delete iphone safari browsing history

How to clear Safari browsing history on iPhone and iPad

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

iPhone screen showing the Safari app icon in the center

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

A screenshot showing how to delete browsing history on Safari for iPhone and iPad.

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 .

A screenshot showing empty browsing history on Safari for iPhone

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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How to view and clear your web browsing history in Safari on iPhone or iPad

Easily wipe your browsing history in Apple's Safari web browser in seconds.

How to find your web-browsing history

How to clear your web browsing history.

Clearing your browsing history on iPhone and iPad in Safari has been a straightforward affair for years now.

Sometimes, you may want a fresh start with your web browsing — perhaps to get rid of some history that may bring up a memory you'd rather forget as you type in a website URL in the address bar.

Apple makes this feature very easy to access on both the iPhone and iPad by offering two ways to clear your history. So with this in mind, here's how you can do just that and make a fresh start in Safari .

Viewing your web history in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 is very easy to do — and it's all done from Safari.

In Safari, tap the Bookmarks button in the toolbar that's below the address bar.
Tap the History icon in the upper right corner. Here, you can view your entire web history.

To search for bookmarks, tap the Bookmarks button in the toolbar at the bottom of the app, then select the Bookmark icon.

Use the History search bar to find previously viewed pages.

To find History, tap the History menu. Then use the search to find previously viewed information.

If the time calls to wipe most or all of your web browsing history in Safari, here's how to do it on both iPhone and iPad.

To note, the below steps will be the same if you attempt to wipe your web browsing history on an iPhone 15 Pro Max , and an iPad Mini 6 for example.

In Safari, tap the Bookmarks button.
Select the History icon in the upper right corner.
Tap Clear and select how much history you'd like to clear: the last hour, the last day, 48 hours' worth, or all recorded history.

One more thing… A feature no one talks about

Privacy on the web matters more than ever in these modern times. Websites store the pages you click on, especially when you sign into a page that can contain personal information about you.

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It's great to have a feature like this in Safari — but it would be good to have this automated. To tell Apple's web browser to automatically clear history after 24 hours would be very useful, as you wouldn't leave a trail behind.

Regardless, it's still a good feature, and one you should use every week.

Daryl is iMore's Features Editor, overseeing long-form and in-depth articles and op-eds. Daryl loves using his experience as both a journalist and Apple fan to tell stories about Apple's products and its community, from the apps we use everyday to the products that have been long forgotten in the Cupertino archives.

Previously Software & Downloads Writer at TechRadar, and Deputy Editor at StealthOptional, he's also written a book, ' The Making of Tomb Raider ', which tells the story of the beginnings of Lara Croft and the series' early development. He's also written for many other publications including WIRED, MacFormat, Bloody Disgusting, VGC, GamesRadar, Nintendo Life, VRV Blog, The Loop Magazine, SUPER JUMP, Gizmodo, Film Stories, TopTenReviews, Miketendo64 and Daily Star.

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How-To Geek

How to clear recent history in safari on iphone and ipad.

Want to erase some of your iPhone's browsing history?

Quick Links

How to erase single entries in safari's history list.

Normally, Safari on iPhone and iPad keeps track of which sites you visit in a special History list. While it's possible to completely wipe your history in Settings , you can also erase only more recent history if you'd like. Here's how.

First, open Safari on your iPhone or iPad. Tap the "Bookmarks" button (which looks like an open book). On the iPad, you'll find it in the upper-left corner of the screen beside the address bar. On an iPhone, it's at the bottom of the screen.

In the pop-up that appears (on the left side of the screen on iPad and over the whole screen on iPhone), tap the History tab (which looks like a clock face), and then tap the "Clear" button.

(Don't worry. It won't clear anything yet.)

After you tap "Clear," another pop-up will give you yet another choice. You can select "All time," "Today and yesterday," "Today," or "The last hour."

Choosing one of these options will remove your browsing history, cookies, and other browsing data from the point you select until now. For example, if you click "Today," all the browsing history from sites you visited today will disappear, but everything earlier than that will remain on the list.

Tap the option you'd prefer (or you can tap outside the pop-up box to cancel).

If you made a selection from the pop-up list, your browsing history will be cleared accordingly. It's all very quick and handy.

Oh, and one more thing before you go: In Safari's History list, you can also delete individual entries by swiping to the left on them with your finger. When a red "Delete" button appears on the right, tap it.

Using this method, only the single entry you just swiped will be zapped. This can be a nice, laser-focused way of erasing certain history items without having to clear everything at once. Happy browsing!

Related: How to Clear Your Browsing History in Safari for iOS

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How to clear browsing history on Safari on iPhone or Mac

You can clear your Safari browsing history on both iOS and Mac

As tracking goes, Safari keeping your browsing history is less about privacy-busting security and more about just being useful. It's your history that means Safari remembers where to go to when you choose forward and back within a site, for instance.

It's also how Safari is able to offer you a list of sites that you regularly go to, on account of how handy it is to be able to back to them with a click. History also does keep things you may not expect, though, such as a list of items you've downloaded.

If you don't want that, though, or you're just fed up of Safari going to site addresses you haven't looked at in years, you can wipe the whole browsing history.

On a Mac, you can also wipe, for instance, just the last hour's browsing history. So if you share Safari and it's someone's special birthday coming up, you can avoid them inadvertently finding out you plan to surprise them with dance lessons.

Go to History, Clear History, and then choose how far back you want your browsing cleared

How to clear search history on Safari on Mac

In Safari, choose the History menu
Select Clear History from the very bottom of the menu
In the dialog box that appears, choose from clearing the last hour , today , today and yesterday , or all history
Click on Clear History

Alternatively, within Safari you can press Command-Y and the current page will be replaced by a history list. There's a Clear History... button toward the top right.

Clicking on that gives you exactly the same dialog about choosing how far back you want to clear your browsing history. But this page does also give you one extra option — the ability to delete one specific item.

How to clear one item from Safari search history on Mac

In Safari, press Command-Y
From the long list, click once on a history item to select it
Right-click to bring up a menu, then choose Delete

Alternatively, if you select one, two, or more items in the history list, you can then press the Delete key to remove them all.

You can remove your takeaway habits from Safari, we're not judging you.

That kind of precision removal is only possible on your Mac, not on iOS . However, whether it's precision or wholesale clearing of your history, though, there is a way to replicate it on iOS.

If you have set iCloud to share your Safari history, then just doing this on your Mac also removes the history from your iPhone, and iPad.

Otherwise, you're stuck with going to your iOS device. And then with clearing the entire history.

How to clear search history on iPhone

Go to Settings on your iOS device
Tap on Safari
Scroll down to Clear History and Website Data
Tap that, then tap Clear History and Data to confirm

One important thing to note is that you can't selectively remove, say, today's browsing history on the iPhone or iPad . It's all or nothing, with iOS.

Clearing your Safari history is all or nothing on iOS

What you leave behind

Clearing your history like this does remove the list of sites and pages you've visited. It does mean you can't go back to that site you read last Tuesday, not without remembering what it was and going there yourself.

What it doesn't remove, though, is the information that gets used by something like AutoFill. If you have your address, for instance, and you're used to online forms being filled out with it, you've still got that feature.

You've also still got anything you downloaded. It's purely that Safari won't keep the list of downloads.

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How to Clear Search History on iPhone

Clear selected Safari entries or your entire browsing history

Clear Browsing History Using the Safari App

Here's how to delete your browsing history through the Safari app on your iOS device.

Open the Safari app and tap Bookmarks (the icon that looks like an open book) at the bottom.

Tap History (clock icon).

Select Clear , and then select All time to erase your browsing history completely. Alternatively, choose The last hour , Today , or Today and yesterday .

Depending on the setting you chose, you've deleted your browsing history.

To delete individual entries, instead of tapping Clear , swipe from right to left over the website you want to remove, and then choose Delete .

Clear Browsing History Using the Settings App

You also can delete your browsing history through your iOS device's Settings app.

Tap Settings and then scroll down and tap Safari .

Scroll down and tap Clear History and Website Data .

In the confirmation box, tap Clear History and Data . You've deleted your Safari browsing history.

This method clears your entire browsing history, with no option to delete items selectively.

Open the Safari app and tap the book icon at the bottom of the screen. Tap the History icon (clock) and pull down on the screen to reveal the Search History field. Enter a search term .

You can't, but neither can anyone else. When you enter Safari's Private Browsing mode , the iPhone doesn't store your browsing history. To browse without recording the history, tap the Safari app > Tabs icon > [number] button > Private .

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How to Use Private Browsing on iPhone

How to Clear Safari's Browsing History on an iPhone or Mac

Browsing data reveals your browsing habits, and can be accessed by sites you visit. If you're concerned about your privacy, you can manage and delete your browsing history.

