clear recent history safari iphone

How to clear Safari browsing history on iPhone and iPad

Clear Safari browsing history on iPhone and iPad in a few simple steps

iPhone screen showing the Safari app icon in the center

You'll definitely want to know how to clear Safari browsing history on iPhone and iPad . Know how to delete browsing history is part of basic user operation on all your devices, and is especially if you share devices with others.

Luckily, deleting browsing history on Safari is easy and can be done in just a few taps, and is the same on iOS and iPadOS, so whether you're using an iPhone 15 Pro or an iPad Air , these steps will apply.

Remember, though, that deleting your browsing history only stops your activity being visible on that device. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) will still be able to see the webpages you have visited. If you want to stop that, for ultimate privacy, you'll need to use one of the best VPN services .

The following screenshots were taken on an iPhone running iOS 17 . If you aren't running the latest version of your device's OS, we can show you how to update an iPhone or how to update an iPad .

In Safari, tap the book icon
Go to the history tab (clock)
Select how far back to clear

Read on to see full illustrated instructions.

1. In Safari, tap the book icon

A screenshot showing how to delete browsing history on Safari for iPhone and iPad.

Firstly, open Safari and tap the book icon in the bottom bar.

2. Select the history tab (clock icon) and tap Clear

Now select the history tab (clock icon) and tap Clear at the bottom.

3. Select how far back to clear and tap Delete

Now choose how far back you'd like to delete : last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all time.

If you like, you can toggle on Close All Tabs , which will close every open tab that isn't in a tab group (we can show you how to use tab groups if you aren't sure).

Finally, when you're happy, hit Delete .

A screenshot showing empty browsing history on Safari for iPhone

As you can see in the screenshot above, if you now go back to the history tab, your history will have been deleted.

For more iPhone tutorials, check out our guides on how to transfer data from iPhone to iPhone , how to clear RAM on iPhone , how to delete multiple contacts on iPhone and how to rearrange the iOS 17 Messages '+' menu .

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How to view and clear your web browsing history in Safari on iPhone or iPad

Easily wipe your browsing history in Apple's Safari web browser in seconds.

How to find your web-browsing history

How to clear your web browsing history.

Clearing your browsing history on iPhone and iPad in Safari has been a straightforward affair for years now.

Sometimes, you may want a fresh start with your web browsing — perhaps to get rid of some history that may bring up a memory you'd rather forget as you type in a website URL in the address bar.

Apple makes this feature very easy to access on both the iPhone and iPad by offering two ways to clear your history. So with this in mind, here's how you can do just that and make a fresh start in Safari .

Viewing your web history in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 is very easy to do — and it's all done from Safari.

In Safari, tap the Bookmarks button in the toolbar that's below the address bar.
Tap the History icon in the upper right corner. Here, you can view your entire web history.

To search for bookmarks, tap the Bookmarks button in the toolbar at the bottom of the app, then select the Bookmark icon.

Use the History search bar to find previously viewed pages.

To find History, tap the History menu. Then use the search to find previously viewed information.

If the time calls to wipe most or all of your web browsing history in Safari, here's how to do it on both iPhone and iPad.

To note, the below steps will be the same if you attempt to wipe your web browsing history on an iPhone 15 Pro Max , and an iPad Mini 6 for example.

In Safari, tap the Bookmarks button.
Select the History icon in the upper right corner.
Tap Clear and select how much history you'd like to clear: the last hour, the last day, 48 hours' worth, or all recorded history.

One more thing… A feature no one talks about

Privacy on the web matters more than ever in these modern times. Websites store the pages you click on, especially when you sign into a page that can contain personal information about you.

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It's great to have a feature like this in Safari — but it would be good to have this automated. To tell Apple's web browser to automatically clear history after 24 hours would be very useful, as you wouldn't leave a trail behind.

Regardless, it's still a good feature, and one you should use every week.

Daryl is iMore's Features Editor, overseeing long-form and in-depth articles and op-eds. Daryl loves using his experience as both a journalist and Apple fan to tell stories about Apple's products and its community, from the apps we use everyday to the products that have been long forgotten in the Cupertino archives.

Previously Software & Downloads Writer at TechRadar, and Deputy Editor at StealthOptional, he's also written a book, ' The Making of Tomb Raider ', which tells the story of the beginnings of Lara Croft and the series' early development. He's also written for many other publications including WIRED, MacFormat, Bloody Disgusting, VGC, GamesRadar, Nintendo Life, VRV Blog, The Loop Magazine, SUPER JUMP, Gizmodo, Film Stories, TopTenReviews, Miketendo64 and Daily Star.

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How to clear browsing history on Safari on iPhone or Mac

You can clear your Safari browsing history on both iOS and Mac

As tracking goes, Safari keeping your browsing history is less about privacy-busting security and more about just being useful. It's your history that means Safari remembers where to go to when you choose forward and back within a site, for instance.

