Clear your search history in three steps
Open Google Chrome and press Ctrl + H on Windows or Command + Y on Mac. This opens your History page. On the left side, click Clear browsing data. A box will appear asking what you want to delete and how far back. Select All time from the dropdown at the top, make sure Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files are checked along with your search history, then click Clear data. Your search history is now gone.
If you want to delete only recent searches instead of everything, choose a shorter time range from that same dropdown — Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, or Last 3 months all work the same way. The process takes the same three steps; only the time range changes.
Chrome will not ask you to confirm or show you a list of what it deleted. The data disappears immediately once you click Clear data. If you close the browser and reopen it, your history stays cleared.
Key Takeaways
- Press Ctrl + H (Windows) or Command + Y (Mac) to open your History page directly.
- Click Clear browsing data on the left side and choose All time to delete everything, or pick a shorter range to delete only recent searches.
- Make sure Cookies and other site data is checked if you want to remove tracking data along with your search history.
- Clearing your history in Chrome does not delete your Google account search history — you must do that separately in your Google account settings.
What gets deleted when you clear your history
Chrome stores several types of data when you search and browse. When you click Clear data, you can choose to delete browsing history (the list of websites you visited), download history, cookies, cached images and files, and passwords. The checkboxes let you pick which ones to remove.
Browsing history and search history are the same thing in Chrome — when you search from the address bar or visit a website, Chrome records it. Cookies are small files that websites use to remember you; cached files are copies of images and pages Chrome saved to load them faster next time. Passwords are login information you asked Chrome to save.
If you only want to delete search history and leave cookies and cached files alone, uncheck those boxes before clicking Clear data. Most people delete everything at once, but the choice is yours.
Delete individual searches without clearing everything
You do not have to clear your entire history to remove one search. Open your History page with Ctrl + H or Command + Y, find the search or website you want to remove, and hover your mouse over it. A small X button appears on the right side. Click it and that single entry disappears.
This method works for any single page in your history, not just searches. If you visited a website you want to hide but want to keep the rest of your history, this is the fastest way. The entry is deleted immediately and does not come back.
Prevent Chrome from saving your search history
If you do not want Chrome to record your searches at all, use Incognito mode. Press Ctrl + Shift + N on Windows or Command + Shift + N on Mac to open a new Incognito window. Chrome will not save your search history, cookies, or site data from that window. When you close it, everything you did in that window is forgotten.
Incognito mode is useful when you are using a shared computer or do not want a record of what you searched for. It does not make you invisible to websites or your internet provider — it only stops Chrome from saving your local history. Your internet service provider and the websites you visit can still see what you do.
If you want to stop Chrome from saving history permanently on your computer, you can turn off history sync in your Chrome settings. Click the three-line menu in the top right, go to Settings, click You and Google, then turn off Sync. This stops Chrome from syncing your history across devices, but it still saves history locally on that computer.
Your Google account search history is separate
Clearing your Chrome history does not delete your Google account search history. Google keeps a separate record of searches you made while signed into your Google account, even if you clear Chrome. This data lives in your Google account, not in Chrome.
To delete your Google account search history, go to myactivity.google.com in any browser. Sign in with your Google account if you are not already. You will see a list of everything Google recorded — searches, videos you watched on YouTube, maps you looked up, and more. Click the three-line menu on the left, select Delete activity by, choose your time range, and click Delete. This removes the record from your Google account.
If you want to stop Google from saving your search history going forward, go to myactivity.google.com, click the three-line menu, select Activity controls, and turn off Web & App Activity. Google will stop recording your searches, but you will lose some features like personalized search results.
Troubleshooting: History still appears after clearing
If your history reappears after you clear it, Chrome sync is likely turned back on. When you sign into Chrome with your Google account, Chrome automatically syncs your history across all your devices. If you clear history on one device but sync is on, Chrome may restore it from another device.
To stop this, click the three-line menu in the top right corner of Chrome, go to Settings, click You and Google, and turn off Sync. This stops Chrome from syncing your history to other devices. You can also turn off just history sync by clicking Manage what you sync and unchecking History.
Another reason history might reappear is if you have multiple user profiles in Chrome. Each profile has its own history. If you cleared history in one profile but use a different profile to browse, that profile will have its own separate history. Check which profile you are using by looking at the icon in the top right corner of Chrome.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing my Chrome history delete my passwords?
Only if you check the Passwords and other sign-in data box when you clear your data. By default, this box is unchecked, so your saved passwords stay in Chrome even after you clear your history. If you want to keep your passwords but delete everything else, leave that box unchecked.
Can I recover my search history after I delete it?
No. Once you click Clear data, Chrome deletes the history permanently from your computer. There is no undo button or recovery option. If you need to remember a website you visited, you can check your internet service provider's records or ask your router, but Chrome itself cannot bring back deleted history.
Will clearing my history speed up Chrome?
Slightly, but not noticeably. Clearing your cache and cookies may help a little because Chrome uses less storage, but it will not make Chrome run significantly faster. If Chrome is slow, the problem is usually too many open tabs or extensions, not your history size.
Does clearing history in Chrome clear it on my phone too?
Only if you have sync turned on. If you clear history on your computer with sync enabled, Chrome will clear it on your phone and other devices too. If sync is off, clearing history on one device does not affect your other devices.
What is the difference between clearing history and using Incognito mode?
Clearing history removes past searches after the fact. Incognito mode prevents Chrome from saving anything in the first place. Use Incognito when you do not want a record created. Use clearing history when you want to remove a record that already exists.