safari history from other devices

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How to force sync Safari history across all your Apple devices

If your browsing history is out of sync, you can try this simple tip to fix it.

When you're logged into the same iCloud account from multiple Apple devices, iCloud will sync your Safari browsing history across the devices. Sometimes, however, your devices can get out of sync and waiting around for iCloud to catch up can be frustrating.

With little effort you can manually force iCloud to sync your Safari history using your Mac, OS X Daily reports.

The first thing you need to do is enable a hidden Debug menu in Safari using a Terminal command. You can find the Terminal app in Applications > Utilities on your Mac. Or you can search for "Terminal" on Spotlight.

After quitting Safari on your Mac, open Terminal and enter the following line of text:

defaults write com.apple.Safari IncludeInternalDebugMenu 1

Press return, then open Safari. If it worked, you should see a new "Debug" item in the menu bar at the top of your Mac's screen.

With the previously-hidden menu now present, click on Debug . Then click Sync iCloud History , which should appear at the bottom of the list. Your Mac will then take care of the rest, and you should see your history sync between devices within a minute or two.

To hide the Debug menu, open Terminal again and enter the following line of text:

defaults write com.apple.Safari IncludeInternalDebugMenu 0

You'll need to quit Safari before the change will take place.

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How To Check Safari History on iPhone and Mac [2024]

Recently a man in the EU discovered that his Safari browsing history was included in his Apple data download. After I discussed the issue with him and compared my data download, it turns out he received a lot more information than I did.

After this experience, I decided to research and learn different ways to manage your Safari browser history on your Mac and iPhone. But before we dive into this, what exactly is the Safari Browsing History and why is it so important?

How To Check Safari Search History on iPhone?

1.  Open Safari .

2.  In the Menu bar, look at the lower right corner of the screen and tap the History icon.

A Pop-up window showing the list of all the websites you have visited in Safari will appear. Also, If you want to, you can search the history for particular websites, and do this:

3. Enter a phrase into the search bar at the top of the screen.

This filters just the websites with that particular keyword or phrase. It is also important to know how to clear your Safari Browsing History.

To do this, follow these simple steps below.

How To Check Safari Search History on Mac?

There are a number of ways you can manage your browser history for Safari on both your macOS and iOS. Here are different techniques and how you can do it. First, let´s consider how to view your browsing history.

Time needed:  1 minute

View Your Safari Browsing History on Mac

Follow the simple steps below to view your browsing history on your iPhone as well.

Delete Your Safari Browsing History on your Mac

To clear your browser history on Mac, follow these straightforward steps:

1.  Open Safari.

2. Open the  History Bar  at the top of the screen.

3.  Click the Show All History tab in the Menu bar or press Command (⌘) + Y in Safari, which will take you to the history view.

4.  Select Clear History .

A pop-up menu will come up and it will allow you to choose how far back you want to clear the existing history. This option lets you choose if you want to clear your history from the last hour, day, week, two weeks, a month, or even for all time.

5.  Choose your preferred option and click Clear History .

Great! You have successfully cleared your Safari browsing history on Mac. Now, Let´s see how we can do this for iPhone as well.

Delete Your Safari Browsing History on iPhone

Clearing your browsing history on your iPhone is also easy. Follow these simple steps too:

1.  Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

2.  Scroll through the options and click on Safari .

3.  Again, scroll and find the Clear History and Website Data option.

4. Tap Clear History and Data .

Yes! You have successfully cleared all Browsing History on Mac and iPhone.

Following these next easy steps to remove all the records of the web pages or sites you have visited over the selected period.

You can also prevent Safari from tracking your browsing history. Let us quickly dive into this too.

Prevent Safari From Tracking Your Browsing History on Mac

Suppose you prevent Safari from tracking the history of the websites you visited. In that case, it means that Safari cannot save any record of the searches you perform or the websites you visit. How can you do this?

2.  Navigate to click Safari in the Menu Ba r .

3.  Select Preferences from the Menu Ba r .

4.  Next, Click on the Privacy tab.

5. You´ll see a box that is next to Prevent cross-site tracking, Check the box.

Let me also walk you through how to do this on your iPhone.