It's also how Safari is able to offer you a list of sites that you regularly go to, on account of how handy it is to be able to back to them with a click. History also does keep things you may not expect, though, such as a list of items you've downloaded.

If you don't want that, though, or you're just fed up of Safari going to site addresses you haven't looked at in years, you can wipe the whole browsing history.

On a Mac, you can also wipe, for instance, just the last hour's browsing history. So if you share Safari and it's someone's special birthday coming up, you can avoid them inadvertently finding out you plan to surprise them with dance lessons.

Go to History, Clear History, and then choose how far back you want your browsing cleared

How to clear search history on Safari on 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 history
Click on Clear History

Alternatively, within Safari you can press Command-Y and the current page will be replaced by a history list. There's a Clear History... button toward the top right.

Clicking on that gives you exactly the same dialog about choosing how far back you want to clear your browsing history. But this page does also give you one extra option — the ability to delete one specific item.

How to clear one item from Safari search history on Mac

In Safari, press Command-Y
From the long list, click once on a history item to select it
Right-click to bring up a menu, then choose Delete

Alternatively, if you select one, two, or more items in the history list, you can then press the Delete key to remove them all.

You can remove your takeaway habits from Safari, we're not judging you.

That kind of precision removal is only possible on your Mac, not on iOS . However, whether it's precision or wholesale clearing of your history, though, there is a way to replicate it on iOS.

If you have set iCloud to share your Safari history, then just doing this on your Mac also removes the history from your iPhone, and iPad.

Otherwise, you're stuck with going to your iOS device. And then with clearing the entire history.

How to clear search history on iPhone

Go to Settings on your iOS device
Tap on Safari
Scroll down to Clear History and Website Data
Tap that, then tap Clear History and Data to confirm

One important thing to note is that you can't selectively remove, say, today's browsing history on the iPhone or iPad . It's all or nothing, with iOS.

Clearing your Safari history is all or nothing on iOS

What you leave behind

Clearing your history like this does remove the list of sites and pages you've visited. It does mean you can't go back to that site you read last Tuesday, not without remembering what it was and going there yourself.

What it doesn't remove, though, is the information that gets used by something like AutoFill. If you have your address, for instance, and you're used to online forms being filled out with it, you've still got that feature.

You've also still got anything you downloaded. It's purely that Safari won't keep the list of downloads.

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How to Clear Search History on iPhone

Clear selected Safari entries or your entire browsing history

Clear Browsing History Using the Safari App

Here's how to delete your browsing history through the Safari app on your iOS device.

Open the Safari app and tap Bookmarks (the icon that looks like an open book) at the bottom.

Tap History (clock icon).

Select Clear , and then select All time to erase your browsing history completely. Alternatively, choose The last hour , Today , or Today and yesterday .

Depending on the setting you chose, you've deleted your browsing history.

To delete individual entries, instead of tapping Clear , swipe from right to left over the website you want to remove, and then choose Delete .

Clear Browsing History Using the Settings App

You also can delete your browsing history through your iOS device's Settings app.

Tap Settings and then scroll down and tap Safari .

Scroll down and tap Clear History and Website Data .

In the confirmation box, tap Clear History and Data . You've deleted your Safari browsing history.

This method clears your entire browsing history, with no option to delete items selectively.

Open the Safari app and tap the book icon at the bottom of the screen. Tap the History icon (clock) and pull down on the screen to reveal the Search History field. Enter a search term .

You can't, but neither can anyone else. When you enter Safari's Private Browsing mode , the iPhone doesn't store your browsing history. To browse without recording the history, tap the Safari app > Tabs icon > [number] button > Private .

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How-To Geek

How to delete specific website history from safari on iphone or ipad.

Forgot to enable Private Browsing mode on Safari? Don't nuke your entire history, prune specific sites instead.

Quick Links

How to remove websites from safari history, how to delete specific website data, don't forget about private browsing mode.

It's not always convenient to delete your entire history, but you can instead choose to delete specific websites from your history (and the data they leave behind on your device). Here's how to do it in Safari for iPhone and iPad.

Safari will record any websites you visit unless you use Private Browsing . Once a website is in your history it will appear in the URL bar when you start typing a related term. There are all sorts of reasons you may want to prune specific websites, and it's easy to do so.

Open Safari and tap on the "Bookmarks" icon at the bottom of the screen (it looks like an open book).

A pop-up will appear with three tabs for your Bookmarks, Reading List , and History. Tap on the clock icon to see your history.

You can now swipe left on any entry in your history and tap "Delete" to remove it for good.

Rather than scrolling through your entire history of visited websites, you can also search for specific terms or URLs using the on-screen search box . But that's not the only evidence a website may have left behind on your device.

