safari history delete itself

Why Does Safari Keep Deleting My History?

Safari is a popular web browser on Apple devices, but understanding its history deletion settings can be confusing. Here, we’ll take a look at why Safari may be deleting your browsing history and how you can adjust the settings to suit your needs.

First off, it’s important to note that by default, Safari deletes only the last hour of browsing history. If you want to delete all your history in one go, there is an option for that as well. However, users often forget to check this setting and end up deleting their entire browsing history accidentally. It’s also worth mentioning that Safari on macOS can be set up to automatically delete your browsing history at specified intervals; however, this won’t affect other Apple devices such as iPhones or iPads and so you’ll need to remember to manually wipe your history from those devices too.

It could also be the case that there is just a lot of data that needs to be cleaned up and deleted from your system. This can be especially true if you’ve recently downloaded a file that has replicated itself in multiple places on your system. Every time the browser tries to clean out the browsing history, it will attempt to delete this replicated file again, causing it not to get fully deleted from your system.

All in all, understanding why Safari may be deleting your browsing history can help you adjust the setting accordingly so as not to lose any important information – or any of those embarrassing searches! Remember that if you want more control over when and how much of your browsing data gets deleted, adjusting the settings within Safari should do the trick!

The Mystery of Disappearing Safari History

It’s possible that your Safari history has disappeared because you accidentally selected the option to delete all browsing history. This is a common mistake as the default setting for deleting browsing history in Safari is set to erase only the last hour.

To check if this has happened, open up Safari and go to History > Clear History and Website Data. If the option to ‘clear’ everything is already selected, it means you have already cleared your entire browsing history. To prevent this from happening in the future, make sure that ‘all history’ is not selected when you are deleting browsing data.

Does Safari Automatically Delete History?

Yes, Safari does delete history by itself. You can set the intervals at which it should automatically clear your browsing history in your browser’s settings. However, keep in mind that this setting won’t affect other Apple devices such as your iPhone and iPad, so you’ll need to remember to manually wipe your history on those devices.

The Consequences of Automatically Deleting History

It is possible that your browsing history is being automatically deleted due to a setting on your device. Many devices have built-in settings that allow the browser to delete the history after a certain period of time, or when the device is shut down or restarted. It may also be possible that a virus or malware is deleting your browsing history, as some malicious software can set itself up to delete data from your device. If you suspect this is happening, it’s best to run an antivirus scan on your device and remove any malicious software that may be present.

Safari History Not Showing Up on iPhone

There could be a few reasons why your Safari history is not showing up on your iPhone. One possibility is that you are using Private Browsing in Safari, which prevents websites from being stored in the browsing history. To check if this is the case, look at the top of the Safari window – if the top border is gray, Private Browsing is enabled and you will need to turn it off. Another possibility is that you have enabled Restrictions on your phone, which can prevent websites from being stored in the browsing history. To check this, go to Settings > General > Restrictions and make sure it’s disabled. Finally, it’s possible that you have cleared your browsing history recently – either manually or through an automated setting. To check this, go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data and see if it has been cleared recently.

Restoring Safari Browsing History

Restoring Safari browsing history is simple and easy. The first step is to open the Settings app on your iPhone, scroll down, and select Safari. Then under the Safari settings, choose “Advanced”. Finally, select the “Website Data” option which will provide you with a list of all your Safari history. You can then select the items you wish to restore and click on the “Restore” button at the bottom of your screen. This will bring back your deleted browsing history in no time!

Does Browsing History Remain Forever?

No, your browsing history does not go away by itself. Although it may seem like the data stored in your browser history is gone after you clear your browser history, this only applies to the local data stored on your computer. Your actual browsing history is still stored in the servers of websites you visited and can be accessed by those websites. To fully erase your browsing history from all places, you must take additional steps such as deleting your account and/or using a private browsing window.

In conclusion, Safari is a great browser with many features to help you keep your browsing history secure and private. It can automatically delete your browsing history after a certain period of time, as well as allow you to manually delete it all at once. However, if you find that Safari is not wiping your browsing history properly, it could be due to the presence of certain files which are replicating themselves on the system. In this case, it’s best to take extra precautions and use an additional tool such as an anti-malware program to ensure that all unwanted files are removed from the system.

