Chrome stores your browsing history by default, and you can delete it all at once or clear specific time periods
Google Chrome keeps a record of every website you visit, every search you make, and every file you read — unless you use Incognito mode. You can delete this history manually whenever you want. The fastest way is to press Ctrl+H on Windows or Command+Y on Mac, which opens your history page. From there, click Clear browsing data on the left side, choose what time period to erase, select what types of data to remove, and click Clear data.
If you want Chrome to delete your history automatically every time you close the browser, you can turn on that setting in Chrome's preferences. You can also delete history from individual websites, remove specific entries one at a time, or prevent Chrome from saving history in the first place by using Incognito mode for private browsing.
Key Takeaways
- Open your Chrome history with Ctrl+H (Windows) or Command+Y (Mac), then click Clear browsing data to delete everything at once.
- You can choose to delete history from the last hour, day, week, month, all time, or a custom date range you specify.
- The Clear browsing data window lets you select what gets deleted — history, cookies, cached images, passwords, and other data types.
- Turn on Delete cookies and site data when you quit Chrome in Settings to automatically erase your history every time you close the browser.
- Incognito mode prevents Chrome from saving any history, searches, or cookies while you browse, and leaves no record when you close the window.
Delete all your history at once using the Clear browsing data menu
The quickest way to wipe your entire browsing history is through Chrome's Clear browsing data window. Press Ctrl+H on Windows or Command+Y on Mac to open your history page. On the left side, you will see a button labeled Clear browsing data — click it.
A window will pop up with three sections. At the top, you will see a dropdown menu that says Time range. Click it to choose what period to delete: Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, All time, or Custom if you want to pick exact dates. Below that, checkboxes let you choose what types of data to delete. Browsing history is checked by default, but you can also remove Cookies and other site data, Cached images and files, read history, Autofill form data, Passwords, and Site settings. Once you have selected what you want gone, click the blue Clear data button.
If you only want to delete history from a specific website, you can do that without clearing everything. Go to your history page, find the website in the list, and click the checkbox next to it. Then click Delete at the top of the page. You can select multiple websites this way before deleting them all together.
Set Chrome to automatically delete history when you close the browser
If you want Chrome to erase your history without you having to do it manually each time, you can turn on automatic deletion. Click the three-dot menu in the top right corner of Chrome and select Settings. On the left side, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data.
Look for the toggle switch next to Delete cookies and site data when you quit Chrome and turn it on. From that point forward, every time you close Chrome completely, it will automatically delete your browsing history, cookies, and cached files. This does not affect your bookmarks or saved passwords unless you specifically checked those boxes in the Clear browsing data window.
Keep in mind that this setting only works when you fully close Chrome. If you just close a tab or window but leave Chrome running, your history will still be saved. You need to completely exit the browser for the automatic deletion to happen.
Use Incognito mode to prevent Chrome from saving history in the first place
Incognito mode is Chrome's private browsing option. When you use it, Chrome does not save your browsing history, search history, cookies, or site data. The moment you close an Incognito window, Chrome forgets everything you did in it. To open an Incognito window, press Ctrl+Shift+N on Windows or Command+Shift+N on Mac. You can also right-click the Chrome icon and select Open new Incognito window.
Incognito mode is useful when you are using a shared computer, shopping for a gift you do not want others to see, or straightforward want to browse without a record. However, Incognito mode does not hide your activity from your internet service provider, your employer if you are on a work network, or the websites you visit — it only hides it from Chrome itself and anyone else using that computer.
You can have both regular and Incognito windows open at the same time. Regular windows will continue to save history as normal, while anything you do in Incognito windows will be forgotten when you close them.
Remove individual history entries without clearing everything
If you only want to delete one or two websites from your history instead of clearing a whole time period, you can remove them one at a time. Open your history page with Ctrl+H (Windows) or Command+Y (Mac). Find the website you want to delete, hover your mouse over it, and a checkbox will appear on the left. Click the checkbox to select it.
You can select multiple entries by clicking the checkbox next to each one. Once you have selected all the entries you want gone, click the Delete button that appears at the top of the page. Chrome will remove only those entries, leaving the rest of your history intact.
This method is slower than clearing a time period all at once, but it gives you precise control over what stays and what goes. It is useful if you want to keep most of your history but remove a few specific sites.
Understand what data gets deleted and what stays
When you clear your browsing history in Chrome, you are deleting several different types of data, and it helps to know what each one does. Browsing history is the list of websites you have visited. Cookies and site data are small files that websites store on your computer to remember you — deleting these will log you out of most websites. Cached images and files are copies of web pages and images that Chrome saved to make websites load faster — removing these frees up storage space but makes websites load slightly slower the next time you visit.
read history is the list of files you have downloaded, but deleting it does not remove the actual files from your computer — they stay in your Downloads folder. Autofill form data is information Chrome remembers from forms you have filled out, like your address or phone number. Passwords are login credentials Chrome has saved — deleting these will require you to type them in again next time you visit those sites. Site settings are permissions you have granted to websites, like allowing a site to use your location or camera.
By default, only Browsing history is checked when you open the Clear browsing data window. You can check or uncheck any of the other options depending on what you want to remove. If you are not sure whether to delete something, leaving it unchecked is the safer choice.
Manage your Chrome history settings to control what gets saved
Beyond deleting history after the fact, you can control how Chrome saves history in the first place. Open Chrome's Settings by clicking the three-dot menu and selecting Settings. Click Privacy and security on the left side, then look for Clear browsing data. Below that, you will see options for what Chrome saves.
If you want to pause history saving temporarily, click Pause next to your Google account name at the top of the Privacy and security page. This stops Chrome from saving your browsing history to your Google account, though it will still save history locally on your device. To resume, click Resume.
You can also manage your activity on Google's website directly. Visit myactivity.google.com to see everything Google has recorded about you across all Google services, not just Chrome. From there, you can delete specific items, delete activity from a date range, or turn off activity saving entirely for your Google account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing my Chrome history delete my bookmarks?
No. Bookmarks are stored separately from your browsing history. When you clear your history, your bookmarks stay in place. If you want to delete bookmarks, you have to do that separately by right-clicking a bookmark and selecting Delete, or by going to Settings > Bookmarks > Bookmark manager.
Will clearing my history log me out of websites?
If you check the box for Cookies and site data when clearing your history, yes — you will be logged out of most websites because cookies are what keep you signed in. If you only clear Browsing history and leave cookies unchecked, you will stay logged in. You can choose which data types to delete each time you clear your history.
Can someone recover my history after I delete it?
Once you delete your history from Chrome, it is gone from your device. However, if you are signed into a Google account, Chrome may have synced your history to Google's servers. You can delete that synced history at myactivity.google.com. If you are concerned about recovery, Incognito mode prevents Chrome from saving anything in the first place.
Does Incognito mode hide my activity from my internet provider?
No. Incognito mode only hides your browsing from Chrome and other people using your device. Your internet service provider, employer, or school network can still see which websites you visit. If you need to hide your activity from your internet provider, you would need to use a VPN, which is a different tool entirely.
What is the difference between clearing history and pausing history?
Clearing history deletes the record of sites you have already visited. Pausing history stops Chrome from saving new sites you visit going forward. If you pause history and then visit a website, Chrome will not record that visit. Resuming history starts the recording again.