Navigating the digital world creates a footprint similar to how our steps leave marks in real life. These digital traces, from sites visited to search queries, can pose privacy risks. So, it's essential to know how to clear your browsing history.

Whether you aim to clear search history on your iPhone or Mac, delete history from a specific timeframe in Safari, or fully clear your browsing history, Apple offers streamlined solutions. Let's take a look.

How to Delete Your Safari Browsing History on an iPhone or iPad

If you're looking to clear Safari's browsing history from within the Safari app on the iPhone or iPad, you're looking in the wrong place. Apple puts such options in the Settings app, and this is how to find them:

Open the Settings app. Then, scroll down and tap on Safari .
Scroll down to the Privacy & Security section and tap Clear History and Website Data .
When a sub-window pops up, choose a timeframe and tap Clear History .

If you find yourself needing to delete your history in short timeframes, consider using private browsing (or incognito mode) in Safari instead of heading to the Settings app to do this often.

How to Clear Your Browsing History in Safari on a Mac

Unlike on an iPhone or iPad, you'll find all you need to clear Safari's history within the app. There's no need to open System Settings. Here's how to do it:

Launch Safari using Spotlight search ( Command + Space ) or any other desired method.

There are still a few other things you would have to do if you want to reset Safari to default settings . But this method is all you need to delete your Safari browsing history on a Mac.

Safari Keeps Your History Private

Do not be worried if you suspect Apple is selling your browsing data; that is far from the truth. Apple has built a reputation for prioritizing privacy and security and even goes the extra mile to protect you from advertisers and third parties.

In fact, Safari might be safer to use than Google Chrome since Google doesn't offer the same commitment to privacy as Safari does. Use Private Browsing if necessary or delete your history if you still want to keep it from prying eyes.

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How to delete browsing history on iPhone & iPad

Whether you’ve been searching for an anniversary present or looking at dodgy websites, it’s easy to clear your internet browsing history in Safari on the iPhone and iPad. This option was moved in iOS 11 , however, so you may have lost your bearings since updating .

For lots more tips on protecting your secrets, see How to use private browsing on iPhone and How to delete call history on iPhone . And for similar privacy advice applicable to your desktop and laptop computing, see How to delete browsing history on Mac .

How to selectively delete browsing history

Assuming your iPhone or iPad is up to date and running the latest version of iOS, you clear browsing history by doing the following:

Open Safari, and tap the bookmarks icon (the open book). On iPhone this is at the bottom of the screen; on iPad it’s at the top left.
At the top of the Bookmarks pane you’ll see three icons. Tap the clock icon on the right to open History.
At the bottom of the History pane, tap Clear, then select ‘The last hour’, ‘Today’, ‘Today and yesterday’ or ‘All time’.
You can also delete individual entries: swipe to the left across a URL until it turns red and says Delete.

In the older iOS 10 software, the process is almost the same, but you access the History pane in a slightly different way.

Open Safari and tap the bookmarks icon at the bottom (iPhone) or top (iPad) of the screen.
Tap History, near the top of your list of bookmarks.
Tap Clear at the bottom and select how far back you want to delete the history, or swipe left across an entry to delete that.

How to delete all browsing history

The above method is essential if you just want to clear specific entries from your history, or for deleting only the past hour or day of websites. But if you want to clear your history completely, you can also do this from Settings.

Open the Settings app, then scroll down and tap Safari. Scroll down again and tap Clear History and Website Data, then tap Clear History & Data when iOS asks for confirmation.

Note that this also deletes cookies and other browsing data. If you would prefer to keep them, it’s better to delete history within Safari as described above – use the ‘All time’ option to wipe the lot.

You may also be interested in How to delete Facebook

Author: David Price , Editor

David has loved the iPhone since covering the original 2007 launch; later his obsession expanded to include iPad and Apple Watch. He offers advice to owners (and prospective owners) of these devices.

Screen Rant

How to delete safari history, cookies and cache on iphone and ipad.

Deleting browsing history and cookies helps protect user privacy, and Apple's Safari web browser offers an easy way to do that on iPhones and iPads.

Apple 's Safari web browser offers an easy way to delete cookies and cache on iPhones and iPads. Cookies can help provide a personalized web browsing experience, but they can also create a significant privacy issue by collecting and disseminating users' browsing data. It is, therefore, essential to delete cookies after each browsing session for improved privacy.

Like most browsers, Safari also offers users the ability to delete the entire browsing history, including site data, cookies, cache and more. This means users can easily delete their browsing data on Apple's default web browser for iPhones and iPads. Doing so is not only a good privacy practice but also helps save precious storage space and can even speed up the browsing experience.

Related: How To Disable Or Enable Cookies On iPhone

Safari offers an easy way to delete all saved cookies. Depending on a user's needs, they can either remove all cookies en masse or get rid of them individually, one at a time. To start the process, go to the iPhone's (or iPad's) ' Settings ' and then select ' Safari ' from the settings menu. On the Safari Settings page, scroll down a little and tap on 'Clear History and Website Data.' Confirm the decision by hitting ' Clear History and Data ' on the pop-up. As explained by Apple , this will delete all history and website data in Safari en masse.

Delete All Data Or Specific Cookies

Safari also allows users to delete specific cookies and website data while preserving everything else. Users will need to access the ' Advanced ' menu to do that. To delete only website data, go over to ' Settings ' and select ' Safari ' as described earlier. Now scroll down to the bottom, hit ' Advanced, ' and tap on ' Website Data .' Next, users will be presented with the data for all websites they've visited on that browser. Users can now choose to delete all data at once or remove specific cookies manually. To remove all cookies and website data at once, simply tap on the ' Remove All Website Data ' button at the bottom, and then confirm the decision by hitting ' Remove Now. '

To remove specific cookies, tap on the ' Show All Sites ' prompt and then hit the ' Edit ' button at the top-right corner of the screen. Now tap on the red '-' button corresponding to the site whose data must be removed. Next, tap on the ' Delete ' button to confirm the selection, and finally, hit ' Done ' at the top-right corner. This will delete cookies and data of that particular site while preserving the data from every other site used on that browser . Do note that clearing cookies will sign users out of that website on Safari , so saving cookies from sites like YouTube or Facebook will save them the hassle of signing in every time.

Next: How To Enable Private Browsing On Safari In iOS 15

Source: Apple

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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 124,951 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".

Step 3 Use the pop-up menu to select the range of history you want to delete.

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)

Step 1 Open the Safari app on your device.

Expert Q&A

↑ 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 Delete Browser History On iPhone

How-To Guides
Tech Setup & Troubleshooting

Introduction

Welcome to the digital age, where browsing the internet has become an integral part of our daily lives. From shopping and entertainment to information gathering and communication, the internet offers a vast array of resources at our fingertips. However, with each website visit and online search, your browser history accumulates a record of your online activities. While this can be convenient for revisiting previously viewed pages, it can also compromise your privacy and security.

Thankfully, modern smartphones like the iPhone offer options to delete your browsing history. Whether you want to safeguard your personal information, maintain a clutter-free browsing experience, or simply explore the various features of your phone, clearing your browser history is a simple yet essential task.

In this article, we will explore various methods to delete browser history on your iPhone. We will cover popular browsers such as Safari, Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Opera, and Brave. By following these step-by-step instructions, you’ll be able to clear your browsing history and protect your online privacy.

Keep in mind that the specific steps may vary slightly depending on the version of the browser you are using and the operating system on your iPhone. Nevertheless, the general concepts and guidelines presented here will help you navigate through the process regardless of the variations.

Now that we’ve set the stage, let’s dive into the methods for deleting browser history on your iPhone!

Method 1: Deleting Safari Browser History

Safari is the default web browser on iPhone and offers a simple way to delete your browsing history. Follow these steps to clear your Safari browser history:

Open the Safari app on your iPhone.
Tap the Bookmarks icon, located at the bottom of the screen.
In the bookmarks menu, tap the Clock icon, which represents the History section.
You will see a list of your browsing history. Swipe left on any individual entry that you want to delete, and a “Delete” button will appear. Tap on the “Delete” button to remove that particular item.
If you want to delete your entire browsing history, scroll to the top of the history list and tap “Clear.” A prompt will appear, giving you the option to clear your history from the last hour, today, or all time. Select the desired option.

By following these steps, you can easily delete your Safari browser history on your iPhone. This helps maintain your privacy, frees up storage space, and ensures a clutter-free browsing experience.

It’s worth noting that clearing your Safari browser history will also remove other data, such as cookies and website data. If you have saved passwords or autofill information, it might be wise to revisit those websites and re-enter the information after clearing your browser history.

