Safari User Guide

  • Change your homepage
  • Import bookmarks, history, and passwords
  • Make Safari your default web browser
  • Go to websites
  • Find what you’re looking for
  • Bookmark webpages that you want to revisit
  • See your favorite websites
  • Use tabs for webpages
  • Pin frequently visited websites
  • Play web videos
  • Mute audio in tabs
  • Pay with Apple Pay
  • Autofill credit card info
  • Autofill contact info
  • Keep a Reading List
  • Hide ads when reading articles
  • Translate a webpage
  • Download items from the web
  • Share or post webpages
  • Add passes to Wallet
  • Save part or all of a webpage
  • Print or create a PDF of a webpage
  • Customize a start page
  • Customize the Safari window
  • Customize settings per website
  • Zoom in on webpages
  • Get extensions
  • Manage cookies and website data
  • Block pop-ups
  • Clear your browsing history
  • Browse privately
  • Autofill user name and password info
  • Prevent cross-site tracking
  • View a Privacy Report
  • Change Safari preferences
  • Keyboard and other shortcuts
  • Troubleshooting

delete safari history in mac

Clear your browsing history in Safari on Mac

You can remove all records that Safari keeps of where you’ve browsed during a period of time you choose. If your Mac and your other devices have Safari turned on in iCloud preferences , your browsing history is removed from all of them. Clearing your browsing history in Safari doesn’t clear any browsing histories kept independently by websites you visited.

Open Safari for me

Choose how far back you want your browsing history cleared.

When you clear your history, Safari removes data it saves as a result of your browsing, including:

History of webpages you visited

The back and forward list for open webpages

Frequently visited site list

Recent searches

Icons for webpages

Snapshots saved for open webpages

List of items you downloaded (downloaded files aren’t removed)

Websites added for Quick Website Search

Websites that asked to use your location

Websites that asked to send you notifications

How-To Geek

How to clear safari's browsing history and cookies on macos.

To clear your history on Safari, click the "History" button at the top, then select "Clear History.

Quick Links

How to delete your browsing history in safari, how to automatically delete your browsing history on safari, how to clear your cookies on safari, key takeaways.

To clear your history on Safari, click the "History" button at the top, then select "Clear History." You can also set Safari to clear your browsing history automatically by going to Preferences > General, then set "Remove History Items" to the time frame you want.

You may not have anything to hide when we surf the Internet, but you still may want to clear your history every now and then. Here's how you can clear your browsing history in Safari on MacOS.

On Safari, all you do is click the "History" button at the top of the screen then select "Clear History" at the bottom of the list.

Once you do this, you will be given a choice: you can select "the last hour," "today," "today and yesterday," and "all history" from a drop-down menu. Once you've decided, click the "Clear History" button and the history will be clear per your preference.

If you simply want to clear part of your history, you can click "Show History" ("Command + Y").

Click on the site or use the "Command" key to select several sites, then press the "Delete" key. You can also click "Clear History" in the upper right corner to remove everything all at once.

You can also right-click a history entry to delete it.

Related: How to Clear History, Cache, and Cookies in Safari on iPhone or iPad

You can also set Safari to automatically clear your history every so often. When you open up the Safari preference ("Command + ,"), click the "General" tab, and select the "Remove History items" option.

You can decide when or if your history is automatically deleted after one day, one week, two weeks, one month, one year, or you can keep your history indefinitely by selecting the manual option.

To clear cookies in Safari, while you're in Safari's preferences, click on the "Privacy" tab and click "Manage Website Data."

On this page, you will see all the cookies stored on your Mac. You can right-click a specific cookie and select "Delete" to remove it, or you can hold the "Command" button and select several at once.

If you want to remove all of your cookies, click "Remove All" at the bottom of the window.

You will be asked to confirm you want to "remove all data stored by websites on your computer."

Keep in mind that, if you do this, any websites you might have personalized will be removed, and you will be logged out of all websites (though it should be easy to log back in if you've saved your username and password).

Related: How to Block Third-Party Cookies in Every Web Browser

Clearing your history and cookies isn't necessarily sneaky. It's good to be privacy-conscious because there are often times when someone will ask to use your computer for a minute. You may not be looking at anything untoward or scandalous, but then again, you don't necessarily want just anyone knowing what you've been looking at or reading.

  • PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
  • EDIT Edit this Article
  • EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
  • Browse Articles
  • Learn Something New
  • Quizzes Hot
  • This Or That Game New
  • Train Your Brain
  • Explore More
  • Support wikiHow
  • About wikiHow
  • Log in / Sign up
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Internet Browsers
  • Safari Browser

2 Simple Ways to Clear History in Safari

Last Updated: January 4, 2024

This article was co-authored by Luigi Oppido . Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years. This article has been viewed 124,372 times.

You can delete all of your web browsing history or specific entries on both the OS X and the iOS versions of Safari. This can come in handy if you're on a public computer, or need to remove a certain website from your browsing history. No matter what system you're using, it will only take a few moments.

OS X (All History)

Step 1 Open Safari and click the

  • If you're using an older version of Safari, click the "History" menu instead and select "Clear History".

Step 3 Use the pop-up menu to select the range of history you want to delete.

  • Note that this will delete history across all devices connected to your iCloud account.

OS X (Single Entries)

Step 1 Open Safari and click the

iOS (All History)

Step 1 Open the Settings app.

  • If you want to delete a single entry, click here .

Step 2 Scroll down and tap

iOS (Single Entries)

Step 1 Open the Safari app on your device.

Expert Q&A

Luigi Oppido

You Might Also Like

Add a Bookmark in Safari

  • ↑ http://osxdaily.com/2014/11/28/clear-recent-web-history-safari-mac-os-x/
  • ↑ http://osxdaily.com/2014/11/21/delete-specific-history-safari-ios/

About This Article

Luigi Oppido

  • Send fan mail to authors

Is this article up to date?

Am I a Narcissist or an Empath Quiz

Featured Articles

Convince Your Parents

Trending Articles

8 Reasons Why Life Sucks & 15 Ways to Deal With It

Watch Articles

Fold Boxer Briefs

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Info
  • Not Selling Info

wikiHow Tech Help Pro:

Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve

Pocket-lint

How to quickly delete your safari history on mac, iphone, or ipad.

Instant Google regret? Here's how to delete your history in the Safari browser, whether you're using it to surf the web on iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

Key Takeaways

  • Clearing your Safari history removes cookies and reduces online tracking.
  • The process for deleting web history is different for Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
  • You can use Private Browsing Mode to prevent web history from being saved.

From accessing your bank account on a shared computer to Googling embarrassing queries, there are a number of reasons to want to clear out your search history. Deleting your history on Safari removes your trail of web browsing, but the process also does more than clear out potentially embarrassing websites.

Clearing your history will also remove associated cookies from the web browser, reducing the number of ways you are being tracked online. While clearing your web history only removes cookies from Safari and not third-party websites that already have your data, it can still be helpful to reduce online tracking. Clearing the related cache can also sometimes fix bugs.

Deleting a web history from Safari isn't a terribly complicated process, but the steps are a bit different if you are using a MacBook , iPad , or iPhone . The steps for clearing several web pages and a single website are also different. Some privacy settings can also prevent you from deleting any web history, leaving the buttons you need grayed out.

Too many Safari tabs open on your iPhone? Close them all with this trick

There are also a few tricks that can make the process simpler. For example, if you turn on iCloud for Safari, when you delete the history from your Mac, it will automatically be deleted from your phone and tablet too. If you know you want to delete your web history before you make a single click, you can use Private Browsing Mode instead.

Whether you are a murder mystery writer looking to eliminate search queries that would raise the eyebrows of any detective, or you want to reduce the number of cookies tracking you, this guide will tell you how to delete Safari history in a few simple steps.

How to delete Safari history on a Mac

Safari allows you to delete a lot of web history from a Mac or MacBook at once by allowing you to choose the dates for which you would like to erase. If you want to clear websites from the last hour, last day, last two days or all of your web history, this is the process to use.

  • Open Safari
  • From the top toolbar, click on History , then click Clear History.
  • In the pop-up window, use the drop-down menu to select the time period you want to clear from your history.
  • Click Clear History .