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Sanjeev Singh

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

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

Delete history, cache, and cookies

Clear cookies and cache, but keep your history, delete a website from your history, block cookies, use content blockers.

Go to Settings > Safari.

Tap 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 clear, the button to clear it turns gray. The button might also be gray if you have web content restrictions set up under Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time .

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

Go to Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data.

Tap Remove All Website Data.

When there's no website data to clear, the button to clear it turns gray. The button might also be gray 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 or websites 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.

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

You will likely not be able to sign in to a site even when using your correct username and password.

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

Some features on a site might 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.

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Find what’s been asked and answered by Apple customers.

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

Clear your browsing history

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 the iCloud Safari feature turned on, 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 History > Clear History and Website Data, then click the pop-up menu and 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

Top Sites that aren’t marked as permanent

Frequently visited site list

Cookies and website data saved while visiting webpages

Recent searches

Icons for open 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

Websites with plug-in content you started by clicking a Safari Power Saver notice

Responses to requests to let websites use WebGL

How to clear Safari browsing history on iPhone and iPad

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

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

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 .

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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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 125,157 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".

• 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)

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You Might Also Like

• ↑ 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 Safari History, Cache, and Cookies on your iPhone

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Safari stores your browsing history as well as cached files and cookies from every website you visit. Clearing Safari history, cookies, and cached data on your iPhone can be beneficial for various reasons, including performance improvement, privacy, troubleshooting, and general maintenance.

Sometimes, you also may simply want a fresh start and prefer to clear your history regularly to minimize your digital footprint.

Clearing your history ensures others can’t see which websites you’ve visited or what information you’ve searched for. This is mostly applicable if you share your iPhone with others or search for sensitive information.

Over time, cached files and cookies from sites you visit can accumulate and take up a significant amount of storage space on your iPhone. Clearing them will free up storage capacity. Excessive data accumulation, including history, cookies, and cache, can slow down Safari’s performance. Clearing this data could speed up your browsing experience.

Also, if a website isn’t loading properly, clearing your browsing history, cache, and cookies will force Safari to download fresh data and could help resolve the issue.

How to Clear Safari History

To clear your Safari history and website data such as cookies and caches, follow these steps:

• Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
• Scroll down to Safari and tap it.
• Find Clear History and Website Data and tap it.
• On the next screen, you’ll have the option to clear history from the Last Hour , Today , Today and Yesterday , or All history. Select whichever one you prefer.

How to Clear Safari Cache and Cookies

The steps above will clear all of your browsing history, plus cookies, cache, and other browsing data (this is what “website data” refers to). However, you can preserve the history of the sites you’ve visited while clearing out only your cookies and other stored browsing data such as caches and stored preferences for individual websites.

Here’s how to clear your Safari cache and cookies, but keep your history:

• Open the Settings app.
• Scroll all the way down to Advanced and tap it.
• Tap Website Data . Depending on how much data is stored, this screen might take a few seconds to load.
• To flush the data for an individual site, locate it in the list and swipe right-to-left to delete it. You can also select Show All Sites to expand the list.
• To delete all cookies and caches, select Remove All Website Data at the bottom of your screen and then tap Remove Now to confirm.

Clearing Safari’s history and website data is a straightforward process that can protect privacy, improve performance, and help manage valuable storage space effectively. Whether or not you’ve been thinking about it, give it a try to see if you notice a difference.

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How To Automatically Delete Browsing History in Safari

Evan Gower With over a decade of experience in digital publishing. Evan leads our team with a keen eye for emerging tech trends. Read more May 28, 2019

Browsing history in Safari is there to help you quickly navigate to a specific page. In addition, Safari can remember the pages you frequently visit and display them in the main window as top sites. However, there is one downside to the browsing history.

The more pages you visit, the more data gets cached in the browser. This might slow down the overall browser performance and affect your user experience. On the other hand, browsing history is easily accessible to anyone using your Mac. So you might want to set the browser to automatically delete the history after some time.

Whatever the reason, it’s pretty straightforward to do, even if you are not tech-savvy. Check out the methods below.

Deleting the Browsing History

Launch Safari and press Cmd + Comma to access “Preferences”. You can also do it by selecting Safari, then Preferences in the menu bar.

Click or tap on the “General” button and select the pop-up menu next to “Remove history items”. By default, the history automatically gets deleted after a year. You can change the settings to after a day, week, two weeks, or a month. Of course, there is also an option to do it manually.

