Where Amazon stores your search history and why you might want to clear it
Amazon keeps a record of everything you search for on its site and in its apps. This history lives in your account settings under "Browsing History" — not in your browser's search bar. When you clear your browser history, Amazon's record stays intact. Amazon uses this data to show you recommendations, personalized ads, and product suggestions. If you share a device, sell your account, or straightforward don't want Amazon building a profile of your interests, clearing this history removes those records from your account.
The process takes less than two minutes and works the same way whether you use Amazon.com on a computer, the mobile app, or Amazon's Fire devices. You can delete your entire history at once or remove individual searches.
Key Takeaways
- Amazon stores your search history separately from your browser history, so clearing one does not clear the other.
- You can delete all searches at once or remove individual items from your browsing history through your account settings.
- Clearing your history stops Amazon from using those searches for recommendations and personalized ads going forward.
- If you share a device, turning off Browsing History prevents new searches from being saved to your account in the first place.
- Deleting history from your account does not affect what Amazon has already used to build your recommendation profile.
How to delete all your Amazon search history at once
On a computer, go to Amazon.com and sign into your account. In the top right corner, hover over "Account & Lists" and click "Your Account." On the left side menu, find and click "Browsing History." At the top of the page, you will see a button that says "Manage Your Browsing History." Click it, then select "Delete All Items" and confirm.
On the Amazon mobile app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner. Scroll down and tap "Your Account," then "Browsing History." Tap "Manage Your Browsing History" at the top, then "Delete All Items" and confirm. The entire process takes about 30 seconds.
On Fire tablets, the steps are identical to the mobile app. On Alexa devices, you cannot manage browsing history through the device itself — you must use a computer or the mobile app to access your account settings.
How to remove individual searches instead of everything
If you want to keep most of your history but remove specific searches, go to "Browsing History" in your account settings (the same location as above). Instead of clicking "Delete All Items," scroll through your history and look for the search you want to remove. Next to each item, there is a small "X" or delete icon. Click it to remove that single search.
This approach is useful if you searched for a gift you do not want the recipient to see, or if you want to remove a search that is skewing your recommendations without wiping everything. You can remove items one at a time, and the changes take effect when ready.
Turning off browsing history so new searches are not saved
If you share a device or want to prevent future searches from being recorded, you can disable browsing history entirely. Go to "Browsing History" in your account settings and look for the toggle or checkbox that says "Browsing History" or "Save Browsing History." Turn it off. When this setting is off, Amazon will not record any new searches you make, though your old history remains unless you delete it separately.
This is different from deleting history — it stops Amazon from recording going forward. If you turn it back on later, Amazon will resume saving your searches. This setting applies to all devices you use with your account, so turning it off on your computer affects the mobile app and Fire devices as well.
What clearing your history does and does not do
Deleting your search history removes the record of what you searched for, which stops Amazon from using those specific searches to show you new recommendations and personalized ads. However, Amazon may have already used your past searches to build a recommendation profile. Clearing history does not erase that profile or undo recommendations that have already been shown to you.
Clearing your Amazon history also does not affect your browser's search history or cookies. If you want to remove traces of your Amazon activity from your computer, you will need to clear your browser history separately. In most browsers, you can do this by pressing Ctrl+H (Windows) or Command+Y (Mac), finding Amazon in the list, and deleting those entries.
Clearing history on a shared device or account
If you share a device with family members or roommates, each person should have their own Amazon account. When you sign into your account on a shared device and clear your browsing history, you are only clearing the history attached to your account — not anyone else's. The device itself may still have cookies or cached data from other accounts, but your account's search record is separate.
If you are selling or giving away a device, sign into your Amazon account one last time, clear your browsing history, and then sign out. For extra caution, you can also remove the device from your account entirely. Go to "Your Devices" in account settings, find the device, and click "Deregister." This removes your account from that device and prevents anyone who uses it later from accessing your account or seeing your history.
Why Amazon keeps this history and what it means for your privacy
Amazon stores your search history to improve its recommendations and to show you targeted ads. The company uses this data to build a profile of your interests, which helps it suggest products you might buy. This is standard practice across e-commerce sites, but it also means Amazon is collecting detailed information about what you are interested in, even if you never buy anything.
Clearing your history is a way to limit what Amazon knows about you going forward, but it does not prevent Amazon from collecting new data once you start searching again. If privacy is a concern, you can also adjust your ad preferences in your account settings to limit how Amazon uses your data for targeted advertising, though this does not stop the data collection itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing my Amazon search history delete my orders?
No. Your order history and browsing history are stored separately. Clearing your browsing history does not affect your orders, invoices, or purchase records. Your orders remain in your account for warranty, return, and tax purposes.
If I clear my history, will Amazon stop recommending products to me?
Not when ready. Amazon may have already used your past searches to build recommendation patterns. Clearing history stops new searches from being used for recommendations, but existing recommendations may remain until you view new products or searches. Over time, as you browse with a cleared history, recommendations will shift based on your new activity.
Can I see what I searched for before I delete it?
Yes. Go to "Browsing History" in your account settings and scroll through the list. You can see everything you have searched for, organized by date. This is also where you can remove individual items before deleting everything.
What happens to my search history if I delete my Amazon account?
When you delete your Amazon account, all associated data — including your search history, orders, and account information — is removed according to Amazon's data retention policy. However, you should clear sensitive information before requesting account deletion if you want to may support it is gone when ready.
Does clearing my Amazon history affect Alexa's search history?
Alexa has its own separate history for voice commands and requests. Clearing your Amazon browsing history does not clear Alexa's history. To manage Alexa's history, use the Alexa app, go to "More," select "History," and delete items there. Both histories are tied to your account but stored separately.