Now that you know how to delete your Safari browsing history, let’s move on to Method 2 and learn how to clear the browsing history on Google Chrome.

Method 2: Clearing Google Chrome Browser History

If you prefer using Google Chrome as your web browser on your iPhone, clearing your browsing history is just a few taps away. Follow these steps to delete your Google Chrome browser history:

Open the Google Chrome app on your iPhone.
Tap the three dots located at the bottom-right corner of the screen to access the menu.
In the menu, tap on “History”.
If you want to delete your entire browsing history, tap “Clear Browsing Data” at the bottom of the screen.
A pop-up menu will appear, allowing you to select the time range for clearing your browsing data. You can choose to delete data from the last hour, last 24 hours, last 7 days, last 4 weeks, or all time. Select the desired time range.
Make sure the checkbox for “Browsing history” is selected, and you can also choose to clear other data such as cookies and site data, cached images and files, and saved passwords. Select the options according to your preference.
Tap on “Clear Browsing Data” to delete the selected data.

By following these steps, you can easily clear your browsing history on Google Chrome. This helps maintain your privacy, remove any stored login information, and keep your browsing experience fresh.

Remember that clearing your browsing history will sign you out of any websites you are logged into. You will need to re-enter your login credentials and passwords the next time you visit those websites.

Now that you know how to delete your Google Chrome browsing history, let’s move on to Method 3 and learn how to remove the browsing history on Firefox.

Method 3: Removing Firefox Browser History

If you use Firefox as your preferred web browser on your iPhone, you can easily remove your browsing history within a few steps. Follow these instructions to delete your Firefox browser history:

Launch the Firefox app on your iPhone.
Tap the Menu icon, which looks like three horizontal lines, located at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
In the menu, scroll down and tap on “Settings”.
Under the “Privacy & Security” section, tap on “Clear Private Data”.
A list of data types will appear, including browsing history, cache, cookies, and more. Tap on “Browsing history” to select it.
You can also choose to clear other data types by selecting them from the list.
Once you have selected the data types you want to remove, tap the “Clear” button at the top-right corner.
A confirmation prompt will appear. Tap “Clear” again to confirm and delete the selected data types.

By following these steps, you can easily remove your browsing history on Firefox. This helps maintain your privacy, frees up storage space, and ensures a clutter-free browsing experience.

Keep in mind that clearing your browsing history will log you out of any websites you are currently logged into. You will need to re-enter your login credentials and passwords the next time you visit those websites.

Now that you know how to delete your Firefox browsing history, let’s move on to Method 4 and learn how to delete browsing history on Microsoft Edge.

Method 4: Deleting Microsoft Edge Browser History

If you prefer using Microsoft Edge as your web browser on your iPhone, you have the option to delete your browsing history. Follow these steps to clear your Microsoft Edge browser history:

Open the Microsoft Edge app on your iPhone.
Tap the three dots (…) located at the bottom of the screen to access the menu.
In the menu, tap on “Settings”.
Under the “Privacy” section, tap on “Clear browsing data”.
A list of data types will appear, including browsing history, cookies, and more. Tap on “Browsing history” to select it.
Once you have selected the data types you want to remove, tap the “Clear” button at the bottom-right corner.

By following these steps, you can easily delete your browsing history on Microsoft Edge. This helps maintain your privacy, clear any stored login information, and ensure a fresh browsing experience.

It’s important to note that clearing your browsing history will sign you out of any websites you are currently logged into. You will need to re-enter your login credentials and passwords the next time you visit those websites.

Now that you know how to delete your Microsoft Edge browsing history on your iPhone, let’s move on to Method 5 and learn how to clear the browsing history on Opera.

Method 5: Clearing Opera Browser History

If you use Opera as your preferred web browser on your iPhone, clearing your browsing history is a simple process. Follow these steps to delete your Opera browser history :

Launch the Opera app on your iPhone.
Tap the O icon, located in the bottom-right corner of the screen, to access the browser’s menu.
Scroll down and tap on “Privacy & Security”.
A list of options will appear, including browsing history, cookies, and more. Tap on “Browsing history” to select it.
Once you have selected the data types you want to remove, tap on the “Clear” button at the bottom of the screen.

Following these steps will allow you to easily clear your browsing history in Opera. This helps maintain your privacy, freeing up storage space, and ensuring a clutter-free browsing experience.

Note that clearing your browsing history will log you out of any websites you are currently signed into. You will need to re-enter your login credentials and passwords the next time you visit those websites.

Now that you know how to delete your Opera browsing history on your iPhone, let’s move on to Method 6 and learn how to remove the browsing history on Brave.

Method 6: Removing Brave Browser History

If you use Brave as your preferred web browser on your iPhone, you have the option to remove your browsing history. Follow these steps to clear your Brave browser history:

Open the Brave app on your iPhone.
Tap the Lion icon, located at the bottom-right corner of the screen, to access the browser menu.
Scroll down and tap on “Privacy”.
Under the “Clear browsing data” section, tap on “Clear browsing data”.

By following these steps, you can easily remove your browsing history in Brave. This helps maintain your privacy, clear any stored login information, and ensure a fresh browsing experience.

Keep in mind that clearing your browsing history will sign you out of any websites you are currently logged into. You will need to re-enter your login credentials and passwords the next time you visit those websites.

Now that you know how to delete your Brave browsing history on your iPhone, let’s move on to the bonus tip and learn how to clear all browser history at once.

Bonus Tip: Clearing All Browser History at Once

If you want to remove the browsing history from all browsers on your iPhone at once, there is a convenient method to accomplish this. Follow these steps to clear all browser history on your iPhone:

Go to the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
Scroll down and tap on “Safari”.
In the Safari settings, scroll down to find “Clear History and Website Data”. Tap on it.
A confirmation prompt will appear, informing you that clearing your history and data will remove cookies and other browsing data. Tap “Clear History and Data” to proceed.

By following these steps, you can clear the browsing history from the Safari browser and other installed browsers on your iPhone, ensuring a clean slate for your browsing activities.

Keep in mind that clearing all browser history will sign you out of any websites you are currently logged into across all browsers. You will need to re-enter your login credentials and passwords the next time you visit those websites.

This bonus tip saves you time and effort by clearing the history from multiple browsers simultaneously, providing a more efficient way to protect your privacy and free up storage space.

Now that you have learned how to clear all browser history at once, you are equipped with the knowledge to maintain a clean browsing experience on your iPhone. Let’s wrap up with a recap of what we covered.

In this article, we explored various methods to delete browser history on your iPhone, covering popular browsers such as Safari, Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Opera, and Brave. We learned step-by-step instructions to clear browsing history in each of these browsers, ensuring that your online activities remain private and your device maintains optimal performance.

By regularly clearing your browsing history, you can safeguard your personal information, protect your privacy, and maintain a clutter-free browsing experience. Remember, clearing your browsing history also removes stored login information, so be prepared to re-enter your credentials the next time you visit websites.

Additionally, we shared a bonus tip on how to clear all browser history at once, saving you time and effort by simultaneously removing history from multiple browsers installed on your iPhone. This convenient method ensures a clean slate for your browsing activities.

With the knowledge gained from this article, you are now equipped to maintain a clean and secure browsing experience on your iPhone. Regularly clearing your browser history is a simple yet essential task that helps protect your privacy and optimize your device’s performance.

We hope you found this guide helpful, and feel free to refer back to it whenever you need to refresh your memory on clearing browser history. Happy browsing!

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iPhone 15: How to Clear Safari History Quickly and Easily

Clearing your Safari history on the iPhone 15 is a quick and straightforward process. Simply head to the Settings app, scroll down to Safari, tap on it, and then select “Clear History and Website Data.” Confirm the action, and voila, your browsing history is gone!

After you complete this action, all the records of your browsing history, cookies, and other website data on your iPhone will be erased. This means that anyone else who uses your phone won’t be able to see which websites you’ve visited.

You can also check out this video about how to clear Safari history on iPhone 15 for more information on this topic.

Introduction

The iPhone 15 is a remarkable gadget that’s become an integral part of our daily lives. From making calls to surfing the web, this device does it all. But have you ever thought about the digital footprints you leave behind while browsing the internet? Your browsing history can reveal a lot about your interests, preferences, and even your location. That’s why knowing how to clear your Safari history is crucial for maintaining your privacy.

You might be wondering why this is important. Well, if you’re someone who values your privacy or simply wants to keep your browsing habits to yourself, clearing your history is a must. It’s also relevant to those who share their devices with others and prefer to keep their internet activity private. Plus, it’s a good practice to clear your history regularly to keep your device running smoothly.