How to Manually Remove Safari History

Select “History” from the menu bar and click on “Clear history” at the bottom of the drop-down window. A pop-up window appears in Safari, and again, you get to choose the time frame – last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all history. Once you make the selection hit “Clear History” to confirm.

Safari Preferences Tips and Tricks

Aside from automatic history removal, you can customize the new window’s behavior and change the homepage. To change the homepage, click on the bar and insert a link http://www.techjunkie.com/ , for example. Then confirm by tapping/clicking on “Set to Current Page”.

By default, the files you download go to the Downloads folder, but you can change it to any destination of your liking. The downloaded files are automatically removed after day, but you can also change it to “manually”, “after quitting”, or “upon successful download”.

The “Tabs” button reveals a menu with a few options to tweak Safari tab performance. There are also a few useful shortcuts that can make your browsing experience faster. If you want to block all cookies, click or tap the “Privacy” button and check the box next to Cookies and website data.

Can You Do It on Your iPhone?

Sure you can, and the same method applies for your iPad and iPod Touch. That said, iOS on mobile devices doesn’t feature automatic scheduling and there is no option to select the time frame. In other words, you need to do it manually and the action deletes all the history and website data.

Tap on the Settings app, swipe up and select Safari. Once inside the Safari menu, navigate to “Clear History and Website data” and tap on it.

Tap “Clear History and Data” in the pop-up window to confirm and you’re good to go.

Note: Deleting Safari history via a mobile device affects all other devices signed into the same iCloud account. On the other hand, this action doesn’t affect the AutoFill data, so you’ll be able to easily log into websites you frequently use.

Can You Automatically Delete History in Chrome?

Unfortunately, there is still no way to automatically remove browsing history and cache in Chrome. However, you can delete cookies automatically. Take the following path to access the option:

Chrome > Settings > Advanced > Content settings (under Privacy and Security) > Cookies

Toggle on the button next to “Keep local data only until you quit your browser”. If you are really annoyed by cookies, you can also toggle the button next to “Block third-party cookies”.

How to Delete History in Chrome

To access your browsing history, press “Cmd + Y” on your keyboard and select the “Clear browsing data” option. The pop-up window allows you to select the time frame and type of data. It’s advisable to keep Passwords, Autofill, Hosted apps, and Media licenses unchecked.

Once you are done with the selection, click/ tap the “Clear Browsing Data” button to confirm This process is very similar on your iPhone.

Launch Chrome and tap the three dots to access the “More” menu. Select “History” and tap “Clear Browsing Data” at the bottom of the window. You can choose the type of data to delete – tapping on “Edit” allows you to pick the websites you want to delete or keep.

Unleash the Cookie Monster

By now, you know how easy it is to set automatic history removal in Safari on your Mac or PC. The automatic removal is not possible on your iPhone/iPad. However, it shouldn’t take you more than 10 seconds to reach the “Clear History and Website Data” section.

Whichever method you prefer, it’s advisable to get rid of the browsing history at least once a week to make sure your browser run smoothly.

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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

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Safari automatically delete history??

• Thread starter CuriousG1978
• Start date Aug 12, 2010
• Sort by reaction score
• iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch

CuriousG1978

Macrumors newbie.

• Aug 12, 2010

Does anyone know if iPhone safari automatically delete your browsing history without you doing it? Also, is it possible to retrieve/view deleted browsing history on safari's iPhone? Thanks a million!!  

macrumors 68000

• Aug 29, 2010

CuriousG1978 said: Does anyone know if iPhone safari automatically delete your browsing history without you doing it? Also, is it possible to retrieve/view deleted browsing history on safari's iPhone? Thanks a million!! Click to expand...

macrumors 6502a

kockgunner said: Nope and no. Click to expand...

• Sep 12, 2011

I am having this same problem. My phone memory was nearly full, and it only kept about 5 days of history. I did not clear the browser history though. That was about a week ago.. now I am looking at my phone, and it only shows 6 days of history, and some of the days that were there last time I checked are now gone too, without anyone touching my phone other than me. No one seems to be providing any technical information about this, surely safari has some limit, or it would keep all of your browser history from day one as long as you never restored the phone or cleared the browser history manually. CuriousG1978, did you get any answers other than no?  