Prevent Safari From Tracking Your Browsing History on iPhone

1.  Open the Settings  app.

2.  Scroll down to the bottom and tap Safari .

3.  On this page as well, scroll down to the Privacy and Security section .

4.  Toggle on the switch that is next to the Prevent Cross-Site Tracking .

You have successfully prevented Safari from tracking your browsing history both on your Mac and iPhone!

If you prefer additional protection for your browsing activity and for your iPhone and Mac overall, we recommend a dedicated antivirus like Intego Internet Security that can block malicious websites from accessing your data.

That is not all. Sometimes, you might not want your Safari Browser to save your browsing history, website data, or even cookies. Using the private browsing mode is the solution to this.

Keep Your Browsing History Private on Mac

To keep your browsing history private on Mac, you need to use the private browsing mode. Follow these very easy and straightforward steps to do this:

2. Look at the top of your screen, select File , and click New Private Window .

A new window will be opened and this will disallow Safari from saving your Browsing or search history.

This would also restrict Safari from sending auto-fill information to any website you visit while using the window. You can also do the same on your iPhone.

Keep Your Browsing History Private on iPhone

2.  Tap the Page tab in the bottom right corner of the Safari screen.

3. Switch the page option to Private .

4. Finally, Click the ‘+’ sign at the bottom left corner to open a new private browser.

Keeping your browsing history private is very important, but in some situations, you may have visited a website by mistake or you don´t want another person to see that you visited the website. In this situation, the best thing you should do is delete the individual website from your Browsing history. Let me quickly show you how to do this:

Delete Individual Websites From Your Browsing History for Mac

To delete individual items or websites from your Safari Browsing history, follow these very easy steps:

1.  Open your Safari Browser .

2.  Click on the History tab in the Menu bar

3.  Select the Show All History tab

4.  Find the website you want to remove and Right-click   on it.

5.  Select the Delete from History option.

Let me quickly walk you through how to do this on iPhone as well.

Delete Individual Websites From Your Browsing History for iPhone

1.  Open the Safari app.

2.  Click the history tab at the bottom right corner of the screen of the browser.

3.  Look for the website you want to delete from your history and swipe left on it.

4.  Finally, Tap the Delete  option.

Yeah! You have successfully deleted individual websites from your browsing history. But if you use Safari on multiple devices of yours such as iPhone, Mac, and maybe your iPad, iCloud sync can help you to keep all your history synchronized across all the devices you own. This means that you can start browsing on your iPhone and continue later on your Mac. Let me quickly show you how to set this up.

Manage Your Safari Browsing History Across Multiple Devices Using iCloud Sync

To use the iCloud sync feature, you must have iCloud enabled on all the devices you own and they all need to be signed in to the iCloud with the same Apple ID.

If you have Safari iCloud syncing turned on and you clear your history, it will also be cleared from all of your other Apple devices with iCloud sync enabled. How can you enable and disable iCloud sync for your Safari browsing history on your Mac and iPhone?

Manage Your Safari Browsing History Across Multiple Devices Using iCloud Sync on Mac

2. Select Safari > Preferences > iCloud Option

4. Check the checkbox next to Safari to make sure that it syncs across all your devices

To sync your browsing history across certain devices, do this:

5. Click on the Manage Devices Button and select the devices you want to sync with.

6. Click Done  

Manage Your Safari Browsing History Across Multiple Devices Using iCloud Sync on iPhone

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

2.  Click on your name at the top of the settings screen.

3.  Tap the iCloud option.

4.  Under Apps Using iCloud , select Safari.

5.  Finally, toggle on the switch next to Safari.

Great! You have successfully enabled iCloud sync for Safari browsing history and it will be updated on all your devices using the same Apple ID when you visit new websites or close an existing Safari tab.

Suppose you’ve carefully followed the methods and steps I’ve provided in this step-by-step guide. In that case, you will have a great edge over efficiently managing your Safari browsing history on one or even multiple devices.