How to delete Safari history on an iPhone or iPad

The steps for clearing out your Safari history on an iPhone is quite different from using a Safari browser on a Mac. But, the process is the same across both iPhones and iPads, so these steps below work for both your phone and tablet.

  • Open the Settings app.
  • Select Safari.
  • Scroll down to the Privacy & Security section and select Clear History and Website Data.
  • On the next page, tap the time frame that you would like to delete the history for.
  • Optional: If you also want to close out of all open websites, tap the toggle for Close All Tabs.
  • Tap Clear History.

How to delete a single website from Safari history

Safari allows you to easily delete websites from the last hour, day, two days, or your entire web history easily. But, if you only want to remove a single website, you'll instead have to access your history, and then select the individual page to remove.

  • Open a Safari browser.
  • From the top toolbar, select History > Show All History. Or, you can use the keyboard shortcut Command + Y.
  • Select the website entry that you wish to delete. If that site was not visited today, you will need to tap on the date that you visited the website to find it or use the search bar at the top.
  • Right-click on the website entry and select delete.

On an iPhone or iPad:

  • Tap the Bookmark icon on the bottom (it looks like an open book).
  • Tap the Clock or History icon at the top of the page.
  • Locate the website that you wish to delete from your history -- your history is organized by the date you visited.
  • On the website you wish to delete, swipe left, then tap on the red trash icon.

How to use Bing Chat on Safari

How to use private mode in safari.

If you know that you'll want to delete the website that you are about to visit from your history, try using Private Browsing Mode instead. This mode does not save any website history, including search history and autofill information. That means you can do your online banking without going back and deleting your web history when you are done.

To use Private Browsing Mode on a Mac:

  • Open Safari.
  • On the top toolbar, go to File > New Private Window.
  • Use this new private window for browsing. You can quickly see if a Safari browser is Private because the field to type in the URL is dark gray instead of white.

To use Private Browsing Mode on iOS:

  • Tap the tab icon in the bottom left corner.
  • At the bottom of the screen, tap Private (swipe to see all the toppings in this toolbar if you do not see the Private option.)
  • Private browsing will have a dark gray URL field instead of white. To return to regular browsing, repeat the steps but this time swipe back to your open tabs.

How to use picture-in-picture mode in Safari on Mac

How to instantly clear your web history from multiple devices.

With iCloud , Safari can save your web browsing across all the devices that you use with your Apple ID. While that's helpful for quickly recalling a website no matter what device you first opened it with, it also syncs any deletions to the web history across your devices . That means if you delete a web page from your history on a Mac, it will automatically be deleted from your iPhone too -- as long as both devices are logged into the same Apple ID and iCloud for Safari is enabled.

iCloud for Safari can be enabled during the setup process for a new device, but it can also be turned on and off from the Settings app:

  • Tap on your Apple ID or name at the top.
  • Tap on iCloud.
  • Under Apps Using iCloud, select Show All . (If you are running iOS 15 or earlier, you may not see the full list already instead of the Show All option, in which case you can jump to the next step.)
  • Toggle on Safari from the list.

Why can't I clear my Safari history?

In some cases, the buttons that you need to tap to clear your Safari history are gray. But why can't you delete your Safari history, and how do you fix it? Here are a few common reasons why the Safari history options are grayed out:

  • You've already deleted your history and there are no more websites to clear out.
  • Web content restrictions are turned on. Some parental control settings prevent kids and teens from deleting their web history, while other content restrictions can also prevent you from deleting. To access the content restriction options, open the Settings app and go to Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.
  • You are using Private Browsing Mode. This mode does not save your web history, so you have nothing to delete.

14 Safari tips and tricks you absolutely need to know

Can you permanently delete safari history.

Deleting your Safari history makes it difficult for the average person to recover the past websites that you have visited. However, if you are connected to your work or school network, in some cases the network administrator can still see your website access. Deleting your website history also may not fool a trained digital forensics expert during an investigation.

  • Editorial Process
  • Why Trust Us?
  • Affiliate Linking Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Weekly Must-Reads View All

7 things to do if you spilled water on your macbook.