• Dec 6, 2011

guccigucci88

• Mar 14, 2012

Millikan said: To clear you history on your iPhone, go to "Settings" on your phone. Scroll down to "Safari" and click. Scroll down to "Clear history" and "Clear cookies and data." Click both. Done. Hope this helps! Click to expand...

macrumors 601

• May 30, 2012

lindas001 said: I am also having this same problem. My phone memory was nearly full, and it only kept about 5 days of history.how can i do now? Click to expand...

• Jun 12, 2012

Safari seems to delete in on my iPad but I'm not sure lol..  

Can’t Clear My History on Safari: Troubleshooting Steps

When using Safari, the browser developed by Apple, maintaining privacy is vital, and clearing browser history is a standard part of digital privacy practices. However, users may sometimes face difficulties when attempting to clear their browser history. Possible reasons for the inability to clear history could be due to settings within the device or an issue with the browser or operating system itself.

Can’t Clear My History on Safari

Additional Tips:

• Check for Safari updates:  Make sure Safari is up-to-date via the App Store.
• Reset Network Settings:  If the issue persists, try resetting network settings ( Settings  ->  General  ->  Transfer or Reset [Device]  ->  Reset  ->  Reset Network Settings )  Note:  This will reset Wi-Fi passwords.

The problem can occur across various Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers. It is essential to comprehend the settings related to Safari’s history and how they connect with iCloud account preferences and system restrictions. Effective troubleshooting necessitates a step-by-step approach to rectify issues preventing the clearance of history so that personal browsing information can be managed and deleted as the user sees fit.

Key Takeaways

• Clearing Safari history is essential for privacy, but users may encounter issues in the process.
• Correctly managing settings is crucial to resolve history deletion problems.
• A systematic approach can help users overcome issues with clearing Safari history.

Why is “Clear History and Website Data” Option Greyed Out in Safari

1. no browsing data to clear.

• The simplest explanation:  If you haven’t visited any websites or accumulated any browsing data, the option will naturally be greyed out because there’s nothing to clear.

2. Web Content Restrictions

• Go to Settings -> Screen Time -> Content & Privacy Restrictions
• If “Content & Privacy Restrictions” is enabled, check under “Web Content” to see if restrictions are in place, especially “Limit Adult Content.” These can block the ability to clear history.

3. Mobile Device Management (MDM) Restrictions

• Common on workplace devices:  If your iPhone or iPad is managed by an employer or school, they may have restrictions set up through MDM software. Contact your organization’s IT department for assistance.

4. Temporary Glitch

• Try a forced restart:  Force restarting your device can sometimes clear up minor software glitches.

Troubleshooting Steps

• Verify Browsing Activity:  Open a new tab in Safari and visit a few websites. Try the “Clear History and Website Data” option again.
• Check Restrictions:  Follow the settings path mentioned above to see if any restrictions are in place.
• Restart Device:  If the above didn’t resolve the issue, try a force restart of your device.

If None of These Help:

• Update iOS:  Ensure you’re running the latest version of iOS.
• Contact Apple Support:  Consider reaching out to Apple for further troubleshooting if the problem persists.

Understanding Safari History Settings

When using Safari, you may need to clear your history or manage website data for security or to keep your browsing private. This section provides an insight into the various Safari history settings and how to address issues when options are not available.

Navigating Safari Settings

Safari users can adjust settings to manage browsing history, website data, and cookies. On an iPhone or iPad, these settings are accessible by tapping ‘Safari’ in the device’s main ‘Settings’ menu. For Mac users, these settings can be found by opening Safari and clicking on ‘Safari’ in the menu bar, then ‘Preferences.’

Steps to access history settings on iOS:

• Open ‘Settings’
• Scroll and select ‘Safari’
• Find ‘ Clear History and Website Data ‘

Mac users can:

• Open Safari
• Click on ‘History’ in the menu bar
• Select ‘Clear History’

Interpreting Grayed-Out Options

A grayed-out ‘Clear History and Website Data’ option might cause confusion. This usually indicates that certain restrictions are set on your device. On your iPhone or iPad, this may occur due to ‘Content & Privacy Restrictions’ in ‘Screen Time.’ If these restrictions are active, you cannot clear your history unless you adjust your ‘Screen Time’ settings.