Which of these methods worked for you?  Feel free to share your thoughts here in the comment section. Also, if you are having problems with iCloud syncing on your devices, check out our guide for effective solutions.

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I like to use imymac——Browser Cleaner to clean up browser traces, historical records, etc.Browser Cleanup lets you clean up junk files, cookies, and history, eliminate deceleration reasons, clear privacy traces to protect your confidential data and more. It is performed on Mac OS and Mac OS X.

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How To View History in Safari on a PC, Tablet, or Mobile Device

Lee Stanton Lee Stanton is a versatile writer with a concentration on the software landscape, covering both mobile and desktop applications as well as online technologies. Read more July 19, 2022

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Safari for iOS provides a convenient way to keep track of your browsing history. You can use it to call up web pages quickly you’ve visited. You can easily go down the rabbit hole when performing searches online. This makes it difficult to remember exactly where you found a valuable piece of information. Reviewing your browsing history can retrace your steps, saving you the arduous task of finding the data from scratch. This article covers how to see your history in Safari. Check out how to do that below.

How to View History in Safari on an iPhone

Safari stores your browser activity, making it possible to revisit sites at a later date. You could either view your most recent history or check out the entire list of previously visited websites. This is how to do that.

You have now accessed your recent history on Safari.

If you would like to view your complete Safari browsing history, here’s how to do that.

You’ve now accessed your Safari browsing history.

How to View History in Safari on an iPad

Safari allows users to keep track of their browsing history. This feature can then be used to revisit sites that might be of interest. You could either view recent history or peruse all your browsing data. The steps listed here detail how to do that.

You have now viewed the recent history on your iPad.

To view your complete browsing data, follow the steps outlined here.

How to View History in Safari on a Mac

Your Safari browsing history allows you to revisit sites you viewed in the past. You can even use the search tool so that you don’t have to scroll through the entire list of results to find what you are looking for. Here’s how to view your browsing history on an iPhone.

• Click on it to open the page in your browser.

You can now see your history in Safari. If you signed in to your device using the same Apple ID that you use on your other Apple devices, that history would also be displayed on your Mac.

Can You View History From Private Browsing?

Private Browsing is a feature that prevents Safari from storing information on sites you have visited. It ensures there’s no record of your online activity, including passwords or autofill information. It also prevents iCloud from storing data on any tabs that you open. To provide an additional layer of privacy, Safari prevents sites and content providers from tracking you. Any cookies you might have picked up are deleted once you close the tab.

This means that Safari doesn’t store your browsing history when you activate Private Browsing. You will therefore be unable to view it in the future.

How to Clear History in Safari

If your Apple device is lagging or otherwise misbehaving, you might consider clearing your browsing data. This is how to do that.

Your browsing data will now be removed from your device.

Retracing Your Steps

Like many web browsers, Safari stores information on websites you’ve visited. This data can come in handy when you want to go back to a particular site. This guide shows you how to retrieve the browsing history stored on your Apple devices.

Have you viewed your browsing history on Safari? What did you think of the process? Let us know in the comments below.

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Safari User Guide

• Change your home page
• Import bookmarks, history and passwords
• Make Safari your default web browser
• Go to websites
• Find what you’re looking for
• Bookmark web pages that you want to revisit
• See your favourite websites
• Use tabs for web pages
• Pin frequently visited websites
• Play web videos
• Mute audio in tabs
• Pay with Apple Pay
• Autofill credit card info
• Autofill contact info
• Keep a Reading List
• Hide ads when reading articles
• Translate a web page
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• Add passes to Wallet
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• Print or create a PDF of a web page
• Customise a start page
• Customise the Safari window
• Customise settings per website
• Zoom in on web pages
• Get extensions
• Manage cookies and website data
• Block pop-ups
• Clear your browsing history
• Browse privately
• Autofill username and password info
• Prevent cross-site tracking
• View a Privacy Report
• Change Safari preferences
• Keyboard and other shortcuts
• Troubleshooting

Search your web browsing history in Safari on Mac

You can search your browsing history to quickly find web pages you visited.