Related: Safari History iPhone: How to See It [2023 Guide]

Step by Step Tutorial on How to Clear Safari History

Before we dive into the steps, let’s understand what we’re trying to achieve here. Clearing your Safari history removes traces of the websites you’ve visited. This can help protect your privacy and also free up some storage space on your device.

Step 1: Open the Settings App

Start by opening the Settings app on your iPhone 15.

In the Settings app, you’ll have access to a variety of options. To clear your browsing history, you need to navigate to the Safari settings.

Step 2: Scroll Down and Tap on Safari

Scroll down until you find Safari and tap on it.

The Safari settings give you control over your web browsing experience, including privacy settings and history.

Step 3: Select “Clear History and Website Data”

Locate and select the “Clear History and Website Data” option.

By tapping on this, you’re just a step away from erasing your browsing history. This action cannot be undone, so make sure you’re ready to clear everything.

Step 4: Confirm the Action

Confirm your choice to clear the history and website data.

Once you confirm, your iPhone will remove all records of your browsing history, cookies, and other website data.

Video About Clearing History

Additional Information

When it comes to managing your digital privacy, clearing your Safari history on the iPhone 15 is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s also a good idea to regularly review your privacy settings and be mindful of the permissions you grant to apps and websites. Remember, the more proactive you are about your digital privacy, the less you’ll have to worry about your personal information being compromised.

Furthermore, consider using private browsing modes like Safari’s Private Browsing when you don’t want your history to be saved at all. This can be handy for one-off searches or when you’re using a shared device. And finally, keep your iPhone’s software up to date to benefit from the latest security features and fixes.

Open the Settings app.
Tap on Safari.
Select “Clear History and Website Data.”
Confirm the action to clear the history.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does clearing safari history also clear bookmarks.

No, clearing your Safari history will not delete your bookmarks.

Can I recover my browsing history after clearing it?

Once your history is cleared, it cannot be recovered.

Will clearing history log me out of websites?

Yes, you will be logged out from most websites after clearing history and website data.

Can I clear history for a specific time period?

No, clearing history on Safari removes all history; you can’t specify a time period.

Does clearing history affect other devices signed into the same iCloud account?

Yes, if Safari’s iCloud sync is enabled, clearing history will affect all devices signed into the same account.

Keeping your digital life private is crucial in today’s interconnected world, and clearing your Safari history on the iPhone 15 is a step towards that. Not only does this simple act protect your privacy, but it also helps your device run better.

So, whether you’re a privacy enthusiast or just someone who likes to keep things tidy, clearing your Safari history is a smart move. Remember, the digital footprints you leave behind can tell a story you might not want to share, so take control of your data and browse with confidence.

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

Read his full bio here.

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How to delete iPhone search and browsing history

Published on August 24, 2022

Whether you’re worried about security, border searches, or embarrassment, there can be plenty of good reasons to scrub your web activity. Here’s how to delete search history on iPhone, whether you’re using Safari, Siri, Chrome, or Google Search.

Read more: How to set up, use, and remove iPhone Restrictions

QUICK ANSWER

To delete your Safari browsing history on an iPhone, open the Settings app, select Safari , then tap Clear History and Website Data . If you're using Google Chrome, launch the app and navigate to More (…) > History . Towards the bottom, tap Clear browsing data , then select the types and amount of data you want to wipe.

JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS

How to delete Google Search history on your iPhone

How to delete siri search history, how to delete safari browsing history, how to delete chrome browsing history.

How to use Safari Private Browsing Mode

While it’s the default search engine in Safari and of course Chrome, the best way to manage your Google history is via the dedicated Google Search app:

Open Google Search, then tap your profile image/icon in the top right.
Tap Search history .
Using the Delete drop-down button or your search timeline, select the history you want to remove. This can be all of it, a narrow timerange, or just specific searches.
If you want history deleted automatically, go to Search history > Controls then toggle Auto-delete . You can choose how often wipes occur.

Siri is usually just thought of as a voice assistant, but it has tendrils throughout Apple platforms, including dictation features. Thankfully, it’s extremely easy to scour your iPhone’s recent Siri history:

In the Settings app, open Siri & Search .
Select Siri & Dictation History .
Tap Delete Siri & Dictation History .

The catch is that you don’t have control over the timeframe — following these instructions will wipe Apple servers of all Siri interactions with your iPhone within the last six months. Anything beyond that is dissociated from your random identifier and kept anonymously by Apple to improve Siri.

You can use Settings > Privacy > Analytics & Improvements to opt out of Siri recordings entirely. If you delete something within 24 hours, no one at Apple will ever review it.

As you’d hope with the iPhone’s native browser, clearing Safari history is straightforward.

Open the Settings app, scroll down a bit, and select Safari .
Further down the page, hit Clear History and Website Data . Don’t worry — you won’t lose saved AutoFill information for web forms.

Chrome’s option isn’t as easy to find as Safari’s, but it isn’t hard either, and it’s quite flexible.

Open Chrome.
Navigate to More (…) > History .
At the bottom of the next page, tap Clear Browsing Data .
Choose a timerange, then the kinds of content you want to purge. Make sure that only Browsing History is selected if you don’t want to delete things like cookies or cached files.
Tap the red Clear Browsing Data button.

How to use Safari Private Browsing mode

Like other browsers these days, Safari offers an anonymous mode so you don’t have to bother deleting history in the first place. Here’s how to turn on Private Browsing:

Launch Safari on your iPhone.
Tap the Tabs button in the lower-right corner.
At bottom center, tap the button with the gray down arrow next to it. This may read “[number] Tabs” if you already have content open, or “Start Page” if you don’t.
Select Private , then Done .

You can exit Private Browsing the same way, simply by choosing one of your regular tab groups instead of Private. Remember that when you close a Private tab, you’ll lose any and all info from that session, including anything you entered as AutoFill information.

Read more: The smart home privacy policies of Amazon, Apple, and Google

iPhone 15: How to Clear Safari History in Just a Few Steps

Clearing the history from your Safari browser on an iPhone 15 is a straightforward process. Simply go to the settings app, select Safari, scroll down to the ‘Clear History and Website Data’ option and tap it. A confirmation pop-up will appear; confirm your choice and your Safari browsing history will be erased.

When you clear the Safari history on your iPhone 15, all records of your web browsing activity, including your search history, websites visited, and AutoFill information will be deleted. This action cannot be undone, so make sure you want to clear this data before you proceed.

You can also check out this video about how to clear Safari history on iPhone 15 for more information.

Introduction

In a world where our phones are essentially extensions of ourselves, privacy is paramount. For iPhone 15 users, Safari is the gateway to the internet, and like any other browser, it keeps a record of your online activities. Whether you’re shopping for a surprise gift, planning a surprise party, or simply want to keep your browsing habits private, knowing how to clear your Safari history is a useful skill.

This article is particularly relevant for anyone who shares their device with others or is concerned about their online privacy. Let’s dive into why clearing your history can be beneficial and how to do it effectively.

Related: How to Clear Browsing History on iPhone 14

Step by Step Tutorial on How to Clear Safari History

Before we begin, understand that doing these steps will remove your browsing history from Safari on your iPhone 15. This means your past web activity will no longer be accessible through your browser.

Step 1: Open Settings

Firstly, open the ‘Settings’ app on your iPhone 15. This is where most of your phone’s configurations are managed.

The Settings app is the grey gear icon typically found on your home screen. If you can’t find it, you can also swipe down on your home screen and search for ‘Settings’.

Step 2: Scroll to Safari

In the Settings menu, scroll down until you see ‘Safari’ and select it. This will take you to the settings specific to your Safari web browser.

You may need to scroll a bit to find Safari, as it’s usually nestled among the apps in alphabetical order in your settings.

Step 3: Clear History and Website Data

Next, scroll down in the Safari settings until you see the ‘Clear History and Website Data’ option. Tap on this to proceed with clearing your history.

This option is typically towards the bottom of the Safari settings menu. If it is greyed out, it may mean there’s already no history to clear, or your device is in a restricted mode that doesn’t allow clearing history.

Step 4: Confirm Your Action

Finally, a pop-up window will ask you to confirm that you want to clear your history. Tap ‘Clear History and Data’ to confirm.

Be certain before you tap as this action cannot be undone. Once you clear your history, it’s gone for good.

Video About Clearing Safari History

Additional Information

Now that you know how to clear your Safari history on your iPhone 15, here are a few extra nudges to enhance your understanding. Remember, when you clear your history, you’re also saying goodbye to your cookies and cache. These are little pieces of data that websites store on your device to remember your preferences and speed up your browsing experience. While clearing them can help with privacy and performance, it can also mean you’ll lose some personalized settings on websites you visit frequently.