Related: How to Change the Default Search Engine in Safari on iPhone or iPad

Websites leave all sorts of data on your device including cached images and cookies . If you want to remove all signs of a website, it's important to remove website data as well.

Launch Settings and tap on Safari > Advanced > Website Data. This menu may take a little while to load as Safari fetches a full list of website data and estimates how much storage each entry takes up on your device.

You can now follow the same procedure as above by swiping left on any websites you would like to forget about and tapping the "Delete" button that appears.

You can also search for specific websites using the search bar at the top of the screen, or nuke everything using the "Remove All Website Data" button at the bottom of the list.

Note that if you do remove website data (or wipe everything) that there may be some drawbacks like having to log in again or having your shopping cart emptied.

Related: Clearing Your Cookies All the Time Makes the Web More Annoying

You can use Private Browsing mode in Safari at any point to visit a website without it being recorded to your device. To do this, tap on the tab icon in the lower right corner of the screen followed by the number of tabs you have open at the bottom of the screen. From here tap "Private" to switch to a private browsing session.

Note that all tabs in your private browsing session will remain open until you close them , so make sure you close anything that may compromise your privacy.

To get a better handle on your iPhone or iPad's privacy settings, we recommend a periodic iOS privacy check-up .

Related: How to Check and Tighten All Your iPhone's Privacy Settings

Clear the history, cache and cookies from Safari on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

Find out how to delete your history, cookies and cache in Settings.

Delete your history, cache and cookies

Clear your cookies and the cache, but keep your history

Delete a website from your history, block cookies, use content blockers, delete history, cache and cookies.

Go to Settings > Safari.

Tap Clear History and Website Data.

ios-17-iphone-14-pro-settings-safari-clear-history-and-website-data

Clearing your history, cookies and browsing data from Safari won't change your AutoFill information.

When there’s no history or website data to be cleared, the button to clear it will turn grey. The button may also be grey if you have web content restrictions set up under Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time .

To visit sites without leaving history, turn Private Browsing on .

Go to Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data.

Tap Remove All Website Data.

When there’s no website data to be cleared, the button to clear it will turn grey. The button may also be grey if you have web content restrictions set up under Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time .

Open the Safari app.

Tap the Edit button, then select the website(s) that you want to delete from your history.

Tap the Delete button.

A cookie is a piece of data that a site puts on your device so that site can remember you when you visit again.

To block cookies:

Go to Settings > Safari > Advanced.

Turn on Block All Cookies.

ios-17-iphone-14-pro-settings-safari-block-all-cookies

If you block cookies, some web pages may not work. Here are some examples:

You'll likely not be able to sign in to a site even when using your correct user name and password.

You may see a message that cookies are required or that your browser's cookies are turned off.

Some features on a site may not work.

Content blockers are third-party apps and extensions that let Safari block cookies, images, resources, pop-ups and other content.

To get a content blocker:

Download a content blocking app from the App Store.

Tap Settings > Safari > Extensions.

Tap to turn on a listed content blocker.

You can use more than one content blocker. If you need help, contact the app developer .

Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Contact the vendor for additional information.

Contact Apple Support

Need more help? Save time by starting your support request online and we'll connect you to an expert.

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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 125,183 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)

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)

iOS (All History)

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

iOS (Single Entries)

Step 1 Open the Safari app on your device.

Expert Q&A

↑ 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/

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How to clear the cache on your iPhone (and why you should)

How many tabs are open on your mobile browser right now? Go ahead, check -- you might be surprised by what you find.

Americans spend over five hours a day on their smartphones. That's over five hours of your phone potentially accessing, retrieving, and saving cache and cookies, which can negatively impact your iPhone's storage space .

What is cache?

Cache is the temporary storage of some data, like parts of a website from the last time you visited it, for example. Browser cache is content from a website that is stored on your phone during a browser session to help the browser execute faster the next time you visit that page.

Also: How to clear Google search cache on Android

Cache data can slow down your phone's overall browsing performance, however, since it takes up storage space on your device, so it's good to clear it out regularly. In this article, we mainly focus on clearing web browser cache on an iPhone, but you should know that other types of cache include mobile app cache and CPU cache.

How to clear cache on iPhone

What you'll need: Everything you need to clear your browser cache is within the iPhone's settings app or the Safari app, so grab your iPhone to get started.

Keep in mind that clearing the cache can clear private data, which can close all open tabs in Safari. This is also likely to log you out of all your websites, prompting you to sign in again the next time you open them.

How do I clear the cache from Chrome on iPhone?

If Google Chrome is your preferred browser, it may have a substantial amount of data stored on your device, which could also slow down performance.

To clear the cache in Chrome, open the Google Chrome app and follow these steps:

Tap Settings .
Go to Privacy and Security .
Select Clear Browsing Data .
Select the time from which to delete the data (if you want to delete all your browsing history, choose All Time ).
Go through the items you'd like to delete, like your Browsing History, Cookies and Site Data, Cached Images and Files, Saved Passwords , and Autofill Data.
Confirm by tapping Clear Browsing Data at the bottom of the screen.
Tap Done when you've deleted the Chrome cache.