Quick steps to save your MacBook from water damage

How to Boot Your Mac Into Verbose Mode: 4 Best Ways

Boot your Mac into Verbose Mode with this step-by-step guide

How to Fix Your Mac Shutting Down Randomly: 16 Fixes to Try

Troubleshoot random shutdowns on Mac with effective solutions

How Much Space Does macOS Take On Your Mac?

Understand macOS size and analyze your Mac's storage usage

Popular Topics

  • What to Do With Your Old MacBook? 13 Useful Ways to Reuse an Old Mac
  • What Is the MacBook Flexgate Issue and How to Fix It
  • What Is the MacBook Flexgate Issue
  • Uninstall Java
  • Safely Transfer Files from Mac to Mac
  • Safari Bookmarks Disappeared on Mac: 10 Best Ways to Restore Them
  • Repairing disk permissions
  • Old MacBook

Trending Now View All

7 Things to Do If You Spilled Water on Your MacBook Featured Image

  • Mac Security and Privacy

How to Delete Safari History on Your Mac

' src=

Hashir Ibrahim

' src=

Reviewed by

Last updated: September 11, 2023

Expert verified

Navigating the digital world often leaves a trail in the form of browser history. While this history can be useful for quick access to frequently visited websites, it can also pose privacy and security risks.

If you’re a Mac user who relies on Safari as your go-to web browser, you may be wondering how to effectively delete your browsing history to protect your personal information. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the simple steps to delete Safari history on your Mac and browse the web with peace of mind.

Before We Begin

Deleting your browser history is just one method for enhancing your online privacy and security. Another option is to use MacKeeper’s Private Connect VPN, which safeguards both your personal data and your location when you’re online.

How to Clear All Safari History Manually

Clearing your Safari history manually is a straightforward process that you can accomplish in just a few steps. Doing so can protect your privacy and even speed up your browsing experience.

Here’s how to delete Safari history on your Mac manually and in one go:

  • Launch the Safari application by clicking its icon in the Dock or by finding it in the Applications folder.

open safari on your mac

  • Once Safari is open, navigate to the menu bar, click History , and select Clear History… from the dropdown. It’s at the bottom of the menu and you may have to scroll down.

click history in the menu bar and select clear history

  • A dialog box will appear asking you to specify the time range for which you want to delete history. You can select last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all history.

choose a time range to clear safari history

  • Select all history from the menu and click the Clear History button. This will also clear your browser cache and cookies for the specified time range.

click the clear history button

  • For the changes to take effect, close all Safari windows and relaunch the application.

How to Clear Specific Pages From Safari History

If you prefer to delete specific items rather than clear your entire history, Safari also allows you to do that. Here’s how to delete Safari history on your Mac for specific pages:

  • Once Safari is open, navigate to the menu bar, click History and select Show All History .

click history and select show all history

  • A window will display your entire browsing history. Simply right-click the individual site(s) you wish to remove and select Delete .

right click a history item and select delete

  • Alternatively, you can click the Clear History button and it will open the window to select a time range and you can clear all Safari history.

click clear history

Remember, clearing your history will also log you out of any websites where you’ve signed in, so you’ll need to log back in the next time you visit those sites.

How to Clear Safari History and Cookies Automatically

Automatically clearing your Safari history and cookies can be a real time-saver and adds an extra layer of privacy and security to your browsing experience. By setting this up, you won’t have to manually clear your history each time you exit Safari.

Here’s how to clear Safari history and cookies automatically on your Mac:

  • Launch Safari by clicking its icon in the Dock.
  • Click Safari in the menu bar at the top of the screen and select Settings .

click safari and select settings

  • Select the Privacy tab and check the box for Block all cookies next to Cookies and website data.

check the block all cookies check box

Note that doing so might cause some websites to not work correctly.

Another way to automatically clear history and cookies on Safari is to use Private Browsing mode. To enable this, open Safari, go to the File menu, and select New Private Window .

click file and selecte new private window

While in this mode, Safari won’t save your browsing history or cookies.

Using Private Browsing mode or blocking all cookies can affect the functionality of some websites. You might not be able to log in or access certain features in such cases.