Another important tip is to consider using Private Browsing mode in Safari when you don’t want your history to be saved. This feature allows you to browse without Safari keeping track of the pages you visit, your search history, or your AutoFill information. It’s the incognito mode of iPhones and can be accessed from the tabs screen in Safari.

Lastly, if you’re looking to clear history for specific sites rather than all your browsing data, Safari allows you to do this too. Just go to the Safari settings, tap on ‘Advanced’, choose ‘Website Data’, and then you can remove data for individual websites.

Open Settings
Scroll to Safari
Clear History and Website Data
Confirm Your Action

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing my safari history log me out of websites.

Yes, when you clear your history, cookies and other site data are also erased, which means you’ll be logged out of most websites.

How often should I clear my Safari history?

It depends on your personal preference and browsing habits. Some people clear it daily, while others do so weekly or monthly.

Is there a way to automatically clear my history?

No, as of now, there’s no setting to automatically clear Safari history on iPhone 15. It must be done manually.

Can I recover my Safari history after clearing it?

No, once the Safari history is cleared, it cannot be recovered.

Will clearing Safari history delete my bookmarks?

No, clearing your history does not delete your bookmarks or reading list items.

Your online privacy is crucial, and clearing your Safari history on your iPhone 15 is a simple but effective way to maintain it. Whether you’re doing it for performance reasons, to free up space, or to keep your browsing private, it’s a good habit to adopt.

Remember, technology is here to serve us and our needs for convenience and security. Keep exploring, but do it wisely—your Safari journey is yours to command.

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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Home › Privacy basics › How to delete your search history

How to delete your search history

Posted on April 18th, 2024 by Douglas Crawford in Privacy basics .

Your search history is a window into your inner life . Anyone with access to it knows what your hobbies and interests are, your sexual orientation and preferences, the things that worry you (for example your medical concerns), your political affiliations, your financial situation, and much more.

In this article, we’ll explore why it’s important to delete your search and (closely related) browsing history and how to do it, but also the limitations of deleting your search and browsing history. Unfortunately, you can’t delete everything that’s out there.

However, moving forward, you can take steps to prevent others from seeing and logging your search and browsing history in the first place. We’ll also discuss these.

Why you should delete your search history

How to delete Google search history on your desktop
How to delete Google search history on mobile apps

How to delete search history in Play Store

How to delete youtube search history, how to delete google maps search history, how to delete gmail search history, how to delete search history in firefox, how to delete search history in chrome, how to delete search history in edge, how to delete search history on iphone and in safari.

How to delete search history on Samsung Internet

Search history you can’t delete

Does turning off personalized ads prevent google from tracking me.

Prevention is always better than a cure

As we noted above, your search history and browsing history reveal a great deal about you. This highly personal information is extremely valuable for the purposes of surveillance and influencing your behaviors.

Targeted advertising

The more advertising and analytics companies know about you, the more successfully they can target you with ever more personalized ads. Our analysis found that your data may be worth over $600 a year for advertising purposes alone.

Alphabet (Google’s parent company) is now worth over $1.9 trillion , a staggering fortune, made by offering services that are almost entirely “free” to use, but which it monetizes by selling your search queries to advertising and analytics companies.

Google so dominates the search engine landscape that searching for anything online is now commonly referred to as “googling”, and its search services form the backbone of the other services it offers, such as Google Maps, Gmail, Google Calendar, and more.

Government mass surveillance

In 2013, Edward Snowden exposed the stupefying scale and ambition of the United States and United Kingdom’s mass surveillance programs, which operated on a “ collect it all ” principle to harvest data from almost everyone on the planet. Little has changed in real terms since then, and in many ways, things are now worse .

And it’s not just NSA and its 5 Eyes, 9 Eyes, and 14 Eyes allies that spy on your search history. Almost all governments have some form of mass surveillance system, even if it’s only legislation that requires internet service providers (ISPs ) to log their customers’ browsing histories and store this data where it can be accessed by government agencies for a certain amount of time.

How to delete Google search history

You can tell Google to delete your search history. Whether it really deletes it is hard to know, but doing this probably prevents Google from using past search history to directly target you with ads or selling it to third-party advertising and analytics companies. It’s anybody’s guess whether governments can still access this “deleted” data.

How to delete Google search history on your desktop

The easiest way to delete your entire Google search history across all apps and devices is using a desktop browser. To do this:

1. Visit myactivity.google.com/myactivity and sign in with your Google account. You can now review the information Google keeps about you. When you’re ready, click Delete .

2. Select All time (or whatever time range you prefer)

3. Click Select all (or select which apps you wish to delete your search history from). You can delete the search history from all Google apps here, including Google Search, Gmail, Google Maps, Google Play, and more. Click Next when you’re ready.

4. Click Delete to confirm you’d like to delete your activity.

How to delete Google search history on mobile apps

On mobile devices, each individual Google app allows you to delete your search history. In some cases, doing this only deletes your search history for that app, while in others, you can delete your search history for that app across all your devices.

In some apps, you get taken to the My Google Activity page, where you can manage and delete your search history for all Google apps and services you use. For example:

Deleting your search history in the Google Play Store only deletes your search history on the Play Store app on the current device.

Open the Play Store app on your Android device or Chromebook. Tap your profile picture and go to Settings → General → Account and device preferences → Clear device search history .

Clear Play Store search history on your Android device

Deleting your YouTube search history deletes your YouTube search history (only) across all your apps and devices.

On Android, iOS, and iPadOS, open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture → Settings → Manage all history → Saving your YouTube history → Turn off .

Delete YouTube search history on your mobile devices

On Android, iOS, and iPadOS, open the Google Maps app and tap your profile picture → Settings → Maps history → Delete → Delete all (or select whatever timescale you prefer). From here, you can also tap the Controls tab to manage your Google search history across all apps.

Delete Google Maps history on your mobile devices

On Android, deleting your search history in the Gmail app only deletes your search history for the Gmail app on the current device. Open the Gmail app and go to ☰ → ⚙ Settings → General settings . Tap ⋮ at the top right corner → Clear search history .

On the Gmail app for iPhone and iPad, you effectively get access to the full My Google Activity web app. Open the app and go to ☰ → ⚙ Settings → Account → tap on your account → Your info, privacy, and security → Data and Privacy tab → History settings → Web & App Activity → Turn off .

Access My Google Activity from the iOS Gmail app

How to delete your browser search history

Of course, it may not just be Google and your government that you’d rather not see your search history. Deleting your browser search history prevents friends, family, and colleagues who have physical access to your device from seeing what you’ve been up to online.

In this section, we’ll look at how to delete your search history in a selection of popular browsers on different platforms. Please be aware, though, that much like using incognito/private mode , deleting your browser history does nothing to prevent anyone on the internet from seeing your search history , such as your ISP or the websites you visit.

Learn about browsers that are good for your privacy

On the desktop, open Firefox and go to ☰ → Settings → Privacy & Security → History → Clear History… → T ime range to clear → select Everything from the dropdown menu (or whichever time range you prefer) → Clear now .

You can also set Firefox to automatically delete your search history every time you close the app. To do this, go to ☰ → Settings → Privacy & Security → History → ensure Clear history when firefox closes is selected .

On Android, open the Firefox app and tap ⋮ → History → Settings → Privacy and security → Delete browsing data .

On an iPhone or iPad, open the Firefox app and go to ☰ → Settings ⚙ → Privacy → Data Management → Clear Private Data .

Delete Firefox history on iOS and iPadOS

On your desktop, open Chrome and go to ☰ → Clear browsing history → select All time from the dropdown menu (or whichever time range you prefer) → Clear data .

On Android, open the Chrome app and tap ⋮ → Clear browsing data → select All time from the dropdown menu (or whichever time range you prefer) → Clear data .

On an iPhone or iPad, open the Chrome app and go to … → History → Clear Browsing Data… → select All time from the dropdown menu (or whichever time range you prefer) → Clear Browsing Data .

Open Microsoft Edge in Windows and go to … → ⚙ Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Clear browsing data → Clear browsing data now → Choose what to clear → select All time from the dropdown menu (or whichever time range you prefer) → Clear now .

You can also set Edge to automatically delete your search history every time you close the app. To do this, go to … → ⚙ Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Clear browsing data → Choose what to clear every time you close the browser . Toggle Browsing history and any other data you’d like deleted between sessions on .

On macOS, open Safari and go to the macOS menu bar → History → Clear History…. → Clear → select All History from the dropdown menu (or whichever time range you prefer) → Clear History .

On an iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app (not the Safari app) → Safari → Clear History and Website Data → Clear Timeframe → select All History (or whichever time range you prefer) → Clear History .

