Where to find and clear your browsing history
The steps to delete browsing history on Android depend on which browser you use, but the process is similar across all of them. Open your browser, tap the menu icon (usually three vertical dots in the top right corner), and look for an option labeled "History," "Clear browsing data," or "Settings." From there, you can select what to delete and how far back to go.
Most Android browsers let you clear history from just the last hour, the last day, the last week, the last month, or all time. You can also choose what types of data to remove — browsing history alone, or history plus cookies, cached images, saved passwords, and autofill information. The exact wording and location of these options varies by browser, but the concept is the same across Chrome, Firefox, Samsung Internet, and others.
If you want to prevent history from being saved in the first place, most browsers have a private or incognito mode. Activating this mode before you browse means your activity won't be stored in your history at all, though your internet service provider and the websites you visit can still see your activity.
Key Takeaways
- Open your browser's menu (three dots), find "History" or "Clear browsing data," and choose what time period and data types to remove.
- You can delete just history, or also remove cookies, cached images, passwords, and autofill data at the same time.
- Private or incognito mode prevents history from being saved while you browse, though it does not hide your activity from your internet provider.
- Some browsers let you set history to delete automatically when you close the app, which is useful if you share your device.
Clearing history in Chrome on Android
In Chrome, tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner and select "History." You'll see a list of sites you've visited. At the top of the screen, tap "Clear browsing data." A window will appear with checkboxes for what to delete: Cookies and site data, Cached images and files, and Browsing history. Make sure "Browsing history" is checked, then use the dropdown at the top to choose your time range — "All time" removes everything, while "Last hour" removes only the most recent activity.
After you've selected what to delete and how far back to go, tap "Clear data" at the bottom. Chrome will remove the selected information when ready. If you want Chrome to delete your history automatically every time you close the app, go to Settings, tap "Privacy and security," then turn on "Delete browsing data on exit."
Clearing history in Firefox on Android
Firefox's process is slightly different. Open the menu (three horizontal lines at the bottom right), tap "Settings," then "Delete browsing data." You'll see checkboxes for Browsing history, Search and form history, Cookies, Cache, Offline website data, and Site permissions. Check the boxes for what you want to remove, then tap "Delete browsing data" at the bottom.
Firefox does not have a time-range selector in this menu — it deletes all data of the types you select. If you want more control over the time period, go back to the main menu, tap "History," and you can delete individual sites or clear history from a specific date range manually. You can also enable "Delete browsing data on exit" in Settings so Firefox clears your history automatically when you close the app.
Clearing history in Samsung Internet
Samsung Internet, which comes pre-installed on many Android phones, has its own history management. Tap the menu icon (three dots at the bottom right), then tap "History." You'll see your browsing history listed. To clear it, tap "Clear history" at the top of the screen. A dialog will appear asking you to confirm — tap "Clear" to proceed.
If you want to delete only specific sites from your history, long-press on any entry in the history list and tap "Delete" to remove just that one. To set Samsung Internet to clear history automatically, go to Settings, tap "Privacy," then turn on "Clear browsing data on exit."
What gets deleted when you clear history
Clearing "browsing history" removes the list of websites you've visited, which is what most people mean when they say they want to delete their history. However, your browser stores other data too, and you can usually choose whether to delete it at the same time.
Cookies are small files that websites store on your phone to remember you — they let sites keep you logged in and remember your preferences. Cached images and files are copies of pictures, videos, and other content from websites, stored on your phone to make pages load faster the next time you visit. Saved passwords are login credentials your browser has stored. Autofill data includes addresses, phone numbers, and other information your browser fills in automatically on forms.
If you delete history but leave cookies and cache in place, websites will still recognize you and load faster, but your history list will be empty. If you delete everything, you'll start fresh — websites won't recognize you, pages will load slightly slower the first time you visit them, and you'll need to log in again to accounts you use regularly.
Using private or incognito mode to avoid saving history
If you don't want your browsing history saved in the first place, use your browser's private mode. In Chrome, tap the menu and select "New incognito tab." In Firefox, tap the menu and select "New private tab." In Samsung Internet, tap the menu and select "Secret mode." Any browsing you do in these modes won't appear in your history, and the browser won't save cookies or cached data from those sessions.
Private mode is useful if you're shopping for a gift, looking up medical information, or using a shared device. Keep in mind that private mode does not hide your activity from your internet service provider, your employer's network, or the websites you visit — it only hides it from other people who use your phone. When you close a private tab or window, all data from that session is deleted automatically.
Clearing data on a shared Android device
If you share your Android phone with family members or colleagues, you have a few options. The simplest is to clear your history regularly using the steps above. You can also enable "Delete browsing data on exit" in your browser's settings so history is removed automatically every time you close the app.
If you want more control, Android's multiple user accounts feature lets each person have their own login and separate browsing data. Go to Settings, tap "Users," and add a new user account. Each account will have its own browser history, passwords, and app data. This is more find than sharing a single account, though it requires switching users each time someone else wants to use the phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing history delete my saved passwords?
Not automatically. When you clear browsing data, you'll see separate checkboxes for "Browsing history" and "Passwords" (or "Saved passwords"). You can delete history without touching your passwords, or delete both at once. If you want to remove just one saved password without clearing everything, go to your browser's Settings, find "Passwords," and delete individual entries from there.
Can I recover browsing history after I delete it?
Once you clear your browsing history from your browser, it's gone from your phone. However, if you use a Google account with Chrome, your history may be synced to Google's servers. You can view and delete synced history at myactivity.google.com on a computer. Deleting history from that website will remove it from all your devices that are signed into that account.
What's the difference between clearing history and private mode?
Clearing history removes data you've already saved. Private mode prevents data from being saved in the first place. If you've already browsed normally, clearing history cleans up what's stored. If you want to avoid saving history from the start, use private mode before you browse.
Will clearing my history log me out of websites?
Clearing history alone usually won't log you out. However, if you also delete cookies when you clear history, you will be logged out of most websites because cookies are what keep you signed in. If you want to stay logged in, uncheck "Cookies" when you clear your browsing data.
Does private mode hide my activity from my internet provider?
No. Private mode only hides your browsing history from your phone. Your internet service provider, your employer's network administrator, and the websites you visit can still see what you're doing. If you need to hide your activity from your internet provider, you would need to use a VPN (virtual private network), which is a separate tool.