How to Clear Cookies and Cache in Safari

Clearing cookies and cache in Safari can improve your browsing speed, solve website issues, and enhance your privacy and security. Here’s how to clear cookies in Safari:

  • Start by launching the Safari application from your Dock or your Applications folder.
  • Select the Privacy tab and click the Manage Website Data button.

select the privacy tab and tap the manage website data button

  • Click Remove All to clear all website cookies completely.

click remove all

  • If you choose to remove all cookies, you’ll be prompted to confirm. Click Remove Now to proceed.
  • Alternatively, you can select individual websites and tap Remove .

select a website and click remove

  • Click Done when you have deleted all cache files.

To delete Safari cache on your Mac, follow these steps:

  • First, you’ll need to enable the Developer menu if it isn’t already. Go to Safari in the menu bar and select Settings .
  • Select the Advanced tab and check the box next to the Show Develop menu in menu bar if it is unchecked.

check the box next to the show develop menu in menu bar

  • Once the Develop menu is enabled, you’ll find it in the menu bar at the top of your screen. Click Develop in the menu bar and select Empty Caches from the dropdown menu.

click develop in the menu bar and select empty caches

This will clear all your Safari cache on Mac.

After you’ve cleared cookies and cache, it may be a good idea to close and relaunch Safari for the changes to take full effect.

Why Can’t You Delete Your History on Safari?

If you’re unable to delete your history on Safari, there could be several reasons for this issue. Below are some common factors and their potential solutions:

  • 🚫 Restrictions or Parental Controls : If your Mac has been set up with parental controls or other user restrictions, these settings might disable the ability to clear Safari history. You would need administrative access to change these settings. Go to System Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy to make changes.
  • 🚹 Corrupted User Profile : Sometimes, a corrupted user profile may lead to issues with Safari, including the inability to delete the history. Create a new user profile to see if the issue persists. If it doesn’t, you may have to transition to the new profile entirely.
  • 🐞 Software Glitch : Occasional glitches can also cause this issue. Quitting and reopening Safari, or restarting your computer, might solve the problem.
  • 🛡️ Third-Party Software Interference : Some third-party software, like security or parental control applications, can interfere with Safari’s normal operation. Disable or uninstall the third-party software temporarily to see if that resolves the issue.
  • ⌛ Outdated Safari Version : Using an outdated version of Safari may result in various operational issues, including the inability to delete history. Update Safari to the latest version via the App Store.
  • ☁️ iCloud Syncing : If you’re using iCloud to sync Safari data across devices, there might be syncing issues causing the problem. Go to System Settings > Apple ID > iCloud and toggle off Safari syncing, then try to clear history again. You can toggle it back on afterward.
  • 🔒 Lack of Administrative Privileges : In some cases, the logged-in user might not have the administrative rights necessary to clear browsing history. Log in as an administrator and try to clear the history.
  • 🦠 Malware : It’s rare but possible that malware could be preventing you from deleting your history. Run a full virus scan on your Mac using reputable antivirus software and remove any threats detected.

Additional Privacy Tips for Safari Users

For Safari users who are keen on enhancing their online privacy, there are multiple ways to better protect your information and browsing habits. Here are some additional tips for boosting your privacy while using Safari:

  • 🕶️ Use Private Browsing Mode : When you enable Private Browsing, Safari doesn’t save your search history, AutoFill information, or open tabs. To activate, simply open Safari, and go to File > New Private Window .
  • 🍪 Manage Cookies and Website Data : Navigate to Safari > Settings > Privacy , where you can choose to block all cookies or manage data for specific websites.

check block all cookies or click manage website data

  • 🚫 Enable “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking” : This feature blocks advertisers from collecting your browsing data across websites. Enable it from Safari > Settings > Privacy .

check prevent cross site tracking in privacy tab

  • 🌐 Use a VPN Service : Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) mask your IP address, making your online actions virtually untraceable. Many reputable services offer Safari extensions.
  • 📝 Disable AutoFill : To keep personal information like usernames and credit card numbers safe, disable AutoFill by going to Safari > Settings > AutoFill .

