What gets deleted when you clear browsing data

When you clear browsing data in Chrome, you remove the record of websites you visited, the passwords and login information Chrome saved, files you downloaded, and images and files Chrome cached to load pages faster. You can choose what time period to delete — just today, the last week, the last month, all time, or a custom date range. You can also pick which categories to delete while leaving others untouched.

Clearing this data does not delete your bookmarks, your saved passwords (unless you specifically choose to delete passwords), or files stored on your computer outside the browser. It only removes what Chrome itself stored about your browsing activity.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Chrome settings, select Privacy and Security, then choose Clear Browsing Data to open the deletion window.
  • The default time range is "All time" — change it to a shorter period if you only want to delete recent activity.
  • Checkboxes let you delete cookies and cached images separately from browsing history, so you can keep some data while removing other types.
  • You can set Chrome to delete browsing data automatically every time you close the browser.

Opening the Clear Browsing Data window

Open Chrome and look at the top right corner. Click the three vertical dots (called the menu button) to open a dropdown list. Scroll down and click Settings.

On the left side of the Settings page, click Privacy and Security. You will see several options. Click Clear Browsing Data. A window will pop up with checkboxes and a time range selector.

Choosing what to delete

At the top of the Clear Browsing Data window, you will see a dropdown that says All time. Click it to change the time period. Your options are Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, and All time. Select the period that matches what you want to delete.

Below the time range, you will see checkboxes for different data types. Cookies and other site data removes login information and settings websites remember about you. Cached images and files removes copies of pictures and web pages Chrome stored to make sites load faster. Browsing history removes the list of websites you visited. Leave a checkbox unchecked if you want to keep that type of data.

The window also has an Advanced tab at the top. Click it to see additional options like read history, autofill form data, and site settings. Most people do not need these, but they are there if you want finer control.

Completing the deletion

Once you have selected the time period and checked the boxes for the data you want to remove, click the blue Clear Data button at the bottom right of the window. Chrome will delete the selected data when ready. The window will close, and you are done.

If you change your mind before clicking Clear Data, straightforward close the window by clicking the X in the top right corner. Nothing will be deleted.

Setting Chrome to delete data automatically

If you want Chrome to delete certain data every time you close the browser, go back to Settings and click Privacy and Security. Look for the option Clear Cookies and Site Data (the exact wording may vary slightly by version). Toggle it on. You can then choose whether to delete only cookies and site data, or to also delete browsing history and other data types.

With this setting turned on, Chrome will automatically clear your selected data when you close all Chrome windows. Your bookmarks and saved passwords will remain unless you specifically turn on deletion for those categories.

What to know about passwords and autofill

By default, clearing browsing data does not delete your saved passwords. If you want to delete passwords, open the Clear Browsing Data window, click the Advanced tab, and check the box for Passwords and other sign-in data. Be aware that once you delete a saved password, you will need to type it in again the next time you visit that website.

Autofill data (like your name, address, and phone number that Chrome suggests when you fill out forms) is separate from passwords. To delete autofill information, check Autofill Form Data in the Advanced tab. Like passwords, this data is not deleted by default.

Clearing data on other devices

If you use the same Google account on Chrome across multiple devices — a laptop, a phone, and a tablet, for example — clearing browsing data on one device only deletes data from that device. It does not affect your browsing history or cookies on your other devices. Each device stores its own copy of your browsing data.

If you want to delete data from your Google account across all devices, you can do that through your Google Account settings instead of through Chrome. Go to myaccount.google.com, click Data & Privacy, scroll to My Activity, and follow the options there. That process is separate from clearing data in Chrome itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing browsing data log me out of websites?

Yes, if you delete cookies and site data. Websites use cookies to remember that you are logged in, so clearing them will log you out of Gmail, Facebook, banking sites, and anywhere else you were signed in. You will need to log back in the next time you visit those sites. If you want to stay logged in, uncheck the Cookies and other site data box before clearing.

Can I recover browsing data after I delete it?

No. Once you click Clear Data, Chrome permanently removes it. There is no undo button. If you are unsure whether you want to delete something, close the window without clicking Clear Data and think about it first.

Does clearing browsing data make Chrome run faster?

Clearing cached images and files might free up a small amount of storage space on your computer, but it will not noticeably speed up Chrome. Cached files actually help pages load faster because Chrome does not have to read them again. Clearing browsing history does not affect speed at all.

What is the difference between clearing data and using Incognito mode?

Incognito mode (also called private browsing) prevents Chrome from saving browsing data in the first place — it does not save history, cookies, or cached files while you are in that window. Clearing browsing data removes data that was already saved. Incognito is useful if you want privacy for a single browsing session, while clearing data is useful after the fact.

Will clearing browsing data delete my bookmarks?

No. Bookmarks are stored separately and are never deleted when you clear browsing data, even if you select "All time". Your bookmarks will remain in Chrome no matter what you delete.