How to delete search history on Samsung Internet

On your Android device, tap ☰ → History → ⋮ → Clear history (to delete all your search history).

Delete Samsung Internet history on Android

You can ask Google to delete your search history from its apps, and you can delete any search history stored locally on your devices. However, your ISP can see every website you visit online, and almost all ISPs log this information (in many countries, they are required to do so by law).

In some counties (such as the United States), ISPs are permitted to sell customer data to advertisers . In almost every country, they will hand over the data at the request of law enforcement or government agencies.

No ISP will delete your browsing history just because you ask it to, so there’s little you can do about the data it already has. However, moving forward, you can prevent your ISP from seeing what you do by subscribing to a VPN service such as Proton VPN.

A VPN routes your internet connection from your device to a VPN server run by a commercial VPN service such as Proton VPN. The connection between your device and the VPN server is securely encrypted so that no one sitting between your device and the VPN server can see the contents of your data.

DNS queries , which translate human-friendly URLs into computer-friendly numerical values, are usually handled by your ISP. But when you connect to a VPN, it routes these DNS queries through the encrypted VPN tunnel and handles them itself.

Learn more about how a VPN works

Your ISP can see that you’re connected to an IP address belonging to the VPN server but can’t see which websites you connect to after that.

Your ISP and websites you visit see the IP address of the VPN server

This means that connecting to a VPN prevents your ISP from seeing what you do online. And because most government mass surveillance programs rely on requiring ISPs to log their customers’ browsing activity, a trustworthy VPN is effective at preventing governments from collecting your search history through untargeted surveillance.

[ Protect your browsing history with Proton VPN ]

To prevent Google from using your browsing history to serve you personalized ads, head over to Google’s My Ad Center , sign in with your Google account, and toggle the Personalized ads switch off .

Turn off personalized ads in Google's My Ad Center

Please be aware, though, that turning off personalized ads in Google’s settings doesn’t stop Google from tracking your browsing history . But it does change how that data is used. When you opt out of personalized ads, Google will no longer use your browsing history to serve you ads based on your interests and behavior. Instead, you’ll receive ads based on factors like your general location or the content of the site you are visiting.

However, Google may still collect and use your data for other purposes, such as improving its services, developing new features, or ensuring the security of its systems. This data collection can include your search history, the videos you watch on YouTube, and your interactions with other Google services.

Final thoughts: Prevention is always better than a cure

Asking Google (and other online services) to delete your search history from within its apps is probably better than doing nothing at all to protect your privacy. But a far better way is to use apps and services that don’t collect your search history in the first place. For example:

Use Proton apps. When you search for emails in Proton Mail, events in Proton Calendar, or files in Proton Drive, the search is performed locally on your device . Just as our zero-access encryption ensures no one but you can access your data stored on Proton services, we also have no access to your search history.
Use your browser’s private or incognito mode . While your browser’s private or incognito mode will do nothing to prevent anyone on the internet from knowing what you do online, it will at least protect your online privacy from others who share your devices.
Use a privacy-focused search engine — Alternative search engines to Google, such as DuckDuckGo, don’t log your IP address or record your search history.
Block third-party cookies to prevent websites from tracking you across the internet.
If you must use Google, don’t search while signed in to your Google Account, and use a VPN so Google can’t link your IP address to your searches.

It’s not easy to stay private on the internet, but with some common sense and the help of privacy-focused services such Proton, it is possible to avoid most online tracking.

Douglas Crawford

Starting with ProPrivacy and now Proton, Douglas has worked for many years as a technology writer. During this time, he has established himself as a thought leader specializing in online privacy. He has been quoted by the BBC News, national newspapers such as The Independent, The Telegraph, and The Daily Mail, and by international technology publications such as Ars Technica, CNET, and LinuxInsider. Douglas was invited by the EFF to help host a livestream session in support of net neutrality. At Proton, Douglas continues to explore his passion for privacy and all things VPN.

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Secure your internet

Your Android Phone's Web Browser Has Junk Files You Can Tap Away Fast

By regularly clearing out your cache and cookies, you can get rid of files from the web that you don't need.

You can clear out the cookies and cache of your Android phone's web browser with a few quick taps.

Your Android phone 's web browser picks up a lot of data from all of the websites that you visit, and a lot of that does not need to be on your phone. Whether you're using Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Samsung Internet, this data stored in your cookies and cache can be helpful in some cases. It's what lets you quickly load websites you frequently access and keeps you logged into accounts you have. That's nice, but there's plenty of information in the cookies and cache of your browser that isn't necessary and could even be a privacy risk.

Why you should regularly clear out your cookies and cache

A lot of what ends up building up within your cookies and cache is just plain junk. Some of it could have arrived from websites you've visited just once. Others seem to be tracking your browsing history on an active basis, helping to serve up advertisements based on what you are buying or streaming on the internet. For instance, I'm constantly receiving advertisements for buying glasses online after browsing a few stores, or Amazon ads that just happen to show what was last in my shopping cart.

Because of this, it's good to clear out your cache every so often. It allows you to remove data you don't need on your phone, especially if an unknown data tracker is among your phone's cookies. Clearing your cache is a minor inconvenience -- you'll have to log back into some of your favorite websites, but it's a small price to pay to make sure your phone isn't stocking up on extraneous data.

The steps differ slightly depending on the type of phone and web browser app you're using. Below, we'll go over how to clear this data for Google's Chrome browser (often the default for many Android phones, like the Google Pixel line), Samsung's internet browser (often the default on the Galaxy phone series ) and Mozilla's Firefox browser. You can also check out our separate guide on how to clear your cache on an iPhone web browser , in case you have a few Apple devices to tidy up, too.

The "Clear browsing data" menu in Chrome on Android.

Google Chrome

You can delete your cookies and cache from within the Android version of Google Chrome by first tapping the More button in the top right corner of the browser, indicated by a column of three dots, then tapping History , then Clear browsing data . You can also access this from the Chrome Settings menu, tapping Privacy and Security and then Clear browsing data .

Chrome also offers Basic and Advanced settings for clearing your Browsing history , Cookies and site data and Cached images and files . You can use the Time range drop-down to select whether you want to delete the entire history or a selection of anywhere from the past 24 hours up to the last four weeks. Tapping Advanced will also give you access to deleting Saved passwords , Autofill form data and Site settings . After selecting what you want to delete, tap the blue Clear data button. You might receive an additional prompt in the event Chrome deems certain websites as being "important" to you, and if so you'll get the chance to confirm before clearing. Otherwise, if you do not receive that prompt, Chrome will immediately proceed to clear as you instructed.

Read more: Ditch Google Chrome and Use This Privacy-Focused Browser Instead

Samsung Internet

The "Clear data" and "Clear cache" options for Samsung Internet.

There are two different ways you can clear your Samsung Internet browser's cache and cookie data. You can clear from within the browser itself, or you can go through your phone's Settings app.

To clear while in the Samsung Internet browser app, first tap the Options button in the bottom right corner represented by three horizontal lines, then Settings ; scroll down to and tap Personal Data , then tap Delete browsing data to get a menu of options to delete. You can clear your Browsing history , Cookies and site data , Cached images and files , Passwords and Autofill forms in any combination. After tapping Delete data , you'll then receive a prompt asking for you to confirm your choices before deleting.

Going through the browser app itself provides the most customization of what you want to delete. If you want to access similar options from your phone's settings menu, open the Settings app and tap on Apps , then scroll down to and tap Samsung Internet and then Storage .

At the bottom of Storage, you get separate options to Clear cache and Clear data . Tapping Clear cache will immediately delete the cache, but Clear data brings up a prompt that warns you that all of the application's data will be deleted permanently, including files, settings, accounts and databases. While it doesn't specify cookies, this "going nuclear" approach should zap all remaining data, letting you restart the Samsung Internet browser as if it were brand-new.

Read more: Change These Android Settings to Get the Most Out of Your Phone

Mozilla Firefox

Much as with Google Chrome, you can clear the cache from within the Mozilla Firefox Android app. To access this function, tap the More button on the right of the address bar, again symbolized by three vertically aligned dots. Then tap Settings and scroll down to Delete browsing data .

The "Delete browsing data" menu in Mozilla Firefox on Android.

Of the three browsers we're discussing here, Firefox gives you the most options under the Delete browsing data menu, allowing you to also delete any existing Open tabs , your Browsing history and site data , Site permissions and even your Downloads folder alongside Cookies and Cached images and files .

While you can't pick a time range as you can for Chrome, you can be more specific regarding what type of data you would like to remove.