disable autofill options in safari settings

  • 🔒 Customize Website Permissions : Control permissions for camera, microphone, and location for individual websites. Go to Safari > Settings > Websites to make adjustments.

website tab in safari settings

  • 🔍 Turn Off Search Engine Suggestions : Disable this feature to prevent search engines from gathering your search queries. Navigate to Safari > Settings > Search to turn it off.

disable search engine suggestions in safari settings

  • 🧩 Examine Browser Extensions : Not all browser extensions are secure. Make sure to review and manage your extensions by navigating to Safari > Settings > Extensions .

extensions tab in safari settings

  • 🔑 Review and Manage Saved Passwords : Regularly update and manage saved passwords. Access this via Safari > Settings > Passwords .

passwords tab in safari settings

  • ⚠️ Enable Fraudulent Website Warning : This feature warns you when you attempt to open a website that’s suspected of phishing. Turn it on by going to Safari > Settings > Security .

enable fraudulent website warning in safari settings

Browse Safely With MacKeeper Private Connect

Browsing safely online is essential for protecting your privacy and sensitive data. MacKeeper Private Connect VPN (Virtual Private Network) provides additional security and privacy while surfing the web.

Here are the steps to use MacKeeper’s Private Connect VPN:

  • Download and install MacKeeper on your Mac.
  • Open the MacKeeper app on your Mac and click Private Connect under the Privacy section.

click the private connect feature under the privacy section

  • Select a server location from the list provided. You can choose a server in your country for faster browsing or another country to bypass geo-restrictions.

select server location from provided list

  • Click Turn On to activate Private Connect VPN.

click turn on to activate private connect vpn

  • Once connected, you should see a notification indicating your VPN connection is active. You can also check your IP address online to confirm the change.

Start browsing the web safely and securely. Your internet connection is now encrypted, and your online activities are private. When you’re done browsing, disconnect the VPN by clicking the Turn Off button.

What Else Can MacKeeper Do?

Besides providing a VPN, MacKeeper is a multifunctional utility software that offers various features necessary for online security. You can use MacKeeper to block annoying ads on your Mac , delete junk files , clear login items , and disable pop-ups on your Mac . If you want to learn more about its features, read my detailed MacKeeper review .

Delete Safari History on Your Mac

Now that you know how to delete Safari history on your Mac, you can declutter your browser and boost its performance. For an even better online experience, consider these additional suggestions:

  • If you also use Firefox, learn how to delete Firefox history on your Mac .
  • If Safari is crashing on your Mac , you should clear Safari cache , disable unnecessary plugins and extensions, and update the app.
  • Sometimes the issue is not your browser, but a particular website. You can block websites on Safari to prevent them from crashing your browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should i clear my safari browsing history.

You should clear your Safari browsing history to enhance online privacy by removing traces of websites you’ve visited. It also boosts browser performance by freeing up memory and storage space. Additionally, clearing history helps protect sensitive information, like login credentials or search queries.

How often should I clear my Safari history?

The frequency of clearing your Safari history depends on your personal needs and security concerns. Some users prefer to clear it daily for maximum privacy, while others do it weekly or monthly to balance convenience and security. Regularly clearing your history helps maintain privacy and optimizes browser performance.

Will clearing my Safari history make my Mac run faster?

Clearing your Safari history can improve browser performance by freeing up memory and reducing clutter. While it may not significantly speed up your entire Mac system, it can make your web browsing experience smoother and more efficient, especially if you haven’t cleared your history for an extended period.

' src=

I'm Hashir, a tech journalist with a decade of experience. My work has been featured in some of the top tech publications like MakeUseOf and MakeTechEasier. I have a bachelor's degree in IT, a master's in cybersecurity, and extensive knowledge of Apple hardware, specifically MacBooks. As the senior writer at MacBook Journal, I write in depth guides that help you solve any issues you have with your mac and unbiased reviews that help you make the right buying decisions.

' src=

Hi there! I'm Ojash, a tech journalist with over a decade of experience in the industry. I've had the privilege of contributing to some of the world's largest tech publications, making my mark as a respected Mac expert. My passion lies in exploring, using, and writing about MacBooks, and I enjoy sharing my expertise to help others make informed decisions and get the most out of their MacBook experience. Join me as we delve into the fascinating world of MacBooks together!