Also: Apple releases iOS 17.4 with podcast transcripts, new emojis, and EU app store changes

Clearing the browsing and cache data in Google Chrome doesn't close all open tabs, but it will refresh each tab and log you out of websites. Once you tap on one of the tabs you want to access, you'll have to log back in.

How can I browse on Safari without history?

If you're learning how to clear cache on an iPhone, you may also be wondering if there's a way to use Safari without saving any browsing history. You can turn on Private Browsing by following these steps:

Open Safari .
Tap on Tabs .
Choose Private .

You can also enable private browsing by going to your iPhone Settings, finding Safari, and toggling on the private option.

How do I clear my app cache on my iPhone?

To clear the app cache from your iPhone Settings app, you can either delete the app and reinstall it, offload it, or try to clear the cache from within the app. Unfortunately, iOS apps don't have consistent settings across the board that would allow you to clear the cache of every app.

Also: Apple warns: Don't put your wet iPhone in rice. Do this instead

Apps like TikTok and CapCut, for example, have options to Clear Cache within their respective settings. Amazon lets users delete their browsing history, while the Reddit app can clear local history. It all depends on what the app's settings let you do.

Is "clear cache" the same as offloading?

Not exactly, though app offloading can help if your phone is slowed down by low storage. To offload an app means to uninstall an app without deleting any documents or data associated with it.

Also: Apple secures iMessage against threats from the future

To offload an app, go to Settings , then General , choose iPhone Storage and select the app to offload, then tap Offload App . If you ever download it again, you'll pick up where you left off for that app.

Are cookies and cache the same thing?

Cookies and cache are not the same. Cookies are data files that websites send to your phone, including things like saved passwords to keep you logged into an account or even the website preferences from the previous time you visited.

Also: I tested the best Mint alternatives, and this is my new favorite money app

Though they do sound harmless, cookies can also track how you browse the internet. They monitor patterns in your browsing and search history, even seeing what you clicked on or what your mouse hovered over. Ever made an innocuous search on Amazon only to find ads for it on all the apps you use? Cookies likely made that possible.

Can I block cookies on my iPhone?

While you can block cookies on Safari, the ranks are divided on whether you should. Blocking cookies entirely means that websites won't be able to get information from you, but it also means that some websites may not even work correctly on your browser. A lot of users actually enjoy a more personalized browsing experience, so cookies are a good thing for them.

If you'd like to block cookies in Safari, follow these steps:

Go to Settings and select Safari .
Tap on the toggle next to Block All Cookies .

There are also third-party extensions that help you block cookies and trackers in Google Chrome, like Ghostery and Disconnect .

How do I check iPhone storage?

On an iPhone, Settings can show you what's taking up most of your media storage, like photos, videos, and music. You can also see what each particular app's storage consumption is, which includes temporary data. To view the details of your iPhone's storage space, follow these steps:

Go to the iPhone Settings .
Tap on General .
Select iPhone Storage .
Scroll through to find the app you're looking for.
Tap on the app to view storage status and options.

Unfortunately, you can't clear your iPhone cache for third-party apps by going into your Settings app, but this gives you a visual of your iPhone's storage and the option to delete or offload apps.

Also: Here's the fastest way to declutter your iPhone and free up Gigabytes of space

When you look at your device's storage space, you'll probably see recommended steps you can take to optimize your iPhone's storage, like offloading unused apps.

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How to clear the cache on your iPhone (and why you should)

We explain and teach technology, solve tech problems and help you make gadget buying decisions.

4 Ways to Fix Unable to Clear History in Safari for iPhone

Pankil is a Civil Engineer turned freelance writer from Ahmedabad, India. Since his arrival at Guiding Tech in 2021, he delves into the world of how-tos, and troubleshooting guides on Android, iOS, Windows, and the Web at Guiding Tech. When time permits, he also writes at MakeUseOf and Techwiser. Besides his new-found love for mechanical keyboards, he's a disciplined footfall fan and continues to plan his international travels with his wife.

Clearing your Safari browsing history can help erase your online activities, free up space, and troubleshoot temporary browser-related issues.
Temporary glitches, Screen Time restrictions, and persistent cookies are among the reasons you may encounter difficulties clearing your Safari history on your iPhone.
Consider restarting your iPhone to see if that resolves the issue.

Fix 1: Disable Web Content Restrictions

The Screen Time feature on your iPhone lets you apply content restrictions and block inappropriate websites . If you’ve previously enabled this feature, you may run into problems while clearing your Safari history. Hence, it’s best to remove any web content restrictions on your iPhone.

Step 1: Open the Settings app and tap on Screen Time .

Step 2: Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and select Content Restrictions from the following menu.