For checking restrictions on iOS:

• Go to ‘Settings’
• Tap ‘Screen Time’
• Select ‘Content & Privacy Restrictions’
• Enter your passcode if prompted
• Look for the ‘Clear History and Website Data’ toggle to change the setting

The Role of iCloud in Safari History

iCloud can sync Safari browsing history across all your devices. This feature keeps your bookmarks and history the same everywhere. If Safari history won’t clear, it could be due to iCloud syncing. Disabling this can help troubleshoot the issue.

To disable iCloud Safari sync on an iPhone or iPad:

• Tap ‘Settings’
• Click your Apple ID at the top
• Choose ‘iCloud’
• Toggle off ‘Safari’

On a Mac, these options are in ‘System Preferences’ under ‘Apple ID’ for macOS Catalina or later and under ‘iCloud’ for High Sierra or earlier. Remember, turning this off will stop Safari data from syncing across your devices.

Troubleshooting History Deletion Issues

If Safari users find they can’t delete their browsing history, it could be due to various reasons, from software glitches to settings being locked. The following steps outline effective methods to resolve these issues.

Common Solutions to Clear History

Restart the Device: Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve minor glitches. Users can turn off their iPhone or Mac, wait a few seconds, and then turn it back on to see if the clear history function works.

Check Restrictions: On iOS 12 or later, users should verify if Screen Time restrictions are set up, as these might prevent history deletion. They can go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions to make necessary changes.

Advanced Troubleshooting Steps

Update Software: Ensuring the device is running the latest software version can fix bugs preventing history clearance. Users can check for updates in the device settings and install them if available.

Disable iCloud Safari Syncing: If history won’t clear, users should consider turning off iCloud Safari syncing. On a Mac, they can do this through System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud, unchecking Safari.

When to Reset Safari Settings

Reset Network Settings: If Safari’s problems persist, it might help to reset the network settings. This is done by going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. It’s important to note that this will erase all saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords.

Delete History Manually on Mac: Users can attempt to manually delete history on their Mac by opening Safari, selecting History in the menu bar, and clicking ‘Clear History’.

Restore iPhone or iPad: As a last resort, backing up the device and then restoring it to factory settings may be necessary. This will erase all content, so users should ensure they have a backup. They can restore their device through Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.

These steps can help users clear their browsing history in Safari and troubleshoot issues that might be preventing this from happening.

Frequently Asked Questions

In this section, we address common issues iPhone, iPad, or Mac users may encounter when they cannot clear their Safari browsing history.

Why is ‘Clear History and Website Data’ grayed out in Safari on my iPhone?

This problem typically arises when restrictions are set to prevent the deletion of history. These settings might be found under Screen Time or Restrictions in your device’s Settings. Parents often use it to keep tabs on their children’s web usage.

What steps should I follow to delete Safari browsing history on my iPhone when it is not working?

First, try a soft reset of your device. If that fails, check for any restrictions enabled that might prevent history deletion. Lastly, you can try deleting website data manually in Safari’s settings or from the Advanced section under Website Data.

What could be preventing Safari on my iPad from clearing the browsing history?

Restrictions in your device’s settings can carry over from iCloud if your iPad syncs with other devices. It could also be due to a temporary software glitch or a problem with the update process, where a restart of the device might resolve the issue.

How do I resolve issues with Safari history not deleting on my iPhone?

To fix this, disable Website Restrictions in Screen Time, try a force-restart of your iPhone, or check for a software update. If there’s widespread trouble, it may require more complex solutions like restoring the device from a backup.

Is there a way to disable the feature that stops the clearing of Safari browsing history on an iPhone?

Yes, you can disable this by turning off Content & Privacy Restrictions in the Screen Time settings. Sometimes, this might require the Screen Time passcode, which should be entered to adjust these settings.

What are the reasons Safari might not allow me to delete my browsing history?

Several factors could be causing this issue, including: restrictions set intentionally for parental control, a glitch after an iOS update, corrupt data within Safari, issues with sync settings, or simply a need to reboot the device.

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Does your Safari history delete itself?

Does Safari delete history after a while?

I know for a fact that safari history on Mac deletes after a year unless you go to settings, and disable this by selecting delete history manually.

Why does my history delete itself?

