Delete your browsing history in Chrome in three steps

Open Chrome and press Ctrl+H on Windows or Command+Y on Mac. This opens your History page. On the left side, click Clear browsing data. A window will pop up showing what Chrome can delete — by default it checks Cookies and cached images, but you can also select Browsing history, Download history, and other data. Choose the time range at the top (Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, All time), then click Clear data.

That's the full process. The history disappears immediately from your device. If you use the same Google account on multiple devices, you can also delete history from those devices at the same time by checking the box labeled "Sync across all devices" before you clear — though this option only appears if you're signed into your Google account in Chrome.

The most common mistake is clearing only "Cookies and cached images" when you meant to clear "Browsing history" too. These are separate checkboxes, and you have to select both if you want both gone. Cached images are the pictures and files Chrome saved to load websites faster; browsing history is the list of sites you visited.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Ctrl+H (Windows) or Command+Y (Mac), click Clear browsing data, select what you want deleted, pick your time range, and click Clear data.
  • Browsing history and cached images are separate checkboxes — select both if you want both deleted.
  • You can delete history from just the last hour, the last day, the last week, the last month, or all of it.
  • If you sign into Chrome with a Google account, you can delete history from all your devices at once by checking "Sync across all devices" before clearing.

What gets deleted and what stays

When you clear browsing history, Chrome removes the list of websites you visited and the dates you visited them. This is what appears when you press Ctrl+H and look at your History page. Clearing history does not sign you out of websites, change your passwords, or delete files you downloaded to your computer — those stay where they are.

Cached images and files are separate. These are copies of pictures, scripts, and other content that Chrome saved on your device so websites load faster the next time you visit. Clearing the cache makes websites load slightly slower the first time you visit them after clearing, because Chrome has to download everything fresh. The cache rebuilds automatically as you browse.

Cookies are small files that websites use to remember you — your login status, your preferences, items in your shopping cart. If you clear cookies, you'll be logged out of most websites and may have to log back in. Some people clear cookies regularly for privacy; others only clear them when troubleshooting a website that isn't working right.

Choose your time range carefully

The time range dropdown at the top of the Clear browsing data window controls how far back Chrome deletes. Last hour deletes only the past 60 minutes. Last 24 hours deletes the past day. Last 7 days deletes the past week. Last 4 weeks deletes the past month. All time deletes everything Chrome has recorded since you started using this browser.

If you're trying to hide a single visit or a few visits from today, pick Last hour or Last 24 hours. If you want to clear out old clutter but keep recent history, pick Last 4 weeks. If you're selling the computer or giving it to someone else, pick All time. There's no way to delete individual entries from your history — you can only delete by time range.

Delete history automatically when you close Chrome

You can set Chrome to delete your browsing history every time you close the browser. Click the three-dot menu in the top right corner of Chrome, then click Settings. On the left, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data. Check the box that says Clear cookies and other site data when you quit Chrome. From now on, Chrome will delete your history, cookies, and cached files each time you fully close the browser.

This setting does not delete history from other devices if you're signed into a Google account. It only clears the device you're on. If you want automatic clearing on multiple devices, you need to turn on this setting on each device separately.

Be aware that turning on automatic clearing can cause problems if you use Chrome to stay logged into websites. You'll have to log back in every time you restart the browser. Some people use this feature intentionally for privacy; others turn it off because it's inconvenient.

Delete history from your Google account

If you sign into Chrome with a Google account, your browsing history may also be saved to your Google account — separate from the history stored on your device. Deleting history from Chrome doesn't automatically delete it from your Google account. To delete it from your account, go to myactivity.google.com in any browser, click Delete activity by on the left, choose your date range, and click Delete.

You can also control whether Chrome saves your history to your Google account in the first place. In Chrome, click the three-dot menu, go to Settings, then Sync and Google services. Look for the toggle that says Sync your Chrome data. If it's on, your history is being saved to Google. If it's off, only the device you're using stores your history.

Troubleshooting when history won't delete

If you clear your browsing history and it reappears, Chrome may be set to sync your history across devices. When you clear history on one device, it can reappear if another device syncs before you clear it there too. Check whether Sync is on by clicking the three-dot menu, going to Settings, and looking at Sync and Google services. If Sync is on and you want to clear history from all devices, use the "Sync across all devices" checkbox in the Clear browsing data window.

Another reason history might not delete is if you don't have permission to change Chrome settings. If you're using a work or school computer, your IT department may have locked down the ability to clear history. Try restarting Chrome and trying again, but if it still doesn't work, contact your IT support.

If you're trying to delete history but the Clear browsing data window won't open, try restarting Chrome completely. Close all Chrome windows and open Chrome again, then try Ctrl+H and Clear browsing data. If that doesn't work, try uninstalling and reinstalling Chrome — though this is rarely necessary.

Private browsing as an alternative

If you want to browse without saving history in the first place, use Chrome's Incognito mode. Press Ctrl+Shift+N on Windows or Command+Shift+N on Mac to open a new Incognito window. Anything you do in Incognito — websites you visit, searches you make, files you download — is not saved to your browsing history. When you close the Incognito window, that history is gone.

Incognito mode does not make you anonymous on the internet. Websites can still see you're visiting, your internet service provider can still see what you're doing, and your employer can still see your activity on a work network. Incognito only means Chrome doesn't save a record of it on your device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does deleting history delete my passwords?

No. Clearing browsing history does not touch your saved passwords. If you want to delete a saved password, go to Settings, click Passwords, find the password you want to remove, click the three dots next to it, and click Delete. You can delete passwords individually without clearing your entire history.

Can someone recover my history after I delete it?

Not from Chrome itself. Once you clear your history, Chrome doesn't store it anymore. However, your internet service provider, your workplace network, or your Google account may have separate records depending on your settings. Clearing Chrome history only removes it from Chrome.

What if I only want to delete one website from my history?

Chrome doesn't let you delete individual sites. You can only delete by time range. If you need to hide one visit, open your History page (Ctrl+H), find the site, and delete everything from that time period. Or use Incognito mode next time you visit that site so it doesn't get saved at all.

Will clearing history speed up Chrome?

Clearing history itself won't make Chrome run faster. Clearing the cache might help slightly if your device is very low on storage space, but the difference is usually tiny. If Chrome is running slowly, the problem is usually something else — too many extensions, too many open tabs, or a need to restart the browser.

How do I stop Chrome from saving history altogether?

Use Incognito mode (Ctrl+Shift+N) for browsing you don't want saved. Or turn on automatic clearing in Settings so history deletes every time you close Chrome. There's no way to completely disable history-saving in regular Chrome mode — it's a core feature of the browser.