Step 3: Tap on Web Content and select the Unrestricted option.

Fix 2: Disable iCloud Sync for Safari

Enabling iCloud sync for Safari allows you to sync your browsing history, bookmarks, open tabs, and other data across your Apple devices. However, this sync feature can sometimes cause conflicts with Safari and hinder your ability to clear your browsing history.

To avoid this, temporarily disable iCloud sync for Safari using these steps:

Step 1: Open the Settings app, tap your Apple ID at the top, and select iCloud .

Step 2: Under Apps Using iCloud, select the Show All option. Turn off the toggle for Safari .

Fix 3: Temporarily Block Cookies in Safari

Safari saves cookies to remember your preferences, keep you logged in to websites, and improve your browsing experience. However, certain persistent cookies, specifically designed to remain on your device, may interfere with clearing your browsing data. To check for this, temporarily block cookies in Safari.

Step 1: Open the Settings app and scroll down to tap on Safari .

Step 2: Under Privacy & Security , turn on the toggle for Block All Cookies . Select Block All to confirm.

Fix 4: Reset Your iPhone

If you still can’t clear your browsing history in Safari, try resetting your iPhone . This will restore your iPhone’s settings to default without affecting your personal data. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone and tap on General .

Step 2: Scroll down to the bottom of the page and select Transfer or Reset iPhone .

Step 3: Tap Reset and select Reset All Settings from the menu. Enter your iPhone’s passcode when prompted and follow the on-screen instructions.

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Last updated on 30 April, 2024

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

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iPhone 15: How to Clear Safari History Quickly and Easily

Clearing your Safari history on the iPhone 15 is a quick and straightforward process. Simply head to the Settings app, scroll down to Safari, tap on it, and then select “Clear History and Website Data.” Confirm the action, and voila, your browsing history is gone!

After you complete this action, all the records of your browsing history, cookies, and other website data on your iPhone will be erased. This means that anyone else who uses your phone won’t be able to see which websites you’ve visited.

You can also check out this video about how to clear Safari history on iPhone 15 for more information on this topic.

Introduction

The iPhone 15 is a remarkable gadget that’s become an integral part of our daily lives. From making calls to surfing the web, this device does it all. But have you ever thought about the digital footprints you leave behind while browsing the internet? Your browsing history can reveal a lot about your interests, preferences, and even your location. That’s why knowing how to clear your Safari history is crucial for maintaining your privacy.

You might be wondering why this is important. Well, if you’re someone who values your privacy or simply wants to keep your browsing habits to yourself, clearing your history is a must. It’s also relevant to those who share their devices with others and prefer to keep their internet activity private. Plus, it’s a good practice to clear your history regularly to keep your device running smoothly.

Related: Safari History iPhone: How to See It [2023 Guide]

Step by Step Tutorial on How to Clear Safari History

Before we dive into the steps, let’s understand what we’re trying to achieve here. Clearing your Safari history removes traces of the websites you’ve visited. This can help protect your privacy and also free up some storage space on your device.

Step 1: Open the Settings App

Start by opening the Settings app on your iPhone 15.

In the Settings app, you’ll have access to a variety of options. To clear your browsing history, you need to navigate to the Safari settings.

Step 2: Scroll Down and Tap on Safari

Scroll down until you find Safari and tap on it.

The Safari settings give you control over your web browsing experience, including privacy settings and history.

Step 3: Select “Clear History and Website Data”

Locate and select the “Clear History and Website Data” option.

By tapping on this, you’re just a step away from erasing your browsing history. This action cannot be undone, so make sure you’re ready to clear everything.

Step 4: Confirm the Action

Confirm your choice to clear the history and website data.

Once you confirm, your iPhone will remove all records of your browsing history, cookies, and other website data.

Video About Clearing History

Additional Information

When it comes to managing your digital privacy, clearing your Safari history on the iPhone 15 is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s also a good idea to regularly review your privacy settings and be mindful of the permissions you grant to apps and websites. Remember, the more proactive you are about your digital privacy, the less you’ll have to worry about your personal information being compromised.

Furthermore, consider using private browsing modes like Safari’s Private Browsing when you don’t want your history to be saved at all. This can be handy for one-off searches or when you’re using a shared device. And finally, keep your iPhone’s software up to date to benefit from the latest security features and fixes.

Open the Settings app.
Tap on Safari.
Select “Clear History and Website Data.”
Confirm the action to clear the history.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does clearing safari history also clear bookmarks.

No, clearing your Safari history will not delete your bookmarks.

Can I recover my browsing history after clearing it?

Once your history is cleared, it cannot be recovered.

Will clearing history log me out of websites?

Yes, you will be logged out from most websites after clearing history and website data.

Can I clear history for a specific time period?

No, clearing history on Safari removes all history; you can’t specify a time period.

Does clearing history affect other devices signed into the same iCloud account?