If you find “Auto-delete (On),” Google automatically deletes your Web & App Activity, which includes your Search history, after a specific time period. To change the time period or turn it off, tap Auto-delete (On).

Does Safari permanently delete search history?

To clear your history and cookies, go to Settings > Safari, and tap Clear History and Website Data. Clearing your history, cookies, and browsing data from Safari won't change your AutoFill information.

How long does history stay in Safari?

Your Mac can keep your browsing history for as long as a year, while some iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models keep browsing history for a month. To change how often your Mac removes items from your history, see Change General settings.

How long does iPhone keep history?

By default, Safari on iPhone/iPad keeps your browsing history for 30 days. However, this setting can be changed to keep your browsing history for a longer or shorter period of time, or to prevent Safari from keeping your history at all.

Why did my search history disappear on Safari?

By default, Safari deletes only the last hour of browsing history, but you can also tell it delete all history in one go. What often happens is that users want to delete only the last hour but don't notice that the option to delete all history is selected, causing their entire browsing history to disappear immediately.

How long does search history last?

Is your search history ever really deleted.

A lot of data is generated as you browse the internet, and clearing your history only deletes the record of addresses you've visited that are stored locally on your device. It doesn't remove your Google search history, or other data stored on remote servers. It also doesn't delete cache data, or disable cookies.

Does clearing browsing data delete history?

Browsing history: Clearing your browsing history deletes the following: Web addresses you've visited are removed from the History page. Shortcuts to those pages are removed from the New Tab page. Address bar predictions for those websites are no longer shown.

Does Safari track your search history?

Every time you visit a website or search for something in your Safari browser, it keeps a record of your actions. Apple's Safari browser saves a copy of your browsing history with website cookies. Tap or click here to lock down Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari for maximum security.

How do I see history after deleting Safari?

Go to Settings> General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. 2. Follow the Setup Screen instructions and then choose “Restore from an iCloud Backup.” Choose an iCloud backup file to restore the device. By doing so, all data in this backup file will come back with the deleted Safari history included.

How often should I clear Safari history?

Keep your iPhone 14 Pro, Pro Max or any other model moving as fast as possible by clearing your cache every month — it only takes a few seconds. Whether you use Chrome, Safari or other browsers on your iPhone, your cache builds up digital clutter over time.

How do I see Safari history from months ago on iPhone?

Step 1: Open the Safari app on your iPhone or iPad and then tap on the bookmarks/history button. It looks like the open book icon. Step 2: Tap on the Book tab and then go to the History section. Step 3: At the top of the History section, tap on the search box marked “Search History”.

Is Safari history stored on iCloud?

iCloud Backup Tips & Tricks Because safari history is stored in iCloud together with other data like messages, as one part of the whole backup. In this post, we are talking about how to view iCloud Safari history without restoring iOS devices and erasing data on your iPhone/iPad.

How do you check someone's history after they deleted it?

Recover deleted internet history through System Restore The easiest method is to do a system restore. If the internet history was deleted recently, then system restore will recover it.

How long does iCloud keep history?

While Apple now appears to be deleting browsing data at the two week mark (or has made it invisible to tools like Phone Breaker), iCloud users should be aware that their browsing history, including cleared browser history, is stored in iCloud for at least that two week period.

Can someone see my history on iPhone?

Can iPhone Private Browsing mode be tracked? Yes, it can. In fact, the Wi-Fi administrator, usually the person who owns the router, your internet service provider, and Apple can see your data traffic no matter if you're using private browsing or not.

Is it safe to clear history on iPhone?

The default iPhone browser, Safari, along with all other major browsers, accurately record the websites you visit, and this information can be easily accessed by anyone who takes your device. So if you don't want other people to be able to see what websites you've been on, deleting your browsing history is a good idea.

Why is Safari not saving my history?

Make sure your iCloud is turned on and you are signed in. Then try to restart your iPhone. Try resetting Safari. Close Safari completely from the app switcher window by double clicking the Home button and swiping up the Safari preview pane until it disappears from the screen.

How do I find my Safari history on my iPhone?

Open Safari. Tap Bookmarks at the bottom of the screen. Tap the clock icon – the third icon across the top menu – this opens the Browser History, showing all pages that have been visited.

Who can see my search history?

