Amazon stores everything you view, and you can delete it whenever you want
Amazon keeps a record of every product you look at, every search you run, and every category you browse. This history lives in your account settings under "Browsing History" and stays there until you remove it. You can delete your entire history in one action, turn off history recording altogether, or remove individual items one at a time.
The process takes less than five minutes and works the same way on a computer, phone, or tablet. Amazon does not delete the history automatically, and turning off your history does not erase what is already recorded — you have to do that yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Your Amazon browsing history is stored in your account and visible to anyone who uses your account or device, so clearing it is important if you share either one.
- You can delete all browsing history at once, or remove individual items by clicking the X next to each product.
- Turning off "Browsing History" stops Amazon from recording new views going forward, but does not erase what is already saved.
- Amazon still tracks your purchases and behavior for recommendations even after you clear browsing history — those are stored separately.
How to delete your entire browsing history at once
Go to your Amazon account by clicking the account icon in the top right corner of the Amazon website or app. Select "Your Account" from the menu. Look for "Browsing History" in the left sidebar — it is usually near the bottom under "Personalization" or "Settings".
Once you open Browsing History, you will see a button that says "Manage History" or "View and Edit Your Browsing History". Click it. At the top of the page, you will see a link or button that says "Delete All Items in Browsing History" or similar wording. Click that, and Amazon will ask you to confirm. Click "Yes" or "Delete" to finish. Your entire history is now gone.
How to remove individual items from your history
Open your Browsing History the same way: Account icon → Your Account → Browsing History → Manage History. You will see a list of products and searches you have viewed, usually with the most recent at the top. Next to each item is an X button. Click the X next to any item you want to remove, and it disappears when ready — no confirmation needed.
This method is useful if you want to keep most of your history but hide a few specific purchases or searches. It takes longer than deleting everything at once, but gives you more control.
How to turn off browsing history recording
In your Browsing History settings, look for a toggle or checkbox that says "Browsing History" or "Keep browsing history". If it is turned on (usually shown in blue or with a checkmark), click it to turn it off. Amazon will stop recording what you view from that moment forward.
Important: turning off the setting does not delete your old history. You still need to delete it separately using the methods above. Once you turn off history recording, new browsing will not be saved, but Amazon will still track your purchases and use them for recommendations — that data is stored in a different place.
What happens to your history if you share your account or device
If multiple people use the same Amazon account, they all see the same browsing history. This means anyone with access to your account can see what you have been looking at. If you share a device but have separate accounts, each person's history stays in their own account — but anyone who uses the device while logged into your account will see your history.
The safest approach is to clear your history regularly if you share either your account or your device. You can also create a separate Amazon account for each person in your household, which keeps browsing histories completely separate.
Why Amazon keeps your browsing history and what it is used for
Amazon uses your browsing history to show you personalized product recommendations on your home page and in emails. The more you browse, the more data Amazon collects about your interests, and the more targeted those recommendations become. This is how Amazon decides what to show you when you visit the site.
Your browsing history is also linked to your purchase history and search history — all three feed into Amazon's recommendation system. Even if you clear your browsing history, Amazon still has your purchase records and uses those to suggest products. Clearing browsing history alone does not stop personalized recommendations; it only removes one piece of the data Amazon uses to create them.
The difference between browsing history, search history, and purchase history
Amazon stores three separate records: what you searched for (search history), what you looked at (browsing history), and what you bought (purchase history). They are managed in different places in your account settings. Clearing your browsing history does not touch your search history or purchase history — you have to manage those separately if you want to.
Search history is usually found in the same "Your Account" section, often under "Searches" or "Search History". Purchase history is in "Returns, Orders, and Accounts" or "Your Orders". If you want to remove all traces of your activity on Amazon, you will need to visit each section and clear them individually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing my browsing history stop Amazon from recommending products to me?
No. Amazon uses your purchase history, search history, and browsing behavior to create recommendations. Clearing browsing history removes one data source, but your purchases and searches still feed into the recommendation system. To reduce personalized recommendations significantly, you would need to clear all three types of history.
If I turn off browsing history, will Amazon stop tracking what I do on the site?
Turning off browsing history stops Amazon from saving a visible record of what you view, but Amazon still collects data about your activity for other purposes — including recommendations, advertising, and analytics. Turning off the setting only affects the browsing history feature itself, not Amazon's overall data collection.
Can I delete my browsing history from the Amazon app on my phone?
Yes. Open the app, tap the account icon at the bottom, go to "Your Account", find "Browsing History", and follow the same steps as on a computer. The process is identical across devices.
What if I want to keep my browsing history private but still get recommendations?
You cannot have both. Recommendations require data about what you view or search for. If you clear your history regularly, recommendations will be less accurate. If you want strong recommendations, you have to accept that Amazon is storing your browsing data. The trade-off is between privacy and personalization.
Does Amazon delete my browsing history if I delete my account?
When you close your Amazon account, Amazon deletes most of your account data according to their retention policy, though some data may be kept for legal or business reasons. If you want to may support your browsing history is gone before closing your account, delete it manually first.