Open Safari for me

Type in the Search field at the top-right corner of the window.

Safari uses iCloud to keep your browsing history the same on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Mac computers that have Safari turned on in iCloud preferences . On your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, go to Settings > [ your name ] > iCloud, then make sure Safari is turned on. 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 history items, see Change General preferences in Safari .

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2 Easy Ways to Check Your Safari Search History

Last Updated: January 17, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly . Rain Kengly is a wikiHow Technology Writer. As a storytelling enthusiast with a penchant for technology, they hope to create long-lasting connections with readers from all around the globe. Rain graduated from San Francisco State University with a BA in Cinema. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 156,969 times. Learn more...

Do you need to check your Safari browser history? In a few simple steps, you can easily view all the websites you accessed in the past. You can also search for specific websites in your history and clear any website data you don't want. This wikiHow will teach you how to view and delete your Safari history on iPhone, iPad, and macOS.

Things You Should Know

• On iPhone and iPad, you can click the book icon, then the clock icon to find your Safari history.
• On macOS, you can click the "History" tab, then "Show History".
• You can search for specific websites and clear your history data.

Using iPhone and iPad

• If needed, you can change your General Settings .

• If you're signed in with the same Apple ID to you use to log into your Mac, your Mac's Safari history will appear in this list as well.

• You may have to swipe down on the History page to find it.
• The results will load as you type.

• Tap a time period to delete the history from just that time period. To delete the entire log, select All time .
• You can also swipe left on individual websites in your history, then click Delete .

Using macOS

• Be sure to update Safari.

• If you're logged into the computer with the same Apple ID you use on your iPhone or iPad, you'll also see sites you've visited on those devices.

• A list of matching results from your history will appear. Click a site to load it in Safari.

• Select a time frame from the drop-down menu, then click Clear History .
• You can also delete cookies from Safari .

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/search-your-browsing-history-ibrw1114/mac
• ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201265

About This Article

iPhone/iPad: 1. Open Safari . 2. Tap the book icon. 3. Tap the clock button. macOS: 1. Open Safari . 2. Click History . 3. Click Show All History . Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to View iCloud Safari History

How to access and view your Safari browsing history without restoring your iPhone/iPad/iPod touch? Try these two solutions in this post to easily make it.

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View iCloud Backup Data

• View iCloud Backups
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• View Safari History on iCloud
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• Delete iCloud Backups
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With iCloud Safari history, you can search your browsing history to quickly find web pages you visited on another device. However, you can’t easily access and view the Safari history on iCloud backup, except you restore your iPhone/iPad via iCloud. 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. And here is a way you can view safari history or bookmarks on Windows PC or Mac with ease.

Here are some more tips you may like:

• How to Download iCloud Backup >
• Fix Safari Cannot Find Server on iPhone >

How to View iCloud Safari History on Mac

Safari can use iCloud to keep browsing history the same on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac that have Safari turned on in iCloud preferences. However, 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. But you can still use this function to find some safari history on another device. And here are the steps to view web pages you visited:

Set up iCloud Safari on iPhone/iPad

Go to Settings > [your name] > Tap iCloud > Turn Safari on.

Set up iCloud Safari on Mac

On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Apple ID, then select iCloud in the sidebar > Select and check Safari.

Then in the Safari app on your Mac, you can choose History and click Show All History. All browsing history is synced on your Mac. Also, you can type in the Search field at the top-right corner of the window to view what you need.

How to View your Safari Browsing History on Mac/Windows PC

Besides iCloud Safari history, here is a powerful tool, AnyTrans , which allows you to access and manage your iPhone/iPad Safari history easily. With Device Manager of it, you can easily view Safari browsing history on your iPhone, extract them out to your Mac/PC. And the newly refined AnyTrans supports merging data between two iCloud accounts  with iCloud Manager. It can also help you delete unwanted iCloud data to get more free iCloud storage.