If you're not careful, almost anyone can see your internet activity. Wi-Fi admins can see your activity through router logs, while websites, apps, ISPs, search engines, and advertisers all have means of tracking what you do online. Your devices and browsers keep records of what you do on them too.

Is browsing history stored forever?

Search history: By default, Google keeps your search history for 18 months. However, you can change this setting to delete your search history after 3 months or to never save your search history. Location data: Google stores your location data if you have turned on the location history feature.

Where is Internet history stored?

Where is browsing history stored on my computer? Your browsing history is automatically stored in your online browser's History section, and as cache files on your computer's hard drive. The exact location of these files varies depending on the operating system and browser that you use.

Can private browsing history be recovered?

To view your incognito browsing history, you can use tools like the DNS cache or third-party software to recover your private browsing data. While there's no straightforward way to see the sites you visited incognito — like viewing your history in your browser — the DNS cache is a good place to start.

Who can see my mobile data history?

Who can see my mobile data history? Your mobile data history is accessible to your mobile service provider. They can see when and how much data you use, as well as your general location (based on which cell tower you're connected to).

How to Clear History in Safari on iPhone in iOS 17

The Safari web browser on iPhone is one of the best mobile browsers out there, allowing users to smoothly browse the internet and offering a host of other useful features to enhance that browsing experience. And much like other web browsers, Safari also allows users to delete their browsing history on their iPhones.

So, if you were looking for an in-depth guide on how to clear browsing history in Safari on your iPhone, you have come to the right place. In this article, we have listed various ways that you can use to clear the browsing history in the Safari app on iPhone in iOS 17.

We have also provided step-by-step guides on how to delete Safari history for specific hours and for different profiles on iPhone in this guide. So, be sure to check it out till the end!

Clear Safari History on iPhone in iOS 17

Now, as aforementioned, there are multiple ways to clear or delete browsing history in Safari on iPhone in iOS 17. You can do it via the Safari browser itself or via the Settings app on your iPhone.

With that said, let’s dive into the list of the different ways to clear history in Safari on iPhone in iOS 17.

Clear Safari History via Safari on iPhone in iOS 17

You can use the Safari app on your iPhone to easily clear your browsing history. One of the advantages of clearing Safari history via the mobile browser itself is that you will be able to delete specific web pages from your history list in a specific Safari profile.

On that note, let’s take a look at how to clear history in Safari on iPhone in iOS 17 via the browser itself:

1. Launch the Safari browser on your iPhone.

2. If the app opens on the Tab-View page, open a new tab using the + button at the bottom left to open a new tab or open any of the previously opened tabs from the list. If the browser opens on a web page, on the other hand, you can skip this step.

3. Next, tap the Bookmarks button on the bottom navigation bar.

4. On the following pop-up UI, tap the History tab (clock glyph) on the above navigation bar to open it.

Now, at this stage, you can do either of two things – Delete specific web pages for the opened Safari profile in the app or use the Clear History UI to customize your Safari history deletion. We have discussed more about these methods in the following sub-categories.

Delete Specific Web Pages in Safari History on iPhone in iOS 17

Once you are in the History tab in the Safari app on your iPhone in iOS 17, follow the steps right below to delete specific web pages from your Safari browsing history:

1. In the History tab, tap the listed time periods to reveal the web pages that you visited during that timeframe.

2. Now, you can either swipe a specific web page from right to left to delete it instantly.

3. Alternatively, you can tap the Edit button in the lower left corner.

4. Then select the web pages that you want to delete and tap the Delete button to delete multiple web pages simultaneously.

Clear Safari History of Specific Duration on iPhone in iOS 17

Now, if you want to delete your Safari history of the last hour or the last day on your iPhone in iOS 17, you can do so using the Clear History UI. For that, follow the steps right below:

1. While in the History tab in Safari, tap the Clear button at the bottom-right corner of the screen.

2. On the following UI, select your preferred Timeframe from the Clear Timeframe section. For this demonstration, we have chosen the Last hour option. This will clear the Safari history of the last hour for all your Safari profiles. However, you can select the Today or Today and Yesterday options, based on your preference.

3. Additionally, you can enable the toggle for the Close All Tabs option to let Safari close the tabs that you opened in the last hour or the selected timeframe.