You May Also Like

Do MacBooks Need Antivirus Featured Image

Do MacBooks Need Antivirus? Here’s What You Should Know

Written by Hashir Ibrahim Reviewed by Ojash Last updated: September 6, 2023

Can Macs Get Viruses Featured Image

Can Macs Get Viruses? Everything You Need to Know

Written by Hashir Ibrahim Reviewed by Ojash Last updated: October 12, 2023

How to Find Saved Passwords on Your Mac Featured Image

How to Find Saved Passwords on Your Mac: 3 Best Ways

Easily find and manage your Mac's saved passwords

How to Back Up Your Data on macOS Featured Image

How to Back Up Your Data on macOS: 4 Safe & Easy Ways

Ensure your data safety with macOS backup methods

  • Apple Watch
  • Accessories
  • Digital Magazine – Subscribe
  • Digital Magazine – Log In
  • Smart Answers
  • M3 MacBook Air
  • New iPad Air
  • iPad mini 7
  • Next Mac Pro
  • Best Mac antivirus
  • Best Mac VPN

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn't affect our editorial independence .

How to delete web browsing history on Mac

delete safari history in mac

Periodically cleaning out your browser’s data (such as your history, or your cache and cookies ) can help protect your privacy from snoops who want to discover what sites you’ve visited recently, or what you’ve searched for. We’ve looked at clearing your iPhone browsing history elsewhere; in this article we explain how to clear the web browsing history on your Mac, covering the four most popular Mac browsers : Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Opera.

If you’d like to prevent your browser collecting history data in the first place, see How to use private web browsing on Mac – this is a useful feature if you’d like to hide your tracks online.

Clear history in Safari

Safari’s Clear History tool appears twice in its dropdown menus. You can click Safari > Clear History, or go for History > Clear History instead.

You can choose to clear the last hour, or all of today’s accumulated data, or today plus yesterday, or just all the data since… well, forever! Select from the dropdown list and click Clear History.

Although quick to access, the Clear History tool is badly named because it actually takes a scorched Earth approach – in addition to actual browsing history, it deletes cookies and the entire browser cache too.

Happily, Safari does offer more surgical cleaning tools that let you proceed on a site-by-site basis. It just hides these tools away – but we’re here to help.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Safari

Remove individual sites from Safari history

By clicking History > Show All History you’ll see a list of the sites you’ve visited recently; right-clicking any in the list shows a menu complete with Remove option. Alternatively, select any entry in the list and tap the Backspace or Delete key on your keyboard. Note that the Clear History button at the top right of the list displays the same global clear-up dialog box as mentioned above.

Although you can select several entries in the History list in the usual way by holding down Shift or Cmd, you can only delete them by subsequently tapping the Backspace or Delete key on your keyboard. Right-clicking won’t work in this instance.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Individual sites in Safari

Clear history in Chrome

View your browsing history in Chrome by selecting History > Show Full History (or using the hotkey combination Cmd + Y, although this doesn’t always seem to work).

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Chrome

You can remove specific entries on an individual basis: click the tickbox to the left of it, then Delete in the blue bar at the top, and confirm Remove.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Chrome

If you’d prefer to delete all your history in one go, click ‘Clear browsing data’ in the lefthand list of options.

Select a time range from the dropdown menu – you can select the last hour, day, week or four-week period, or all time – and then make sure the ‘Browsing history’ tickbox is filled.

(You can delete cache and cookies at the same time if you wish, or untick them to ignore. The cache entry will tell you how much space will be saved, as well as warning that sites may load more slowly.)

Hit Clear Data to trigger the deletion.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Chrome

Clear history in Firefox

Firefox offers straightforward history deletion tools too. Select History > Clear Recent History (or hit Shift + Cmd + forward delete) for the simplest method.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Firefox

At the top of the dialogue box you’ll be able to choose a time range: Last Hour, Last Two Hours, Last Four Hours, Today or Everything. Then, if you click the Details chevron you can choose which forms of browsing data you wish to delete. When you’ve decided, hit Clear Now.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Firefox

Delete individual sites from your Firefox history

As with the other browsers, Firefox lets you remove individual entries from your history. Click History > Show All History, and then right-click an entry and select Delete Page.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Firefox

You can delete multiple entries in this way by clicking one, then holding Shift and selecting another: Firefox will highlight both entries and all the entries between them. Or use Cmd + A to select all.