What’s more, AnyTrans can work as an amazing iOS content management tool to transfer data (like photos, music, videos, messages, contacts, etc.) from iPhone/iPad to computer/iTunes library/other iDevices, and vice versa. And you can follow the steps below to view and transfer your Safari browsing history to Mac/Windows PC:

Step 1: Download AnyTrans  on your PC/Mac computer, install and run it. Connect your iPhone/iPad to the computer via USB cable. The homepage will be displayed as below. Then tap on Device Manager and choose More to continue.

* 100% Clean & Safe

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Tap on Device Manager and Choose More

Step 2: Find the Safari button and tap on Safari History. Here you can view all browsing history on your iPhone/iPad. Then you can select some/all and click Send to PC button to transfer them to the computer. And you can view those histories on a computer.

View Safari History on Computer

Further Reading:  How to Find & Recover Safari History on iPhone/iPad >

The Bottom Line

Besides viewing iCloud Safari history on Mac, you can also use AnyTrans to manage the history on your iPhone. And this tool can also help you transfer other iPhone/iCloud/iTunes data like photos, text messages, contacts, music without restoring your iOS devices. Why not download this tool and have a free try >>

More Related Articles

• What Does iCloud Backup >
• How Long Does iCloud Backup Take >
• How to Fix Safari Not Working on iPhone iPad After iOS Update >
• How to Backup Safari Bookmarks on iPhone iPad >

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How to Manage Browsing History on Safari for iPad

Protect your privacy on your mobile device

What to Know

• Open Safari . Select the Bookmarks icon.
• Choose the Clock icon to open the History pane displaying the list of sites visited during the past month.
• Select Clear and indicate which entries to delete using one of the four options: The last hour, Today, Today and yesterday, and All Time.

This article explains how to manage browsing history on Safari for iPad, including how to view and delete the iPad Safari history, cookies, and stored website data. This article applies to all iPad devices with iOS 10 or iPadOS 13 or later. The process for managing browser history in Safari on an iPhone is slightly different.

How to View and Delete Your iPad Browser History in Safari

Reviewing your iPad browser history is a straightforward process. Safari stores a log of websites you visit along with other related components, such as the cache and cookies. These elements enhance your browsing experience, but you may want to delete your browsing history for privacy reasons.

You can manage your web browsing history on the iPad in two ways. The easiest option is to do it directly in Safari:

Open the Safari web browser.

Select the Bookmarks icon (it looks like an open book) at the top of the screen. 

Select the clock icon to open the History pane. A list of sites visited over the past month appears.

To delete a single website from the browser history, swipe left on its name.

Select  Clear at the bottom of the panel to reveal four options: The last hour, Today, Today and yesterday, and All time.

Select your preferred option to remove the browsing history from your iPad and all connected iCloud devices.

How to Delete History and Cookies From the iPad Settings App

Deleting the browser history through Safari doesn't remove all the data it stores. For a thorough cleaning, go to the iPad Settings app. You can also delete the browsing history and cookies from the Settings app. Clearing the history this way deletes everything Safari saved.

Select the gear icon on the Home screen to open the iPad Settings .

Scroll down and select Safari .

Scroll through the list of settings and select  Clear History and Website Data to delete the browsing history, cookies, and other cached website data.

Select  Clear to confirm, or select Cancel to return to the Safari settings without removing any data.

How to Delete Stored Website Data on iPad

Safari sometimes stores additional website data on top of a list of web pages you visited. For example, it can save passwords and preferences for frequently visited sites. If you want to delete this data but don't want to clear the browsing history or cookies, selectively delete specific data saved by Safari using the iPad Settings app.

Open the iPad Settings app.

Scroll to the bottom of the Safari settings screen and select Advanced .

Select  Website Data to display a breakdown of the data each website currently stores on the iPad.

Select Show All Sites to display the expanded list if necessary.

Select  Remove All Website Data  at the bottom of the screen to delete the site data at once, or swipe left on individual items to clear items one at a time.

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Safari browsing history of one device not visible on other devices on same iCloud id

Safari browsing history from one iOS device is not syncing and not visible on other iOS devices logged on the same iCloud id.

