside your device.

What is the difference between clearing history and clearing cache?

History is the list of websites you visited. Cache is the copies of images and code that Chrome stored to load those sites faster. Clearing history removes the list; clearing cache removes the stored files. Chrome clears both by default when you click Clear data, but you can uncheck cache if you want to keep faster loading times.