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How to Delete your Browser History in Windows Operating Systems

Summary: This article is a guide to clear the cache and browser history for common browsers. Browsers that are used on Dell computers with the Windows operating system.

This article may have been automatically translated. If you have any feedback regarding its quality, please let us know using the form at the bottom of this page.

Article Content


Instructions

This article takes you through the various ways to clear your browser history. It covers the most common browsers currently in use for the Windows Operating Systems.

There are various reasons to regularly clear your browsing history, but ultimately it is your choice:

  • Wipe the slate clean and clear your history.
  • Anyone with access to your computer can look at your browsing history.
  • If the computer is stolen, a stranger can see what you have been doing. They can use the saved site information to access your private sites using your information.
  • Hackers and viruses target your saved information.
  • Some companies use this information to tailor advertising specific to your interests.

How to delete the History in Windows 11

Note: Internet Explorer has been retired for Microsoft's Windows 11 Operating System.

For Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome.

How to clear your browsing history in Firefox

Firefox also has access to the same keyboard shortcut for deleting browser history as Internet Explorer and Chrome.

  1. Press the Ctrl + Shift + Delete keys to bring up the history-clearing options.
  2. It brings up a list of what you can and cannot delete. Click the Details arrow if you want a more detailed list. You can also choose a period to clear. The options suggest clearing either the last hour, the last 2 hours, the last 4 hours, the last full day, or get rid of everything.
  3. Select Clear Now

Firefox History

How to Clear your Chrome browser history.

  1. Press the Ctrl + Shift + Delete keys while in Chrome, and you get Google's options on-screen.
  2. Check the boxes next to the categories that you want to clear. Be sure to examine all the options from the drop-down menu at the top. This menu lets you choose how much of your history you would like to clear. You can get rid of the past hour, day, week, or month, or you can get rid of the lot.
  3. Select Clear browsing data.

Chrome History

For Microsoft Edge follow these steps:

Note: Hub is an icon Hub Icon (With three horizontal stripes) on the browser which links you to your Browser History, Favorites, Reading List, and Current Downloads.
  1. Tap or click the Hub Icon, and select History.
  2. Then select Clear all History, which then gives you the choice of what data and which files you want to remove from your computer.
  3. Once you have made your choice, then select Clear to finish up.

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How to delete the History in Windows 10

The Steps are the same as for Vista for Internet Explorer versions 7 to 9. Firefox and Chrome remain the same as well.

For Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome.

How to Clear Your Internet Explorer History

  1. When deleting your browsing history in Internet Explorer, a useful keyboard shortcut is the Ctrl + Shift + Delete keys.
  2. This brings up a dialogue box that lets you specify what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of.
  3. Check the boxes next to the categories that you want to remove.
  4. Click Delete.

Internet Explorer History

For version 10 follow these steps:

  1. Open the Internet Explorer browser on your computer.
  2. Tap or click the Tools button and point to Safety and then tap or click Delete browsing history.
  3. Select the checkbox next to each category of information that you want to delete and then Tap or click Delete.

How to Clear Your Browsing History in Firefox

Firefox also has access to the same keyboard shortcut for deleting browser history as Internet Explorer and Chrome.

  1. Press the Ctrl + Shift + Delete keys to bring up the history-clearing options.
  2. It brings up a list of what you can and cannot delete, click the Details arrow if you want a more detailed list. You can also choose a period to clear. The options suggest clearing either the last hour, the last 2 hours, the last 4 hours, the last full day, or get rid of everything.
  3. Select Clear Now

Firefox History

How to Clear your Chrome browser history.

Chrome uses the same keyboard shortcut as Internet Explorer.

  1. Press the Ctrl + Shift + Delete keys while in Chrome, and you get Google's options on-screen.
  2. As with Internet Explorer check the boxes next to the categories, you want to clear. One thing to check is to be sure to examine all the options from the drop-down menu at the top. This menu lets you choose how much of your history you would like to clear. You can get rid of the past hour, day, week, or month or you can get rid of the lot.
  3. Select Clear browsing data.

Chrome History

For the new browser Edge follow these steps:

Note: Hub is an icon Hub Icon (With three horizontal stripes) on the browser which links you to your Browser History, Favorites, Reading List, and Current Downloads.
  1. Tap or click the Hub Icon and select History.
  2. Then select Clear all History, which then gives you the choice of what data and which files you want to remove from your computer.
  3. Once you have made your choice, then select Clear to finish up.

Back to Top


How to delete the History in Windows 8 and 8.1

The Steps are the same as for Vista for Internet Explorer versions 7 to 9. Firefox and Chrome remain the same as well.

For Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome.

How to Clear Your Internet Explorer History

  1. When deleting your browsing history in Internet Explorer, a useful keyboard shortcut is the Ctrl + Shift + Delete keys.
  2. This brings up a dialogue box that lets you specify what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of.
  3. Check the boxes next to the categories that you want to remove.
  4. Click Delete

Internet Explorer History

For version 10, follow these steps.

How to delete the browsing history in Internet Explorer 10 on the Home Screen.

  1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen. If you are using a mouse, point to the upper right corner of the screen and move the mouse pointer down.
  2. Then tap or click Settings.
  3. Tap or click Internet Options.
  4. Under Delete Browsing History, you can tap or click Delete.

To delete browsing history in Internet Explorer 10 for the desktop

  1. Open the Internet Explorer browser on your computer.
  2. Tap or click the Tools button and point to Safety and then tap or click Delete browsing history.
  3. Select the checkbox next to each category of information that you want to delete and then Tap or click Delete.

Clear Your Browsing History in Firefox.

Firefox also has access to the same keyboard shortcut for deleting browser history as Internet Explorer and Chrome.

  1. Press the Ctrl + Shift + Delete keys to bring up the history-clearing options.
  2. It brings up a list of what you can and cannot delete, click the Details arrow if you want a more detailed list.
  3. You can also choose a period to clear. The options suggest clearing either the last hour, the last 2 hours, the last 4 hours, the last full day, or get rid of everything.
  4. Select Clear Now

Firefox History

How to Clear your Chrome browser history

Chrome uses the same keyboard shortcut as Internet Explorer.

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete keys while in Chrome, and you get Google's options on-screen.
  2. As with Internet Explorer check the boxes next to the categories, you want to clear. One thing to check is to be sure to examine all the options from the drop-down menu at the top. This menu lets you choose how much of your history you would like to clear. You can get rid of the past hour, day, week, or month or you can get rid of the lot.
  3. Select
    Clear browsing data

Chrome History

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What gets deleted when you delete your browsing history?

Type of Info What gets deleted?
Browsing History The list of sites you have visited, including your frequently visited sites.
Cookies and Saved Website Data Website files which store your information for those sites, such as sign-ins and locations
Cached data and files copies of web pages, images, and such, that are kept to speed up page loading
Download History list of files you have downloaded (This does not affect the downloaded files.)
Form Data Information that you regularly enter into forms
Passwords Sites passwords that you have saved.
Media Licenses PlayReady/Digital Rights management content licences
Pop-Up Exceptions The list of websites you allow to use pop-ups
Location Permissions The list of websites you allow to know your current location
Full-Screen Permissions The list of websites you allow to open in Full Screen
Compatibility Permissions The list of websites you allow to automatically open in Internet Explorer (Internet Explorer)

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Article Properties


Affected Product

Alienware, Inspiron, OptiPlex, Vostro, G Series, G Series, Alienware, Inspiron, Latitude, Latitude Tablets

Product

XPS, Vostro, XPS, XPS Tablets, Workstations

Last Published Date

27 May 2024

Version

7

Article Type

How To