Yes, if Safari’s iCloud sync is enabled, clearing history will affect all devices signed into the same account.

Keeping your digital life private is crucial in today’s interconnected world, and clearing your Safari history on the iPhone 15 is a step towards that. Not only does this simple act protect your privacy, but it also helps your device run better.

So, whether you’re a privacy enthusiast or just someone who likes to keep things tidy, clearing your Safari history is a smart move. Remember, the digital footprints you leave behind can tell a story you might not want to share, so take control of your data and browse with confidence.

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

Read his full bio here.

How to search your browsing history on an iPhone, in Safari or Google Chrome

It's easy to search the history on your iPhone's web browser to return to a specific webpage you've visited previously.
You can search the history on your iPhone in the Safari or Google Chrome browsers with these steps.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The search history on your iPhone's web browser can be helpful in taking you back to a site you want to see again, but scrolling through the whole list can be time consuming and annoying.

Luckily, there's a search tool to help you get back to websites you may have visited a while ago — without going through the trouble of trying to remember the date you visited it.

This feature is available on both the Safari and Google Chrome browsers. Here's how to use it to search your web history on an iPhone .

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Iphone 11 (from $699.99 at best buy), how to search the history on your iphone in safari .

1. Open the Safari app.

2. Tap the book icon at the bottom of your screen. It is the second icon from the right. This will bring up your search history.

3. Pull down on this History menu to reveal a bar at the top labeled "Search History" with a magnifying glass to the left of it.

4. Tap the search bar you just revealed to bring up the keypad, and type your search query. The query doesn't have to be exact to bring up results.

5. The result you are looking for should appear. Tap it to return to the website you visited.

How to search history on your iPhone in Google Chrome

1. Open the Google Chrome app.

2. Tap the three dots in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. This will bring up an options menu.

3. Tap "History," which is the second to last option on the list of items in blue. The icon looks like a clock with an arrow around the outside pointing counterclockwise.

4. On the new History page, tap the search bar at the top to bring up your keyboard.

5. Type your search query into the search bar.

6. Tap the name of the site you were looking for. This will bring you back to the page.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech :

How to close all of the open tabs on your iphone's safari browser at once, how to stop pop-ups from appearing on your iphone's safari browser, how to add bookmarks and favorites on an iphone's safari browser for quick access to your preferred webpages, how to clear the safari search history on your iphone in three different ways.

On February 28, Axel Springer, Business Insider's parent company, joined 31 other media groups and filed a $2.3 billion suit against Google in Dutch court, alleging losses suffered due to the company's advertising practices.

Insider Inc. receives a commission when you buy through our links.

Watch: I'm a diehard iPhone user who switched to Android for a week — here's what I loved and hated about the Google Pixel 3 XL

Main content

Safari 101 : How to Clear Your Recently Closed Tabs List

When you accidentally close out of an important tab on your iPhone, Safari 's " Recently Closed Tabs " list really comes in handy. However, when it comes time to clear the list, things get a bit complicated. There's no "Delete" or "Erase" button on this page, but don't let that fool you — there are three easy ways to clear your recently closed tabs list.

Keep in mind that these steps will clear your list, so it will be irreversible. You need to make sure no tabs in the pile are important because once you go through with it, you won't be able to open that tab again. At least, not without having to do some history-diving in order to find it again.

And if you're wanting to clear your list of "Recently Closed Tabs" because of privacy issues where you don't want someone else with access to the iPhone to see what you've been reading, then you should consider using "Private" tabs more often, which won't get recorded in your list of "Recently Closed Tabs" anyway. More importantly, they won't appear in your browsing history.

Method 1: Force-Close the Safari App

Safari does not appear to have a limit to the number of closed tabs it will remember. That's pretty darn convenient, but it will forget them all if you force-close the app, which is the easiest way to clear the list.

Simply double-click the Home button, then swipe up on the Safari card to quit the app. On an iPhone X, you'd slowly swipe up from the home bar, hold for a moment, then let go to see all the app cards. Next, tap and hold on any card to bring up the close options, then tap the red minus button or swipe up to exit the app.

Safari 101: How to Clear Your Recently Closed Tabs List

Method 2: Restart Your iPhone

If force-closing apps isn't your forte, maybe restarting is. If you have an iPhone X, hold the Side button plus one of the volume buttons for a few seconds. For all other iPhones, just hold down the Side button.

When you see "Slide to Power Off" appear on the display, swipe that bar to power down your iPhone. Once powered down completely, hold down the Side button for a few seconds until you see the Apple logo. When you're iPhone wakes up, your recently closed tabs list will be cleared.

Alternatively, you could also use the newer "Shut Down" command in iOS 11 to shut down your iPhone before you power it back on manually. Even better, you can just "Restart" your iPhone from the "Assistive Touch" menu so that it turns off and powers back on automatically.

