Chrome stores your browsing history by default, and you can delete it all at once or pick specific dates and sites
When you use Chrome, the browser keeps a record of every site you visit, every search you make, and every file you read. This history helps Chrome suggest sites faster and fill in forms automatically — but it also means anyone with access to your computer can see where you've been. Deleting your history removes that record from your device.
You have two main choices: clear everything at once, or delete only certain dates or specific websites. Both take less than a minute. The steps are the same whether you're on Windows, Mac, or Linux.
Key Takeaways
- Open Chrome's history menu by pressing Ctrl+H (Windows) or Command+Y (Mac), then click "Clear browsing data" in the top left.
- Choose what to delete — all time, last hour, last day, last week, last month, or a custom date range — before you confirm.
- Check the boxes next to "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files" to remove traces websites use to recognize you.
- Deleting your Chrome history does not delete your Google account history if you're signed in — you must clear that separately in your Google account settings.
- Clearing history on one device does not affect your history on other devices where you use Chrome.
Delete all your history at once
Open Chrome and press Ctrl+H on Windows or Command+Y on Mac. This opens your history page. In the top left corner, click Clear browsing data.
A box will appear with options. At the top, you'll see a dropdown menu that says "Time range." Click it and select All time to delete everything. If you only want to delete recent history, you can choose "Last hour," "Last day," "Last week," or "Last month" instead.
Below the time range, you'll see checkboxes for different types of data. By default, "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files" are already checked. Leave these checked — they remove extra tracking data that websites store on your computer. If you want to delete saved passwords or autofill information, check those boxes too, but know that you'll have to re-enter them next time you visit those sites.
Once you've chosen what to delete and set the time range, click the blue Clear data button at the bottom right. Chrome will delete your history when ready.
Delete history from specific dates or websites
If you only want to remove certain visits, open your history page with Ctrl+H (Windows) or Command+Y (Mac). You'll see a list of sites you've visited, organized by date. On the left side, you can click a specific date — "Today," "Yesterday," "Last 7 days" — to narrow down what you see.
To delete a single website from your history, find it in the list and click the three dots next to it, then select Delete. This removes only that one entry, not your entire history from that site.
If you want to delete all visits to one website across all dates, use the search box at the top of the history page. Type the website name, and Chrome will show you every time you visited it. Then click the three dots next to any entry and select Delete — this removes all visits to that site from your history.
Understanding cookies and cached data
When you clear your browsing history, Chrome also offers to delete cookies and cached images and files. These are separate from your history list, but they serve a similar purpose: they help websites recognize you and load faster.
Cookies are small files that websites store on your computer to remember your login, your preferences, or items in your shopping cart. If you delete cookies, you'll be logged out of most sites and will have to sign back in next time you visit. Cached images and files are copies of pictures, videos, and documents that Chrome saved so pages load faster on your next visit. Deleting them frees up storage space but means pages will load slightly slower the first time you visit them again.
For most people, it's safe to delete both cookies and cached data along with your history. If you want to stay logged into a particular site, uncheck the "Cookies and other site data" box before you clear.
What happens to your Google account history
If you're signed into your Google account in Chrome, Google also keeps a separate record of your browsing in your Google account settings. Deleting your Chrome history does not delete this Google account history — they are two different records.
To delete your Google account history, go to myactivity.google.com in any browser. On the left side, click Delete activity by. Choose your time range and click Delete. You can also delete individual searches or visits by clicking on them and selecting delete.
If you don't want Google to record your activity at all, you can turn off Web & App Activity in your Google account settings. Go to myaccount.google.com, click Data & privacy, then find Web & App Activity and toggle it off. This stops Google from storing new activity, but it doesn't delete what's already been recorded.
Clearing history on multiple devices
If you use Chrome on more than one computer or phone, deleting history on one device does not affect the others. You have to clear history separately on each device where you use Chrome.
On Android phones and tablets, open Chrome, tap the three dots in the top right corner, select Settings, then Privacy, then Clear browsing data. On iPhones and iPads, open Chrome, tap the three dots, select Settings, then Clear browsing data. The process is the same as on a computer — choose your time range and what to delete, then confirm.
If you want to automatically delete your history every time you close Chrome, you can turn on this setting on your computer. Open Chrome, click the three dots in the top right, go to Settings, then Privacy and security, then Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. Toggle this on, and Chrome will delete your history, cookies, and cached files automatically each time you close the browser completely.
Why you might want to delete your history regularly
Keeping your browsing history private is a personal choice that depends on your situation. If you share your computer with family members or roommates, deleting history prevents them from seeing where you've been online. If you use a public computer at a library or internet café, always delete your history before you leave — this is especially important if you've logged into email, banking, or shopping accounts.
Some people delete history regularly just to keep their computer running smoothly, since a very large history file can slow down Chrome slightly. Others delete it to free up storage space, though the amount of space history takes up is usually small.
If privacy is a regular concern for you, consider using Chrome's Incognito mode instead. When you open an Incognito window (Ctrl+Shift+N on Windows or Command+Shift+N on Mac), Chrome doesn't save your history, cookies, or site data from that session. When you close the Incognito window, everything from that browsing session disappears automatically. Incognito mode is useful for one-time searches or when you're using someone else's computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing my Chrome history delete my passwords?
Not unless you check the "Passwords and other sign-in data" box when you clear your history. By default, this box is unchecked, so your saved passwords stay in Chrome even after you delete your history. If you do check this box, you'll have to re-enter your passwords the next time you visit those sites.
Can someone recover my history after I delete it?
Deleting your history in Chrome removes it from your browser, but a determined person with technical skills might be able to recover deleted files from your hard drive using special software. If you need stronger privacy, use Incognito mode while browsing, or consider using a privacy-focused browser. For maximum security, encrypt your hard drive using Windows BitLocker or Mac FileVault.
Will deleting my history speed up Chrome?
Slightly, but probably not noticeably. A very large history file can slow Chrome down a tiny bit, but most people won't feel a difference. If Chrome is running slowly, the problem is usually something else — too many open tabs, too many extensions, or not enough available memory on your computer.
What's the difference between Incognito mode and deleting my history?
Incognito mode prevents Chrome from saving your history in the first place — nothing is recorded while you're in an Incognito window. Deleting your history removes the record after you've already browsed normally. Incognito is better if you know in advance that you want privacy; deleting history is better if you've already been browsing and want to clean up afterward.
If I delete my history, will websites stop tracking me?
Deleting your history removes the record from your computer, but it doesn't stop websites from tracking you while you browse. Websites use cookies, pixels, and other methods to follow your activity even if your local history is empty. To reduce tracking, you can disable third-party cookies in Chrome settings or use an extension that blocks trackers, but no method stops all tracking completely.