However the open Safari tabs and favourites are getting synced across devices as expected. Only the history is not syncing across devices, and is not expected. 

anyone else ?

Posted on Apr 15, 2020 12:51 AM

Posted on Apr 15, 2020 2:39 PM

Thank you for reaching out at Apple Support Communities today. If I understand correctly, your browsing history isn’t syncing across iOS devices; however, other Safari features like tabs and bookmarks are. 

I found a few suggestions for things you can try to get this to start syncing. For example, start by ensuring that all devices are on the latest version of their iOS/iPadOS software. 

Make sure that you have Continuity requirements on for each device turned on as outlined in “Set up Handoff” here:

Use Handoff to continue a task on your other devices

Make sure you aren’t browsing privately on one of your devices. 

Browse privately in Safari on iPhone - Apple Support

I also noted that you posted in the Mac OS & System Software section. Is browsing history syncing from one of your iOS devices to your Mac? 

Similar questions

• Safari browsing history of one device not visible on other devices on same iCloud id Safari browsing history from one iOS device is not syncing and not visible on other iOS devices logged on the same iCloud id. However the open Safari tabs and favourites are getting synced across devices as expected. Thus the history not syncing across devices, is not expected and may be a bug.  anyone else ? Any solution ? 780 2
• Safari tabs not working I am using a MacBook Pro (running Monterey 12.4), an iPhone 13 running iOS 15.5 and an iPad Pro running iOS 15.5. All are logged into the same iCloud account, all have Safari checked in the iCloud settings and all are on the same Wi-Fi network but I cannot see any Safari tabs other than the ones on each individual device. I’ve had this problem for a couple of years and Apple Support don’t seem to have an answer. Most of the responses here just direct me to articles explaining the benefits of Safari tabs or telling me I need to switch Safari on, make sure I’m in the same iCloud account etc but I have tried all that. I did find one article that suggested I get the Debug menu in Safari and click ‘Sync iCloud history’ but this didn’t help either. is there anything else that anyone has tried that might fix this? Thx thx 5956 4
• Safari Reading List doesn't sync I have a MBP M1 and an iPhone 11Pro. I am not sure when the issue began, but I noticed it today. The Safari bookmarks sync fine and instantly across the two devices, but the reading list is dead. If I add or delete a website to/from the list from either device it doesn't show in the other. So I am not even sure which device isn't syncing, or if just both aren't. I tried all the steps on the Apple support pages of removing Safari from iCloud and re-adding it on both devices but that didn't do anything... 557 2

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Apr 15, 2020 2:39 PM in response to sn72

Apr 16, 2020 11:00 AM in response to sn72

To avoid confusion, I am correcting the issue explanation:

The Safari history is syncing from any of the iOS device to the Mac. This history item on iOS device appeared on the Safari history list of the Mac within a few minutes.

However, the opposite did not happen.

The history items from Mac appeared on iOS device only once when the iOS device was logged out of iCloud and logged in again. Subsequently, any further history items from Mac did not appear on the iOS device. I tried toggling off/on the Safari in iCloud both on iOS device and Mac and also toggled Handoff (Off/On). But problem remains unresolved and any subsequent history items from Mac device did not appear on iOS.

Similarly history items do not get shared between any two iOS devices using same iCloud id.

Further, the open tabs and favourites are getting synced across iOS and Mac devices on the same iCloud id without any problem. The problem is occurring only for web browsing history which are not syncing to iOS devices. This error occurs even when network settings are reset and iCloud logout and login done. Safari sync is enabled in iCloud settings on all devices.

Apr 16, 2020 3:50 PM in response to sn72

You're amazingly thorough and quick to respond, and you have all your devices updated. I like it!

If you create a new user on your Mac and log into your iCloud account in that user, does Safari browsing history sync to your iOS device(s) from there? This will help us determine whether the connection between the Mac > iCloud > iOS device is central to your Mac.

Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac

If it still isn't syncing to your iOS device(s) from a new user I would either contact Apple Support to see if they have an idea about how to resolve it, or leave them feedback about it here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Apr 15, 2020 11:49 PM in response to CarlAVII

Thanks for the prompt and informative reply. I have checked Handoff to be active.

I have found the Safari history is syncing from one of the iOS device to the Mac. Any website opened on the iOS device created a history item on that iOS device as expected. This history item appeared on the Safari history list of the Mac within a few minutes.

The history items from Mac did not appear on the iOS device. I tried toggling off/on the Safari in iCloud and also toggled Handoff. But problem remains unresolved and history items from iOS device did not appear on Mac.

Kindly advise on how to resolve the issue.

Apr 16, 2020 12:19 AM in response to sn72

It is clarified that the history items from Mac transferred to iOS device only once when the device was logged out of iCloud and logged in again. Subsequently, the history items from Mac did not appear on the iOS device. I tried toggling off/on the Safari in iCloud and also toggled Handoff. But problem remains unresolved and history items from iOS device did not appear on Mac.

Apr 16, 2020 12:29 PM in response to sn72

That clarification was on point! It sounds like you’ve been conducting some great research. So far we know that your Safari browsing history is syncing as expected from the iOS device to your Mac; however, it only syncs from your Mac to the iOS device(s) once you log out and back into iCloud on that device. It sounds like it only refreshes to the present point and any subsequent Safari history on your Mac remains in limbo until you log out again.

Do I have that correct?

If so, did you log out and back into iCloud on all three devices? Logging out of all devices running iCloud, restarting each device, and then logging back into iCloud is the best way to ensure that iCloud is refreshed across the board. 

I’m also curious about the devices you’re using. Which iOS model(s) and iOS version(s) are you running? Which Mac and macOS version?

Is it possible that it’s simply taking a little longer to sync to the iOS device? I realize that it doesn’t appear immediately on your iOS device when you visit a page in Safari on your Mac, but if you wait for a period of time, does it eventually appear? 

Does it seem to matter whether you’re using Wi-Fi or the cellular data on your iOS device(s)?

I look forward to learning more.

Apr 16, 2020 1:47 PM in response to rose_10

Yes. You are dot on point. The iOS device only refreshes the history up to the present point at the instance of login to icloud. Subsequent Safari history on Mac is not communicated to the iOS device. Also the history does not refresh between two iOS devices. In other words, the iOS devices do not refresh the safari history from either Mac or another iOS device. 

I have already tried to logout from all three devices together. And then logged in again to the same iCloud Id. But the problem remains unresolved.

iOS versions are 13.4.1, and Mac Catalina 10.15.4.

I have waited for more than 12 hours for history refresh, but it still did not happen to the iOS devices.

I tried it on WiFi as well as cellular networks, but to no avail.

Apr 17, 2020 12:30 PM in response to Leanne_68

Thanks for the specific and technical reply rather than the general statements.

I tried creating a new user on Mac and repeated the steps. This did not change anything and syncing history did not happen to the iOS devices (Mac did pull history as earlier).

However taking idea from your suggestions, I created a new AppleID and then logged to iCloud on all devices using the new Apple ID/ iCloudID (while on old Mac user account). While logged on the new iCloud ID it seems to sync the Safari history across all devices. Although it needs further testing to conclude, but my initial thoughts point to this.

What do you suggest in this scenario.

Apr 17, 2020 1:21 PM in response to sn72

To give more information on the issue, it is further clarify that the time required by Mac to pull Safari history items from iOS devices is around 7-8 minutes for every instance.

Is it expected or too slow?

Apr 17, 2020 4:54 PM in response to sn72

Creating a new Apple ID to test was a great idea! Testing it in a new user let you know that it wasn’t machine related, and testing with an Apple ID confirms that it was account related. I would definitely contact Apple Support and let them know your findings. There may be something they can explore further with your iCloud account.

It's also a good idea to direct them to this thread, it may keep you from having to retrace your steps.

Excellent work!