Method 3: Clear Your Search History

Clearing your history not only covers your web-browsing tracks, it also purges your list of recently closed tabs.

To clear your history in Safari, tap the book icon in the bottom menu bar. If you don't see the bar, either tap on the top bar or swipe down on the page to make it appear. Then, tap the clock icon to access your History page.

Next, tap "Clear," then select any of the four time ranges offered. No matter which option you choose, each will erase all your recently closed tabs, regardless of when those tabs were actually closed.

Method 4: Just Wait It Out

While not very methodical, waiting will guarantee you lose all recently closed tabs. After a certain period of time, Safari flushes the list without your consent or knowledge. While the above steps are great for manually erasing your recently closed tabs list, know that your tabs do get erased periodically.

It's very difficult to test how long Safari takes in between deletions, and Apple does not appear to share the data publicly. However, from my experience, Safari will erase my recently closed tabs overnight, so these tabs must only be safe for a handful of hours. I guess it's called recently closed tabs for a reason.

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Just updated your iPhone? You'll find new emoji, enhanced security, podcast transcripts, Apple Cash virtual numbers, and other useful features. There are even new additions hidden within Safari. Find out what's new and changed on your iPhone with the iOS 17.4 update.

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Staying Safe and Clearing Browsing History

AVP is committed to your safety. This website provides a quick exit button to leave the site and visit weather.com .

Depending on your circumstances, keeping your browsing history clear helps to anonymize your activity on the Internet. Different web browsers have their own way of clearing history:

Chrome for Android

Safari for ios, chrome for ios, microsoft edge, internet explorer 11.

Safari 8 and later (macOS)
Private Browsing (Firefox)
Browse in private with Incognito mode (Chrome desktop and Android)
Browse InPrivate in Microsoft Edge
Browse privately (Safari)
Turn Private Browsing on or off on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Mobile browsers

The steps to clear your cache, cookies, and history may differ depending on the model of your Android device and your preferred browser, but you should be able to clear your cache and data from your application management settings menu:

Go to Settings and choose Apps or Application Manager .
Swipe to the All tab.
In the list of installed apps, find and tap your web browser. Tap Clear Data and then Clear Cache .
Exit/quit all browser windows and re-open the browser.
Tap Chrome menu > Settings .
Tap (Advanced) Privacy .
From the "Time Range" drop-down menu, select All Time .
Check Cookies and Site data and Cached Images and Files .
Tap Clear data .
Open your Settings app.
Tap Safari .
Tap Clear History and Website Data and confirm.
Tap Privacy .
Tap Clear Browsing Data .
Choose the data type you want to clear.

Desktop browsers

In the browser bar, enter: chrome://settings/clearBrowserData
At the top of the "Clear browsing data" window, click Advanced .
Browsing history
Download history
Cookies and other site data
Cached images and files

From the "Time range" drop-down menu, you can choose the period of time for which you want to clear cached information. To clear your entire cache, select All time .

Click CLEAR DATA .

If the menu bar is hidden, press Alt to make it visible.

From the Time range to clear: drop-down menu, select the desired range; to clear your entire cache, select Everything .
Next to "Details", click the down arrow to choose which elements of the history to clear; to clear your entire cache, select all items.
Click Clear Now .
In the top right, click the Hub icon (looks like star with three horizontal lines).
Click the History icon (looks like a clock), and then select Clear all history .
Select Browsing history , then Cookies and saved website data , and then Cached data and files . Click Clear .
After the "All Clear!" message appears, exit/quit all browser windows and re-open the browser.

Note: On January 12, 2016, Microsoft ended support for Internet Explorer versions prior to version 11 . We strongly recommend that you upgrade to a new operating system if your current system does not support Internet Explorer 11. If you experience difficulty with Internet Explorer, make sure compatibility mode is turned off.

Temporary Internet files or Temporary Internet files and website files
Cookies or Cookies and website data
Click Delete . You will see a confirmation at the bottom of the window when the process is complete.
From the Opera menu, select Settings , then Privacy & Security , and then Clear browsing data... .
In the dialog box that opens, from the "Obliterate the following items from:" drop-down menu, select The beginning of time .
Click Clear browsing data .

Safari 8 and later

From the Safari menu, select Clear History... or Clear History and Website Data... .
Select the desired time range, and then click Clear History .
Go to Safari > Quit Safari or press Command-Q to exit the browser completely.

Statement from the Board of Directors

The New York City Anti-Violence Project Board of Directors values the input, support, and concern shared by everyone in the community. Contrary to inaccurate information that has been shared, the Board remains committed to keeping AVP alive and its programs operational. AVP was born of fierce advocates fighting for survival. We have seen a rise in unthinkable violence perpetrated against our community, and the Trans community has specifically been targeted by hate and physical attacks. It is vital we do everything in our power to keep our programs solvent and keep our doors open for our clients who depend on AVP for life saving services.

