Delete your search history in Chrome in three steps
Open Chrome and press Ctrl + H on Windows or Command + Y on Mac. This opens your History page. On the left side, click Clear browsing data. A box will appear asking what time range you want to clear — choose All time if you want everything gone, or pick a specific range like Last hour or Last 7 days. Make sure the checkbox next to Cookies and other site data is checked, then click Clear data.
That removes your search history from your computer. If you use Chrome on multiple devices with the same Google account, the same history clears from all of them at once — Chrome syncs this data across devices by default. If you do not want that to happen, you can turn off sync in Chrome settings, but then your bookmarks and passwords will not sync either.
The history you delete from Chrome is gone from your device. It does not erase what Google has recorded about your searches on Google's own servers — that is a separate step covered below.
Key Takeaways
- Pressing Ctrl + H (Windows) or Command + Y (Mac) opens your Chrome history, where you can delete everything at once or choose a specific time range.
- Deleting from Chrome removes the history from your device and all devices signed into the same Google account, but does not erase Google's records of your searches.
- You can turn off Chrome sync if you do not want history deleted on one device to affect others, though this also stops syncing bookmarks and passwords.
- Google Search history and Chrome browsing history are stored in different places and require separate deletion steps.
The difference between Chrome history and Google Search history
Chrome keeps a record of every website you visit on your device. Google keeps a separate record of every search you type into Google.com or the Chrome address bar. Deleting one does not delete the other.
When you delete Chrome history using the steps above, you remove the list of websites from your device. But if you searched for "how to fix a leaky faucet" on Google, that search stays in your Google account's search history unless you delete it separately. Someone with access to your Google account can still see that search even after you have cleared Chrome.
Similarly, if you visit a website directly by typing the URL into the address bar, that visit appears in Chrome history but not in Google Search history. The two records track different things.
Delete your Google Search history separately
Go to myactivity.google.com in any browser. Sign in with the Google account you use for searching. You will see a timeline of everything you have searched for, every video you have watched on YouTube, and every place you have looked up on Google Maps — all stored under one account.
To delete individual searches, hover over any item and click the trash icon. To delete everything, click the three-line menu in the top left, select Delete activity by, then choose your time range and click Delete. You can also set Google to automatically delete your search history after a certain number of months — click the three-line menu, go to Auto-delete settings, and choose whether to keep searches for 3 months, 18 months, or never auto-delete.
Deleting from myactivity.google.com removes the search history from your Google account. This does not affect Chrome history on your device — you still need to delete that separately using the Ctrl + H method.
What happens when you clear browsing data in Chrome
When you click Clear data in Chrome, you are removing several types of information at once. The main ones are browsing history (the list of websites you visited), cookies (small files websites store on your device to remember you), and cached images and files (copies of web pages Chrome saved to load them faster next time).
You can choose which types to delete by checking or unchecking boxes before you click Clear data. If you uncheck Cookies and other site data, websites will not remember you the next time you visit — you will have to log in again. If you uncheck Cached images and files, Chrome will take longer to load pages because it cannot use the saved copies.
Clearing data does not delete your saved passwords or autofill information unless you specifically check those boxes. It also does not delete bookmarks. If you want to delete a specific bookmark, right-click it and select Delete.
How to stop Chrome from saving history in the first place
Open a new Incognito window by pressing Ctrl + Shift + N on Windows or Command + Shift + N on Mac. Chrome will not save your browsing history, cookies, or site data from Incognito windows. When you close the window, everything disappears.
Incognito mode does not make you invisible online — your internet service provider, your employer if you are on their network, and the websites you visit can still see what you are doing. It only stops Chrome from saving a record on your device. Google still records searches you make in Incognito mode if you are signed into your Google account.
If you want to use Incognito by default, you can set Chrome to open in Incognito mode every time. Go to Settings, click On startup, and select Continue where you left off — but note that this only works if you close Chrome properly. If Chrome crashes, it will not remember your Incognito windows.
Controlling what Chrome syncs across your devices
If you sign into Chrome with a Google account, it syncs your history, bookmarks, passwords, and settings across every device you use. This means deleting history on your phone also deletes it from your laptop. If you do not want that, you can turn off sync.
Go to Settings in Chrome, click You and Google, then Sync and Google services. Toggle off Sync everything. You will then see checkboxes for each type of data — you can turn off History while keeping Passwords and Bookmarks on if you prefer. When you turn off sync for history, Chrome stops sending your browsing history to Google's servers, but it still keeps a record on that device.
If you turn off sync entirely, you will have to manually update bookmarks and passwords on each device. Most people keep sync on for convenience and just delete history regularly instead.
Why you might want to delete your history
Keeping your browsing history private from people who use your device is the most common reason. If you share a computer with family members or coworkers, they can see your history by opening the History page. Deleting it regularly prevents that.
Deleting history also frees up a small amount of storage space on your device, though the amount is usually negligible unless you have been using the same browser for years without clearing anything. It can also make Chrome run slightly faster if you have accumulated a very large history, since Chrome has to search through less data.
Deleting your Google Search history from myactivity.google.com reduces the amount of information Google stores about your interests and search behavior. Google uses this data to personalize search results and ads. If you do not want Google to build a profile of your interests, regularly clearing your search history is one way to limit that, though it does not stop Google from collecting new data going forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing my Chrome history delete it from Google's servers?
No. Clearing Chrome history only removes the record from your device and any other devices signed into the same Google account. Google keeps its own separate record of your searches on myactivity.google.com. You must delete that separately to remove Google's copy.
Can someone recover my history after I delete it?
Once you delete Chrome history, it is not recoverable through Chrome itself. However, if someone has physical access to your device, they might be able to recover deleted data using specialized recovery software, depending on your device type. Turning off sync and using Incognito mode prevents the history from being saved in the first place.
What is the difference between clearing history and using Incognito mode?
Clearing history removes records that were already saved. Incognito mode prevents Chrome from saving records while you are browsing. Incognito is useful if you know in advance that you do not want something saved; clearing history is what you do after the fact.
If I delete my Chrome history, will my passwords be deleted too?
No. Passwords are stored separately from history. When you clear browsing data, passwords remain saved unless you specifically check the box for Passwords and other sign-in data. You can delete history without touching your saved passwords.
Does deleting history on my phone also delete it from my computer?
Yes, if you are signed into the same Google account on both devices and sync is turned on. Deleting history on one device deletes it from all devices. If you want to delete history on only one device, turn off sync first, delete the history, then turn sync back on.