Clear Safari history in three steps
Open the Settings app on your iPad, tap Safari, then scroll down and tap Clear History and Website Data. Choose how far back you want to clear — the last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all time — and confirm. Safari will remove your browsing history, cookies, and cached files in seconds.
This is the fastest way to clear everything at once. If you only want to remove specific sites or keep some history while deleting the rest, the steps are slightly different and take about a minute longer.
Key Takeaways
- The Settings app method clears all history, cookies, and cached data at once and takes about 30 seconds.
- You can choose to clear only the last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all time — the choice stays the same each time you clear.
- Clearing history from within the Safari app itself only removes your browsing history, not cookies or cached files.
- If you want to delete only specific websites from your history, you must do this from within Safari rather than Settings.
- Private browsing mode prevents Safari from saving history in the first place, so nothing needs to be cleared afterward.
Clear history from the Settings app (removes everything)
The Settings method is the most thorough because it removes your browsing history, cookies, and cached website data all at once. Open Settings on your home screen, then scroll down the left sidebar until you see Safari and tap it.
Once you are in Safari settings, scroll down to the bottom of the screen. You will see a red button labeled Clear History and Website Data. Tap it. A popup will appear asking you to choose a time range: the last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all time. Select the range you want and tap Clear History and Website Data again to confirm. The process takes a few seconds.
The time range you choose becomes your default for next time. If you always want to clear everything, select all time once and you will not have to choose again.
Clear only browsing history from within Safari
If you want to keep your cookies and cached files but remove only your browsing history, you can do this directly in the Safari app without going to Settings. Open Safari, tap the book icon at the bottom of the screen (on iPad, this is usually in the bottom toolbar), then tap the clock icon to view your history.
Tap Clear in the bottom right corner. A menu will appear with the same time range options: last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all time. Choose your range and tap Clear History. This removes only your browsing history, leaving cookies and cached data intact.
This method is useful if a website is not loading properly and you suspect a corrupted cache file — you can clear history without losing your saved passwords or login information.
Delete individual websites from your history
To remove only specific sites rather than everything, open Safari and tap the book icon at the bottom, then tap the clock icon to see your history. Find the website you want to remove, swipe left on it, and tap Delete. The site disappears from your history immediately.
You can delete multiple sites one at a time this way, but if you have dozens of sites to remove, clearing everything and then rebuilding your history is usually faster. This method works best when you want to hide one or two specific visits.
Use Private Browsing to avoid saving history
If you want to browse without creating a history record in the first place, use Safari's Private Browsing mode. Open Safari, tap the tabs icon (two overlapping squares) at the bottom right, then tap Private in the bottom left corner. The address bar will turn dark, indicating you are in private mode.
While in private mode, Safari does not save your history, cookies, or cached files. When you close the private tab, nothing is recorded. This is useful if you are shopping for gifts, researching sensitive topics, or simply do not want a record of where you have been. You can switch between private and regular tabs by tapping the tabs icon and toggling between them.
Understand what each clearing method removes
Safari stores three types of data: your browsing history (the list of sites you visited), cookies (small files that remember your login information and preferences), and cached files (copies of images and code that help pages load faster). The method you choose determines what gets removed.
| Method | Removes History | Removes Cookies | Removes Cache |
|---|---|---|---|
| Settings app | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Safari app (clock icon) | Yes | No | No |
| Delete individual site | Yes (one site) | No | No |
| Private Browsing | No (never saved) | No (never saved) | No (never saved) |
Most of the time, the Settings method is the right choice because it clears everything. Use the Safari app method if you want to keep your saved passwords and login information. Use Private Browsing if you want to prevent any record from being created.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing my history log me out of websites?
Clearing history alone will not log you out. However, clearing cookies (which happens when you use the Settings method) will log you out of most websites because cookies store your login session. If you want to stay logged in, use the Safari app method instead, which clears only history.
Does clearing history delete my saved passwords?
No. Your saved passwords are stored separately from history, cookies, and cache. Clearing any of these will not affect your passwords. If you want to delete a saved password, go to Settings > Passwords and find the site you want to remove.
Can I undo clearing my history?
No, clearing history is permanent. Once you confirm the action, the data cannot be recovered. If you are worried about losing important information, take a screenshot of sites you want to remember before clearing.
Why is a website asking me to clear my cache?
Websites sometimes ask you to clear your cache when they are not loading properly or displaying outdated information. Use the Settings method to clear everything, or try closing Safari completely and reopening it, which often fixes the problem without losing your history.
Does Private Browsing hide my activity from my internet provider?
No. Private Browsing only prevents Safari from saving history on your device. Your internet provider, network administrator, or anyone monitoring your Wi-Fi network can still see which sites you visit. For true privacy online, you would need a VPN service.