In recent weeks, it had become apparent that the Board needed to implement measures to ensure AVP’s financial viability. Over the past two years, AVP’s expenses have significantly outstripped income, having lost $1.2 million in fiscal year 22-23, and another $700k+ this fiscal year (year to date). The reserve funds of the organization have been largely drained, and soon, AVP will no longer have the money in the bank to make payroll. We understand that nonprofit operations can be tenuous, however, this is not an example of normal variations in cash-flow – AVP is facing an existential crisis.

Looking to the future, the budget proposed by management for 2024 is not realistic: even if all funds committed by government grants were received immediately, at current expense levels AVP is still operating at a loss. This proposed plan is not sustainable. To continue ‘business as usual’ would result in bankruptcy. This would abandon people in need, and after a 40-year legacy in NYC, this would be an unthinkable outcome for our community. To keep the hotline responding, legal services supporting victims, and client services assisting survivors, AVP must operate with sound business practices so that its expenses fall in line with actual income and cash flow.

In an attempt to ensure the long-term viability of AVP, we have engaged a consultant who will act as interim executive director for AVP with the explicit goal of saving the organization. This will require a restructure of operations in a way that not only allows the organization to survive, but to eventually thrive once again.

We, the volunteer Board, did not reach these decisions easily or quickly, but rather after exhaustive efforts to remedy these issues for many months. We hope and ask for your support as we navigate this difficult process, alongside our community partners, with the goal of creating a stronger AVP that can continue to serve the LGBTQ+ community of New York City for generations to come.

Moving forward, the Board will be sharing regular updates through AVP’s blog on its progress.

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iOS 18 Rumored to Add New Features to These 15 Apps on Your iPhone

Apple is expected to announce iOS 18 during its WWDC keynote on June 10 , and new features have already been rumored for many apps, including Apple Music, Apple Maps, Calculator, Messages, Notes, Safari, and others.

iOS 18 Apple Music Messages and Notes Feature 1

Apple Maps: At least two new Apple Maps features are expected on iOS 18, including custom routes and topographic maps . Custom routes would allow users to choose specific roads to travel on while navigating, while topographic maps include details such as trails, contour lines, elevation, and points of interest for hiking. Topographic maps were added to the Apple Watch with watchOS 10.
Apple Music: With iOS 18, Apple Music will reportedly be able to auto-generate playlists .
Calculator: iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 are rumored to feature a revamped Calculator app with several new features , including a sidebar that lists recent calculations, an improved interface for converting units, integration with the Notes app, and more. That means the Calculator app will finally be available on iPads .
Freeform: iOS 18 is rumored to add a new "Scenes" option to Apple's drawing app Freeform . This feature would allow users to select specific sections ("scenes") on the canvas for easier navigation.
Health: Apple is reportedly planning new AI-powered features for its Health app , but no specific details are known yet.
Keynote, Numbers, and Pages: Alongside iOS 18, Apple reportedly plans to update its iWork suite of productivity apps with new generative AI features for auto-generating slides in Keynote, writing faster in Pages, and more .
Mail, Photos, and Fitness: These apps will reportedly be "overhauled" with iOS 18 , but no specific details are known yet.
Messages: iOS 18 is expected to add RCS support to the Messages app , which will improve the messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices by allowing for higher-resolution photos and videos, audio messages, typing indicators, read receipts, Wi-Fi messaging, and more. It has also been rumored that the Messages app will use generative AI to auto-complete sentences more effectively.
Notes: With iOS 18, the Notes app is expected to be able to display mathematical notation , allowing users to include more types of algebraic equations and formulas in notes. The app is also rumored to gain a built-in audio recording tool, eliminating the need to switch over to the Voice Memos app.
Safari: iOS 18 is likely to add a browsing assistant to Safari , which could summarize web pages and more . A new "Web Eraser" feature that would allow users to remove certain elements from web pages has also been rumored.
Shortcuts: With iOS 18, users will reportedly be able to automate complex tasks more easily with the Shortcuts app.

While they are not dedicated apps, it has also been rumored that generative AI technology will allow the iPhone's virtual assistant Siri and built-in search tool Spotlight to respond to more complex questions and search queries .

For even more rumors, read our iOS 18 roundup .

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Top Rated Comments

What CAN they do? I can only imagine AI having a chance of being truly new: ChatGPT voice mode can be super smooth, and more times than not can carry a really vibrant, informative voice interaction mode back and forth. It's amazing when it doesn't speak nonsense. So if I imagine Apple getting that? Some persistent, globally aware assistant. Have the new Siri or whatever say "Hello" on stage, and carry a conversation? Yeah that'd be interesting. But if not that, then literally what else could be interesting? I don't mean to trash topological maps, I'm sure they'll be... topological, but c'mon, it can't be the headline news, right?