And remember that you can just look at the history from this month, the last seven days etc by using the options on the left.

Clear history in Opera

Let’s do one more browser: the purists’ favourite, Opera.

Select History > Show All History from the top bar (or use the hotkey combo Shift + Cmd + H). You’ll see the full history divided into days. Hover over an entry and click the X on the right to remove it from your history.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Opera

To delete all of your history at once, click Clear Browsing Data at the top right of the history page. You can adjust the timeframe – past hour, day, week, four weeks or all time – and choose whether to clear your cookies, autofill forms and other data at the same time as the history.

Click Clear Browsing Data to wipe the selected data.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Opera

IMAGES

  1. How to Delete Browsing History on Safari

    delete safari history in mac

  2. How to Delete History on Safari on Mac UPDATED

    delete safari history in mac

  3. How to clear your browser history on iPhone and iPad

    delete safari history in mac

  4. How to Delete Browsing History on your Mac

    delete safari history in mac

  5. How to Delete Safari History on Mac with Easy Steps

    delete safari history in mac

  6. How to Delete Specific Pages from Safari History in macOS

    delete safari history in mac

VIDEO

  1. How to Delete/Clear Safari Search History on iPhone Tutorial (2024) Full Guide Simple process

  2. How to Delete Documents and Data/History in Safari

  3. How to Clear Web History in Safari Browser

  4. How to Delete All Web History of Safari Browser in MacBook

  5. How To Fix Safari Clear History Button Greyed Out On iPhone Full Guide

  6. how to quickly delete your safari history on Mac iphone or ipod

COMMENTS

  1. Clear your browsing history in Safari on Mac - Apple Support

    Open Safari for me. In the Safari app on your Mac, choose History > Clear History, then click the pop-up menu. Choose how far back you want your browsing history cleared. When you clear your history, Safari removes data it saves as a result of your browsing, including: History of webpages you visited. The back and forward list for open webpages ...

  2. How to Clear Safari's Browsing History and Cookies on macOS

    If you simply want to clear part of your history, you can click "Show History" ("Command + Y"). Click on the site or use the "Command" key to select several sites, then press the "Delete" key. You can also click "Clear History" in the upper right corner to remove everything all at once. You can also right-click a history entry to delete it.

  3. How to Clear History in Safari: Mac and iOS - wikiHow

    Open Safari and click the "History" menu. 2. Select "Show History". You can also press ⌘ Command +⌥ Option + 2 to open the Show History window. 3. Find the entry that you want to delete. You can use the search bar in the upper-right corner, or expand the dates to browse through all your entries. 4.

  4. How to clear Safari cache and cookies on a Mac | Macworld

    Cleaning cookies and the cache data for individual sites can be done via Safari’s Settings/Preferences. Open Safari. Click on Safari in the menu at the top of the screen. Click on Settings or ...

  5. How to delete your Safari history on Mac, iPhone, or iPad

    How to delete Safari history on a Mac Safari allows you to delete a lot of web history from a Mac or MacBook at once by allowing you to choose the dates for which you would like to erase. If you ...

  6. How to Delete Safari History on Your Mac

    Here’s how to delete Safari history on your Mac manually and in one go: Launch the Safari application by clicking its icon in the Dock or by finding it in the Applications folder. Once Safari is open, navigate to the menu bar, click History , and select Clear History… from the dropdown.

  7. How to delete web browsing history on Mac - Macworld

    Select History > Show All History from the top bar (or use the hotkey combo Shift + Cmd + H). You’ll see the full history divided into days. Hover over an entry and click the X on the right to ...

  8. How to clear browsing history on Safari on iPhone or Mac

    In Safari, choose the History menu. Select Clear History from the very bottom of the menu. In the dialog box that appears, choose from clearing the last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all ...