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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Peter is Reviews Editor at Tom's Guide. As a writer, he covers topics including tech, photography, gaming, hardware, motoring and food & drink. Outside of work, he's an avid photographer, specialising in architectural and portrait photography. When he's not snapping away on his beloved Fujifilm camera, he can usually be found telling everyone about his greyhounds, riding his motorcycle, squeezing as many FPS as possible out of PC games, and perfecting his espresso shots. 

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iOS 17: How to Clear Safari History on iPhone – A Step-by-Step Guide

Clearing your Safari history on your iPhone is a simple process that can help improve your device’s performance and protect your privacy. In just a few taps, you can erase your browsing history, cookies, and other data. Ready to learn how? Let’s dive in!

You can also watch this video about how to clear Safari history on an iPhone for additional info.

How to Clear Safari History on iPhone

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of clearing your Safari history, it’s important to understand what this will do. Clearing your history will remove a record of the websites you’ve visited, your search history, and your AutoFill information. It’s a good way to keep your browsing private and ensure your iPhone runs smoothly.

Step 1: Open Safari Settings

Open the Settings app on your iPhone and scroll down to find Safari.

In the Settings app, Safari is usually located after the settings for the apps that came pre-installed on your iPhone, like Messages and Mail.

Step 2: Scroll to ‘Clear History and Website Data’

Once you’re in the Safari settings, scroll down to find the ‘Clear History and Website Data’ option.

This option is usually located towards the bottom of the Safari settings, so you might need to scroll for a bit.

Step 3: Tap ‘Clear History and Website Data’

Tap on ‘Clear History and Website Data’ to clear your history.

When you tap on this option, a confirmation pop-up will appear, asking if you’re sure you want to clear your history.

Step 4: Confirm Your Action

Confirm that you want to clear your history by tapping ‘Clear History and Data’ in the pop-up.

After you confirm, your Safari history will be cleared, and you’ll be all set!

After completing these steps, your Safari history, cookies, and other browsing data will be erased. Your iPhone will no longer have a record of the websites you’ve visited in Safari, and you’ll have a fresh start for your browsing activities.

Tips for Clearing Safari History on iPhone

• Clearing your history regularly can help your iPhone run faster and protect your privacy.
• Remember that clearing your history will also log you out of any websites you were signed into.
• Don’t forget to clear your history on all devices that are synced with your iCloud account.
• If you only want to delete specific items from your history, you can do so by opening Safari, tapping the book icon, and then editing your history.
• Consider using Private Browsing mode in Safari if you don’t want your history to be saved in the first place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing my safari history also clear my bookmarks.

No, clearing your Safari history will not affect your bookmarks. Your bookmarks will remain intact.

Can I clear my history for a specific time period?

Yes, you can choose to clear your history for a specific time period by going to Safari, tapping the book icon, selecting ‘History,’ and then tapping ‘Clear’ at the bottom.

Will clearing my history also clear my saved passwords?

Clearing your history will not remove your saved passwords. However, it will clear your AutoFill information.

What happens to my browsing history on other devices when I clear it on my iPhone?

If you’re using iCloud to sync your Safari data, clearing your history on your iPhone will also clear it on other devices signed into the same iCloud account.

Can I undo clearing my Safari history?

Once you clear your Safari history, it cannot be undone. Make sure you want to erase everything before confirming your action.

• Open Safari Settings
• Scroll to ‘Clear History and Website Data’
• Tap ‘Clear History and Website Data’
• Confirm Your Action

Clearing your Safari history on your iPhone is a straightforward task that can be done in a matter of seconds. Whether you’re looking to protect your privacy, free up some space, or simply give your iPhone a little performance boost, it’s a good habit to get into. Remember, though, once you clear your history, there’s no going back—so be sure you’re ready to let go of those browsing records before you hit confirm. Beyond the practical aspects, regularly clearing your Safari history can also give you peace of mind, knowing that your online activities are kept private. With ios 17, the process remains user-friendly and easily accessible, ensuring that anyone can manage their digital footprint with ease. Keep these tips and FAQs in mind as you navigate your iPhone’s Safari browser, and you’ll be mastering your online history in no time.

Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.

His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.

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