4. Once you select the timeframe, scroll down a bit and tap the red-colored Clear History button.

Clear Safari History for Specific Profiles on iPhone in iOS 17

With iOS 17, Apple added the ability to create different profiles in Safari to help users better manage their web browsing experience on iPhones. And with that, the Cupertino giant also added the ability to clear the Safari history for specific profiles without affecting the other ones on iPhone.

So, you can follow the steps right below to clear the history for specific Safari profiles on your iPhone in iOS 17:

1. While in the Clear History UI in Safari on your iPhone, tap the All history option for the Clear Timeframe setting.

2. Next, instead of the All Profiles option in the Clear for Profile section, tap the Safari profile for which you want to clear the history.

3. Additionally, you can enable the toggle for the Close All Tabs option to close all the tabs opened in the selected Safari profile.

4. Now, tap the Clear History button to clear the Safari history for your selected Safari profile.

Clear All Safari History on iPhone in iOS 17

Now, if you want to delete your entire Safari history for all your profiles and start using the browser as new on your iPhone in iOS 17, follow the steps below to do:

1. While in the Clear History UI in Safari on your iPhone, select the All History option for the Clear Timeframe section.

2. Select the All Profiles option for the Clear For Profile section.

3. Enable the Close All Tabs option.

4. Tap the Clear History button.

This will delete all your Safari history and make the web browser a clean slate on your iPhone in iOS 17.

Clear Safari History via Settings on iPhone in iOS 17

Now, as aforementioned, other than using the Safari app on your iPhone, you can clear the history in Safari via the Settings app on your device. However, do keep in mind that although you will be able to clear your entire Safari history or the browsing history of a specific time duration or a profile via the Settings app, you will not be able to delete specific web pages using this method.

With that said, let’s take a look at the steps for clearing Safari history via the Settings app on iPhone in iOS 17:

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone.

2. Locate the Safari option on the list and tap it to open.

3. Scroll down to find Clear History and Website Data and tap the said option .

4. This will open up the Clear History UI for Safari on your iPhone. So now, you can use the above-listed guides on clearing your entire Safari history and of specific duration and profile, based on your needs.

However, if you want to delete specific web page(s) from your Safari browsing history, you will have to use the Safari app on your iPhone in iOS 17. You cannot do that via the Settings app on your device. This is a disadvantage of using the Settings app to clear Safari history on your iPhone in iOS 17.

Why can’t I delete Safari history on my iPhone in iOS 17?

Although you can easily clear your Safari browsing history on your iPhone, one of the iOS features that might prevent you to do so is Screen Time. So, if the Clear History UI in Safari appears greyed-out on your iPhone, it is likely because of Screen Time restrictions enabled on your device.

Can I clear Safari history for specific Safari profiles on iPhone in iOS 17?

Yes, you can clear or delete the history of specific Safari profiles without affecting the browsing history of other profiles on your iPhone in iOS 17. You simply have to select the profile for which you want to clear the browsing history in the Clear History UI for Safari on your iPhone in iOS 17.

Can I delete specific web pages from my Safari browsing history on my iPhone?

Yes, you can delete specific web pages from your Safari history on your iPhone. However, this can only be done via the History tab under the Bookmarks settings in the Safari app itself. You cannot delete specific web pages from Safari history via the Settings app on your iPhone.

Can I clear Safari history of specific time periods on my iPhone?

Yes, you can clear the Safari history of specific time periods, say the last hour or the last day, on your iPhone. Simply select your preferred timeframe for the Clear Timeframe option in the Clear History UI in Safari to delete the browsing history of your selected time period.

Wrapping Up

So yeah, this was everything about how to clear history in Safari on your iPhone in iOS 17. Clearing your browsing history in Safari is not necessary on your iPhone. However, if you have more-than-enough tabs or web pages opened in the Safari app on your iPhone, it tends to slow down the app which can hinder your web browsing experience.

Moreover, clearing the browsing history in Safari can free up a bit of space on your iPhone when you really need it. Hence, we hope this in-depth guide helps you clear the browsing history in the Safari app on your iPhone in iOS 17. And if it did, let us know about it in the comments below.

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My Safari History deleted itself

up until today my safari has always Saved my history but for some reason today my history deleted itself and i wonder why Ive looked online but i could not find any answers and ive never deleted my history myself

iPhone 14 Pro Max

Posted on Jan 13, 2024 5:50 PM

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