Where Amazon stores what you search for
Amazon keeps a record of every product you search for and every item you view on its site. This history lives in your Amazon account under "Browsing History" and "Search History" — two separate records that work differently. Your browsing history shows products you clicked on; your search history shows the words you typed, whether you clicked anything or not.
Unlike your computer's browser history, which lives on your device, Amazon's records stay on Amazon's servers tied to your account. This means the history follows you across devices — phone, tablet, laptop — as long as you are signed in. Deleting it from one device does not automatically delete it from Amazon's servers.
Key Takeaways
- Amazon stores search history and browsing history as two separate records in your account settings, not in your browser.
- You can delete individual items one at a time, or clear your entire search and browsing history at once from the "Manage Your Content and Devices" page.
- Deleting history from your Amazon account does not affect your browser history — you may need to clear that separately depending on which browser you use.
- You can turn off future history tracking by disabling "Browsing History" in your Amazon account settings, though this may affect product recommendations.
How to delete individual searches or items you viewed
To remove a single search or product from your history, sign into your Amazon account on a web browser and go to your account menu in the top right corner. Select "Returns, Orders & Accounts" and then "Browsing History." You will see a list of products you have viewed recently.
Next to each item, you will see an X button. Click it to remove that single product from your browsing history. For search history specifically, go to the same menu and look for "Search History" — it may be labeled differently depending on your region. Click the X next to any search term you want to remove.
This method works well if you want to hide one or two items — say, a gift you do not want recommendations for, or a search you do not want to see again. But if your history is long, deleting one item at a time takes a while.
How to clear all search and browsing history at once
To delete everything at once, sign into Amazon and go to "Account & Lists" in the top right. Select "Account" and then scroll down to find "Manage Your Content and Devices." This page controls what Amazon stores about you across all your devices.
On the left side, click the "Preferences" tab. You will see an option that says "Browsing History" with a toggle or button next to it. Click "Manage" or the toggle to open your full browsing history. At the bottom of the page, you should see a button that says "Delete All" or "Clear History." Click it, and Amazon will ask you to confirm. Once you confirm, your entire browsing history is deleted from your account.
For search history, the process is similar but the location may vary slightly by region. Look for "Search History" on the same Preferences page, or search for "search history" using the page's search function. The delete option works the same way — select all and confirm.
Why your browser history is separate from Amazon history
Deleting your Amazon account history does not delete your browser history. If you typed "amazon.com/s?k=winter coats" into your address bar, that search term stays in your browser's history even after you delete it from Amazon. The two systems are independent.
To clear your browser history as well, you need to do it separately. In Chrome, press Ctrl+H (or Cmd+H on Mac), click "Clear Browsing Data" on the left, and select the time range and data types you want to delete. In Safari, go to History menu and select "Clear History." In Firefox, press Ctrl+H, right-click any entry, and select "Forget About This Site," or use the History menu to clear everything.
How to stop Amazon from recording your history going forward
If you do not want Amazon to track what you search for or view, you can turn off history recording. Go to "Account & Lists," select "Account," and find "Manage Your Content and Devices." Click the Preferences tab and look for "Browsing History." Toggle it off or select "Disable Browsing History."
Keep in mind that turning off history tracking may affect your product recommendations — Amazon uses your history to suggest items you might want. Without it, recommendations become more generic. You can also use Amazon in incognito or private browsing mode if you want a single session to not be recorded, though you will still need to sign out of your account for this to work fully.
What happens to your history if you share an Amazon account
If multiple people use the same Amazon account, they all see the same search and browsing history. This is a common problem in households where one account is shared. Deleting history removes it for everyone on that account, not just you.
The better solution is to set up separate Amazon accounts for each person, or to use Amazon Household, which lets you link multiple accounts to one Prime membership while keeping separate histories and recommendations. You can set this up in "Account & Lists" under "Your Account" and then "Manage Your Household."
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Amazon delete my history automatically after a certain time?
No. Amazon keeps your search and browsing history indefinitely unless you delete it manually. There is no automatic expiration date. Some other retailers clear history after 90 or 180 days, but Amazon does not.
If I delete my Amazon account, does my history get deleted too?
When you close your Amazon account, Amazon may retain some data for legal or business reasons, but your browsing and search history should be removed from your active account. However, it is safer to delete your history manually before closing your account if privacy is your concern.
Can I see what Amazon knows about my searches across all my devices?
Yes. Go to "Manage Your Content and Devices" and check the Preferences tab. Your history there reflects all searches and views across every device where you signed into that Amazon account, because it is all stored on Amazon's servers, not on individual devices.
Will deleting my history affect my saved items or wish list?
No. Your wish list and saved items are separate from your search and browsing history. Deleting history will not remove anything from your lists or orders.