Read more: Browser Privacy Settings to Change ASAP in Firefox, Chrome and Safari

And Firefox has an additional option for those who never want to keep their browsing data after they're done using the app. Inside Settings is a Delete browsing data on quit option, which instructs Firefox to wipe any combination of these same settings every time you quit the application. It's a useful feature if you'd like to keep the browser tidy and, say, avoid accidentally handing off your browser history to someone who may have stolen or otherwise gained access to your phone.

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10 iPhone Apps & Features For A More Private Lifestyle

The world of modern technology means that we are all walking around with powerful handheld computers with us at all times. Smartphones are capable of carrying out pretty much every task imaginable and allow us to communicate with each other instantly, look up any information on the internet, and stream a near-limitless amount of content. All of that functionality comes at a cost in the form of privacy.

To be able to work effectively and provide users with everything they want from their smartphones, the devices — and the software that runs on them — collect huge amounts of personal data. This helps companies build up a unique picture of you so they can better target you with ads. While it is possible to remove your personal data from the internet , it is better to be proactive and stop trackers before they start harvesting your information in the first place.

Thankfully, some businesses take privacy and security seriously. Apple is one of them and the company has added a variety of useful features to the iPhone to help users stay private. Combined with some great apps and third-party solutions, the iPhone is a smartphone that can be used even if you want a more private lifestyle.

For those who don't know exactly what Telegram is , it is a messaging service that works in much the same way as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and iMessage. However, it is marketed as the messaging app of choice for those who have privacy and security concerns. In essence, you can think of Telegram as an alternative to the popular encrypted messaging app Signal . First launched in 2013, it is the brainchild of brothers Nikolai and Pavel Durov and was intended to give users a more private way to communicate with each other.

Partly inspired by Edward Snowden's revelations about the NSA and other government agencies spying on the public, Telegram is available across a range of devices, including desktop, iOS, and Android. The service features a shared account, allowing users to access their messages wherever and whenever they need. Its secure features include end-to-end encryption and secret chats that are hidden from normal view.

Telegram also has a unique feature known as Channels. This acts as a sort of social media hub, allowing people to broadcast messages to groups of users rather than individuals. What's more, users don't need a phone number to sign up for Telegram, which is a big advantage for those who want to remain anonymous and keep their personal data to themselves. Because of this, you can message other users without having access to their phone numbers.

Photos Privacy Permissions

It is not unusual for smartphone apps to require certain permissions to work correctly. Upon their initial launch, apps usually ask to gain access to the elements of your particular device that they need in order to operate properly. For example, a messaging app will generally need access to your contacts, while an audio recorder probably has to use the device's microphone. Both Android and iOS offer a similar system whereby users can grant or revoke certain permissions for each individual app.

However, some apps may ask for permissions that seem unnecessary for their primary function, and even use the permissions to collect personal data. Then there's the issue surrounding users who don't want apps to have unfettered access to all of their information. So, while a photography app might need to be able to add and remove images from your gallery, you might not want the developers to be able to see every photo you have stored on your iPhone.

Although iOS and Android allow users to change app permissions, this might not be a practical solution for everyone. After all, if you regularly use an app, you might not want to install it or revoke permissions it needs to work properly. With recent versions of iOS, Apple now offers a more nuanced approach when it comes to images. Using the photo picker, it is possible to pick specific photographs from your library you want to share with an app, excluding the other images to keep them private.

Proton Mail

There are literally hundreds of great free alternative email services available to users that cater to every need. While most people stick to the larger and more established offerings like Gmail and Outlook, some alternatives out there might better suit your needs. Proton Mail is one such example, specifically designed to offer the most private and secure email experience available on the market.

Like many of its rivals, Proton Mail is free to use, though there are premium options available for those who want expanded storage and some extra features — it comes with a generous 500MB as standard. You also don't need a prior email to sign up, meaning Proton Mail doesn't necessarily have to know any extra information about you. Of course, there are several privacy-orientated features as well, including the fact that the service doesn't track you to serve personal ads. In fact, Proton Mail doesn't have any ads at all.

Those using Proton Mail can be safe in the knowledge that any communications will be secure. End-to-end encryption stops anyone other than the recipient from being able to intercept messages, while the zero-access architecture approach prevents even the developers from being able to access your emails. There are some downsides, such as a limited feature set and a limit of 150 emails a day, but for those who put privacy first, Proton Mail on iPhone is a must-have.

Safari Private Browsing

Anyone who has used any kind of browser will no doubt be aware you are constantly being tracked. Websites and apps use cookies and other methods to see what you are doing so they can collect and analyze the data. That's why you will suddenly start seeing ads everywhere you visit online for things you previously searched for. Sure, you can clear the cookies on your iPhone but that doesn't get to the heart of the problem or prevent tracking from taking place in the future.

To help ease those concerns and provide a more private browsing experience to users, Apple has a private browsing mode on iPhones that goes further than you might expect to protect your data. While an Incognito Mode on other browsers stops your history from being recorded and automatically deletes cookies and other trackers, Safari has some built-in features that aim to stop websites from identifying you at all.

With its fingerprinting defense, Apple stops websites from being able to properly identify your device and instead makes it appear like a generic iPhone that could belong to anybody. Trackers are fully disabled as Safari will not even allow them to load in private browsing mode, further securing your data and habits. As an added layer of protection, Safari tabs will lock when your iPhone detects that you are no longer using them, so only you can physically look at them.

People don't really make traditional phone calls much these days, increasingly favoring messaging services like WhatsApp and Messenger to keep all of their communication in one place. Yet, phone numbers still play a vital role in our everyday lives. Most messaging apps require a phone number when you sign up and they can also be used to verify your identity or provide two-factor authentication.

That's where services that use voice over internet protocol (VoIP) are particularly useful. Services like Google Voice work by giving you a virtual phone number that can then be used to make calls over the internet. This can help keep your personal number private and give you a second number to hand over during sign-ups for new accounts without needing a second SIM card or device.

Hushed is one of the best options on the App Store for iPhone users. The service offers a free trial so you can get an idea of whether it is right for you and offers everything you'd expect from a normal phone plan that works anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. You can even set it up to make it anonymous, so no information is given to those you are calling other than the Hushed ID you provide.

Link Tracking Protection

Link Tracking Protection was added to iPhones with the iOS 17 update in 2023. It is automatically enabled, but may well be something many users have no idea about, and might have disabled without realizing. According to Apple, the feature removes tracking parameters from URLs that users open on their device, ensuring that anyone using an iPhone won't have to worry about the websites they frequent knowing too much about them.

These URL trackers can serve a variety of purposes. Mainly, they are used to determine where a user has come from, how long they spend on a site, and other behaviors. This can be useful for marketing campaigns, and advertisers can analyze this data to better target users in the future. For those who want a more private browsing experience and don't want to have their movements across the web monitored in this way, Link Tracking Protection is incredibly handy.

With Link Tracking Protection active, Apple's software will remove the tracking portion of URLs that the company believes could be harmful or excessive. The main URL will still work as intended and users don't have to do anything extra. Effectively, as soon as you click a link, the feature strips out the tracking information so analytics cannot tell where you are visiting the site from.

Lockdown Mode

Lockdown Mode is not something many people need to enable or worry about. That's because it protects against rare forms of cyber attacks that specifically target high-value individuals such as politicians and journalists. "Lockdown Mode is an optional, extreme protection that's designed for the very few individuals who, because of who they are or what they do, might be personally targeted by some of the most sophisticated digital threats," explains Apple . "Most people are never targeted by attacks of this nature."

First introduced in iOS 16, Lockdown Mode puts your device into a special state that makes it harder to access illegally. Apple does this by limiting the abilities and features of the device, stopping certain functions and preventing apps from working as intended to "reduce the attack surface that potentially could be exploited." The setting can be turned on by heading to the settings, going to the Privacy & Security tab, and toggling Lockdown Mode. Once activated, it will also automatically switch other devices, like your Apple Watch, to Lockdown Mode as well.

In Lockdown Mode, the phone can't be connected to other devices without being unlocked and attachments from messages or emails will be blocked. Elements of websites that could be harmful, including video and audio components, may be blocked from loading. Location data is also stripped from content you send and the device won't try to connect to open networks or allow incoming calls from unknown numbers.

Search engines make the vast majority of their money from selling ad space that will appear next to search results. That means that companies such as Google need a lot of ways to track users so they can target them with ads that are specific to them. The whole business model revolves around being able to build up a picture of your online presence so that it can make the most money by serving adverts that you are more likely to interact with.

Of course, that isn't exactly a comforting thought and many people might not want Google and its competitors to know every little detail of your life. With search engines being such a huge part of our everyday lives, avoiding this can be challenging. Fortunately, some alternatives make browsing the web and searching for information a far more private experience. A good place to start is DuckDuckGo , a company that operates its own browser and search engine that doesn't track users' search history.

