[Full Guide] How to Delete Google Chrome History

Chrome is known for its user-friendly interface and easy-to-use features, making it one of the most popular browsers worldwide. However, as you browse the internet, Chrome records your activity and saves it in its history. While this can be useful for quickly accessing previously visited websites, it can also compromise your privacy if someone else has access to your device.

Fortunately, Chrome allows you to delete your browsing history quickly. This article will guide you through the steps to clear your browsing history in Chrome, including selectively removing specific websites, clearing your cache and cookies, and more.

Should You Delete Your Chrome History?

Here are the pros and cons of deleting search history in Chrome on your desktop or laptop computer:

Pros:

• Protects Your Privacy: Deleting your browsing history can help to protect your privacy and prevent others from seeing what you have been looking at online.
• Frees up Space: Over time, browsing history can accumulate and take up valuable space on your device. Deleting it can free up space and help your browser run more efficiently.
• Removes Clutter: Clearing your browsing history can help to remove clutter and make it easier to find the websites you want to visit.

Cons:

• Loss of Browsing History: If you regularly use your browsing history to revisit websites you visited, deleting it can be a disadvantage as you will lose that record of your online activity.
• Slower web browsing: When you delete your browsing history, your browser may need to re-download specific resources such as images and videos. This can slow down your browsing experience, at least temporarily.
• Need to re-enter login details: Deleting your browsing history may also remove your saved login details for websites you frequently visit, which means you will need to re-enter these details the next time you visit.

Clear Your Chrome History via a Keyboard Shortcut

The easiest way to clear your Chrome browsing history is through your keyboard. Follow these steps:

1. Open Chrome, then simultaneously press the Ctrl + Shift + Delete keys. This will bring up Google’s on-screen options.
2. Mark all the categories you want to clear by checking the box next to them. Please review all the options in the drop-down menu at the top, as it lets you choose how much of your history you want to clear. You can clear the past hour, day, week, month, or everything.
3. Click on “Clear browsing data” to confirm your selection and clear your browsing history.

Clear History and Cache on Google Chrome

To clear the cache of your Chrome Browser, you can follow the steps below:

1. Close all active Chrome windows and tabs, then open a new one.

2. Access the menu by clicking the three dots on the window’s top-right corner.

3. Select the ‘More tools’ option from the drop-down menu, then choose ‘Clear browsing data…’.

4. On the Basic tab, click the drop-down menu and select ‘All time.’ Ensure the ‘Browsing history,’ ‘Cookies and other site data,’ and ‘Cached images’ and files options are selected.

5. Switch to the Advanced tab and select ‘All time’ from the drop-down menu.

6. Leave the options selected, and choose ‘Passwords and other sign-in data.’

7. Finally, click on the “Clear data” button to clear the cache of your Chrome browser.

8. We recommend closing and restarting the program for the changes to take effect.

Clear Chrome History and Cache on iOS

1. Open the Chrome app and click on the Chrome menu. Then, select “History.”

2. On the History page, click “Clear Browsing Data…” at the bottom of the screen.

3. In the next window, ensure the Time Range is set to “All Time.” Also, confirm that all the options listed below are selected. Finally, click the “Clear Browsing Data” button to delete all your history.

Clear Browsing History and Cache on Android

To clear the cache of your Chrome app, follow these steps:

1. Tap on the Chrome menu.

2. Tap on the menu button located on your phone.

3. Select “Settings.”

4. Select “Privacy & Security.” Note that this step may be labeled as “Privacy” on older versions.

5. Hover to “Clear Browsing Data” at the bottom of the screen and click it.

6. Select the items that you want to delete, including “Clear browsing history,” “Clear cookies and site data,” and “Clear cache.”

7. Finally, tap on the “Clear” button to clear the cache of your Chrome app. Remember that your screen may look slightly different depending on your phone configuration, settings, and Android version.

Delete Specific Site History on Chrome

To remove specific sites from Chrome’s history, desktop and mobile versions allow you to select which items to keep and delete. Deleting a specific site from Chrome’s history takes a bit longer on a computer. To do so, follow these steps.

On a Desktop or Laptop Computer

1. Press “Ctrl + H” on a Windows computer or “Cmd + Y” on a Mac. Alternatively, click the three vertical dots in the screen’s upper-right corner, hover over the “History” option, and click the “History” option in the side menu.

2. Chrome will display a list of all the searches and sites you’ve visited since the last time you cleared your browsing data.

3. Browse the list until you find the site you want removed.

4. When you find the site, please tick the box on its left side to select it.

5. Next, click the icon with three dots on the right side of the site.

6. Select the “Remove from history” option.

7. A bar will appear at the top of the browser window, notifying you that you’ve selected an item from the list. Instead of clicking the three-dot icon, you can also click the “Delete” button on the right side of the bar to remove the site.

On Mobile

If you want to remove a specific site from your Chrome history on an Android device, follow these steps:

1. Open Chrome on your phone or tablet.
2. Tap the “Main Menu” icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Tap “History.”
4. Find the site you want to delete from the list of your searches and visited pages and tap the “X” icon next to it.

To remove a specific site from Chrome’s history on an iPhone or iPad, follow these steps:

1. Open Chrome from the Home screen.
2. Hover to the “More” button in the bottom-right corner of the screen and click on it.
3. Select “History” >> Scroll down and locate “Edit” to click
4. Check the item or items you want to remove.
5. Tap the “Delete” button >> “Done.”

Automatically Delete Chrome Browser History With Third-Party Extensions

Chrome only deletes cookies on exit by default. Enable automatic deletion by going to Settings > Privacy and Security> Cookies and site data. Third-party extensions like Smart Clean offer additional deletion methods, but they can’t delete data on exit due to Chrome’s design. Instead, they can delete data on startup, which is less secure.

Keep Your Browsing Private: Follow These Steps to Delete Chrome History

In conclusion, knowing how to clear your browsing history in Chrome is essential for anyone who values online privacy and security. While clearing your history may seem straightforward, it reminds us that we leave digital footprints with every online action.

By deleting our browsing data regularly, we can reduce the risk of identity theft, protect our personal information, and maintain a clean browsing experience. Moreover, this process can also serve as a moment of reflection for us to evaluate our digital habits and assess how we can improve our online behavior.

So, let us learn how to delete our browsing history in Chrome and use it to reflect on being more mindful and responsible internet users.