What autofill is and why you might want to clear it

Autofill is the feature that remembers information you type into forms — your name, address, email, phone number, payment card details, and passwords. When you start typing in a field, your browser or device suggests what you've entered before and fills it in automatically. This saves time on repeat visits, but it also means sensitive information sits in storage on your device.

You might want to clear autofill if you're selling or giving away a device, sharing a computer with someone else, or straightforward don't want old addresses and payment information stored anymore. Clearing autofill is different from clearing your browsing history — it removes the form data your device has learned, not the websites you've visited.

The steps vary depending on whether you're using a phone, tablet, or computer, and which browser or operating system you have. The good news is that each one follows the same basic path: find the settings, locate the autofill or form data section, and delete it.

Key Takeaways

  • Autofill stores names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, and payment information you've typed into forms, and clearing it removes all that stored data at once.
  • On Windows computers, you clear autofill in each browser separately — Chrome, Edge, and Firefox each have their own settings.
  • On Mac computers, Safari stores autofill data in System Settings rather than in the browser itself.
  • On iPhones and iPads, autofill data is cleared through Settings, not through Safari directly.
  • On Android phones, Google autofill data is cleared through your Google Account settings, separate from your browser.

Clearing autofill in Chrome on Windows and Mac

Open Chrome and look for the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Click them, then select Settings. On the left side, click Autofill and passwords, then click Autofill.

You'll see sections for Addresses and more, Payment methods, and Passwords. Click the three dots next to any entry you want to remove, then select Delete. If you want to clear everything at once, go back to the main Settings menu, click Privacy and security on the left, then click Clear browsing data. Make sure the time range at the top is set to All time, check the box next to Autofill form data, and click Clear data.

Clearing autofill in Edge on Windows

Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy, search, and services on the left. Scroll down to Clear browsing data and click Choose what to clear.

Set the time range to All time at the top. Check the box next to Autofill form data and click Clear now. If you want to remove individual entries instead, go back to Settings, click Autofill on the left, then click Addresses or Payment info. Click the three dots next to any entry and select Delete.

Clearing autofill in Firefox on Windows and Mac

Open Firefox and click the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the top right. Select Settings, then click Privacy & Security on the left. Scroll down to Forms and Autofill.

You'll see checkboxes for Autofill addresses and Autofill credit cards. Uncheck these boxes to turn off autofill going forward. To delete what's already stored, click Saved Addresses or Saved Credit Cards, select the entries you want to remove, and click Delete. To clear everything at once, go back to Privacy & Security, scroll to Cookies and Site Data, and click Clear Data. Check Cookies and Site Data and Cached Web Content, then click Clear.

Clearing autofill on Safari for Mac

Safari stores autofill data in your Mac's system settings, not in the browser itself. Click the Apple menu in the top left corner and select System Settings. Click Autofill in the sidebar (you may need to scroll to find it).

You'll see sections for Using information from my contacts card, Credit cards, Usernames and passwords, and Other forms. Uncheck any boxes you want to disable. To remove individual entries, click Edit next to Credit cards or Usernames and passwords, select the entry, and click the minus button. For contact information, you'll need to edit your own contact card in the Contacts app.

Clearing autofill on iPhone and iPad

Open Settings and scroll down to find Safari. Tap it, then scroll down and tap Autofill. You'll see options for Using info from my contact card, Credit cards, Usernames and passwords, and Other information. Toggle off any of these you want to disable.

To delete individual entries, tap Credit cards or Usernames and passwords, swipe left on any entry, and tap Delete. For contact information, you'll need to edit your own contact card in the Contacts app. Note that clearing Safari's history and website data does not clear autofill — you must go through the Autofill settings to remove it.

Clearing autofill on Android phones

Open Chrome and tap the three vertical dots in the bottom right corner. Tap Settings, then tap Autofill and passwords. Tap Addresses and more or Payment methods to see what's stored.

Tap any entry to open it, then tap the trash icon to delete it. To clear autofill data tied to your Google Account (which syncs across devices), tap Google Password Manager at the top of the Autofill menu. Tap your profile picture, select Settings, tap Delete account data, and follow the prompts. This removes data from your Google Account but may take time to sync across your devices.

What happens after you clear autofill

Once you clear autofill, your browser or device stops suggesting that information when you fill out forms. You'll need to type your details in manually the next time you encounter a form. Your browser will start learning new autofill data as you type into forms again, so if you clear autofill and then when ready buy something online, that new address and payment method will be stored.

Clearing autofill does not affect your saved passwords — those are stored separately and require their own deletion step if you want to remove them. It also does not clear your browsing history or cookies, which track the websites you visit. If you want to remove all three, you'll need to clear browsing data separately in each browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does clearing autofill also clear my saved passwords?

No. Autofill and passwords are stored separately. Clearing autofill removes addresses, phone numbers, and payment information, but your saved passwords stay in place. You must delete passwords through a different menu — usually labeled "Passwords" or "Password Manager" — if you want to remove those.

Will clearing autofill affect my browsing history?

No. Autofill is form data only. Your browsing history, cookies, and cached files remain untouched. If you want to remove those as well, you'll need to clear your browsing data separately through the Privacy or History menu in your browser.

Can I clear autofill for just one website instead of everything?

Most browsers let you delete individual autofill entries one at a time, but not by website. You can remove a specific address or payment card, but you cannot say "delete all autofill data from Amazon only." You'll need to go through your autofill list and delete entries manually.

If I clear autofill on my phone, does it clear on my computer too?

Only if your devices are synced to the same account. On iPhone, autofill is tied to your iCloud account, so clearing it on one Apple device clears it on all of them. On Android, Google autofill syncs across devices signed into the same Google Account, but Chrome autofill does not. Check your sync settings to see what's connected.

How do I turn off autofill so it stops storing information?

In most browsers, you can toggle autofill off in Settings. In Chrome, go to Settings > Autofill and passwords > Autofill and uncheck the boxes for addresses and payment methods. In Safari on Mac, go to System Settings > Autofill and uncheck the features you don't want. On iPhone, go to Settings > Safari > Autofill and toggle off the options. Turning it off prevents new data from being stored but does not delete what's already there.