The free app for iPhone comes with a suite of privacy features built-in that help protect your data and stop others from being able to monitor your activity. This includes the DuckDuckGo search engine, a host of tracker blockers for online activity such as cookies, and shields to prevent snooping from third parties. These features aim to stop other companies from being able to create a fingerprint that identifies you when surfing the web.

Stolen Device Protection

Smartphones are vital to our everyday life. We use them not just for communication, but also for entertainment, navigation, and more. So, even before you consider the financial cost of buying a new one, it's a big deal to lose your iPhone. For that reason, it isn't all that surprising that Apple does a lot to try and make iPhones as secure as possible so that they are less valuable to thieves if they are stolen.

Security features such as passcodes and Face ID, along with Find My iPhone, can help users locate a missing device and prevent it from being used. For those caught in the unfortunate situation of having their iPhone stolen from someone close to them who may know their passcode, Apple has a feature known as Stolen Device Protection .

Using Stolen Device Protection on your iPhone is as simple as turning on the feature in the Face ID & Passcode tab in the settings. Once activated, it will automatically force the device to ask for your Face ID or Touch ID when it is being used outside of familiar locations. It also has a cooldown period, preventing thieves from being able to access security and privacy settings for a set period so you can start the process of finding your lost or stolen iPhone .

Firefox Focus

Apple's Safari browser is already fairly secure and offers several features for those who value security and privacy. Yet, it doesn't go quite as far as dedicated browsers designed specifically to protect user data and prevent them from being tracked online. One such example is Firefox Focus . Created by Mozilla, the same company behind the regular Firefox browser and Pocket, Firefox Focus is designed to operate separately from your usual browser and provide a space for sensitive actions you don't want others to see.

Firefox Focus is not a browser that you would use for everyday internet activities. It is a stripped-back experience that doesn't include things like tabs or saved passwords. It also blocks ads, trackers, and add-ons, providing a distraction-free area that Mozilla describes as the "perfect get in/get out, search-and-destroy, I'm on a mission that's none-of-your-business — web browser."

Essentially, Firefox Focus acts as a way to get what you want on the web more quickly without having to deal with problems such as slow loading while it also works to keep your data and personal information private. It also makes it easy to delete any history and cookies with a single button press while browsing, although these will also be scrubbed when you close the browser.

Google Chrome vs. Apple Safari: Which browser is better on Mac

Cross-platform availability can make the switch from Chrome to Safari seamless, with data and preferences intact across devices.
Safari's user interface impresses with a clean layout, while Google Chrome offers more customization options in its Material You makeover.
Safari's memory usage advantage over Chrome on Mac with 8GB of RAM is a key factor to consider if performance is a concern.

As the default web browser on Mac, Safari has received a steady stream of updates over the last few years. Apple releases new builds for all its apps and services with yearly OS updates. While we applaud Safari improvements on Mac, the burning question remains the same: is it good enough to prevent users from switching to Chrome? How does it compare to everyone’s favorite web browser out there? Read our comparison post before you change the default browser on your Mac , iPhone, or iPad.

Google Chrome vs Microsoft Edge: Which browser is better?

Cross-platform availability.

Before we pit Safari against Chrome, let’s check their cross-platform availability first. After all, you won’t want to leave your web bookmarks, history, quick links, and other preferences behind when you switch to another platform.

As expected, alternating is a breeze with Chrome, since the browser is available on most smart platforms you can think of. Whether you use Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android, or ChromeOS, you are ready to surf the web with all of your personal data and a familiar interface. In contrast, Apple’s walled garden approach has limited Safari’s availability to the company’s devices only.

User interface and theme

Being the first-party app on macOS, Apple has nailed the esthetics of Safari. Let’s start with the homepage. It carries all the essential elements you need when you fire up the browser. You can check your favorites, recently closed tabs, reading list, privacy report, Siri suggestions, and even apply minimal wallpaper to the background. If it’s too busy for you, customize the entire homepage from the bottom menu. Overall, it’s not as busy as Microsoft Edge and doesn’t look as bland as Chrome’s homepage. Safari also offers a cool translucent effect at the top when you scroll through webpages. Unlike Chrome, there is no theme store to change the look and feel with a single click.

Google Chrome recently received a neat Material You makeover on the web. While Material You on Chrome matches the rest of Google services, it does look slightly out of place with other Mac apps.

Tab management

Do you often have dozens of tabs open during long research sessions? Managing and switching between them can be cumbersome after a while. Here’s where Chrome and Safari’s tab groups come into play, where you can organize relevant tabs under different groups. Safari does have a couple of additional tricks up its sleeve though.

When you create several tab groups on Safari, you can check the entire list from the vertical sidebar. Safari also lets you create different profiles to keep your browsing data separate, such as tabs, history, cookies and website data.

You can assign a different symbol, color, and separate extension list for Work, School, or Personal profiles. There is also an option to share a tab group with your iMessage contacts.

Chrome vs. Safari: Features

Let’s compare Safari and Chrome based on extension support, reading mode, and other novelty features.

Reading mode

Apple offers a seamless reading mode on Safari that you can customize with different backgrounds, fonts, and sizes. In comparison, Chrome’s reader mode leaves a lot to be desired. It opens the article in a sidebar and doesn’t necessarily hide all the distracting elements. Safari wins hands down here.

While Safari covers the essential extensions from top VPNs, password managers, and other third-party developers like Grammarly, Pocket, Raindrop, and Notion, the overall collection is still slim compared to Google Chrome.

If your workflow depends on dozens of extensions, think twice before switching from Chrome to Safari.

Seamless sharing

Shared with You is a niche Safari feature that is tightly backed in iMessage. Links shared with you in the Messages app automatically appear in the Share with You section in Safari. It is only useful for those who frequently exchange weblinks in iMessage conversations.

Instant conversion and translation

Both Safari and Chrome support instant currency conversion and basic math equations. For example, you can quickly get a final number when you type $1000 to INR or 45*3 in the address bar. Chrome goes a step further with Google Translate integration - you can simply type Hello in French and get results instantly.

Chrome vs. Safari: Password management

Both browsers offer basic password management to save your login credentials. Safari uses iCloud Passwords that can sync with all your devices. It supports autofill, Passkeys, verification codes, notes, and more.

Google Password Manager also supports notes and checkup. Like security recommendations on Safari, Chrome Password Manager’s checkup tool shows your leaked, reused, and weak passwords.

Privacy and security

The built-in standard protection on Chrome warns you of harmful files, extensions, and corrupt sites. Safari is a step ahead with iCloud Private Relay. It’s a privacy add-on for Apple One and iCloud+ subscribers to hide your IP address from websites you visit. The option is enabled by default and works silently in the background. When you visit a website in Safari, no one, including Apple, can see who you are or which sites you are visiting. It’s not as extreme as a VPN connection and doesn’t break your browsing setup. You can check out our dedicated guide if you'd like to learn more about iCloud Private Relay .

Safari also offers a privacy report that shows the number of trackers it has blocked from profiling you in the last 30 days.

Performance

When it comes to performance, you won’t find any major differences between Chrome and Safari on a high-speed internet connection. However, if your Mac has a slow network connection, you may notice that Safari can load webpages faster than Chrome, something that Avast confirmed in their dedicated speed comparison for major browsers.

While we are on the topic of performance, we should also factor in compatibility. Since Google Chrome (built on Chromium) is the most popular web browser out there, developers test and optimize their offerings for it. You may run into performance issues with specific websites (like Photopea, a web-based Photoshop alternative) on Safari.

Memory usage

Safari is a relatively lightweight web browser compared to Chrome. This is expected, since Chrome has been infamous for high RAM usage. We opened a couple of identical tabs on Chrome and Safari and checked their memory usage from the Activity Monitor. We will let the screenshot below do the talking.

Mac users with 8GB of RAM will surely appreciate Safari’s approach to memory usage.

Chrome vs. Safari: Mobile experience

Both Apple and Google have done a solid job with their iOS apps. They use a bottom bar with all the essential options. You can also use Chrome password manager as the default method to autofill login info. Chrome’s default Discover menu with news articles may irritate some users. Interestingly, Google has done a better job than Apple when it comes to widgets, as Chrome offers more widget options than Safari. Most notably, Chrome offers lock screen widgets which are missing from Safari.

Browse the web in style

Are you still unsure about the pros and cons of Chrome and Safari? Allow us to simplify the situation. Safari shines with better UI, low memory usage, and integration with other Apple apps. Chrome strikes back with cross-platform availability, rich extension support, and Google Translate integration. If you notice performance glitches while browsing the web, check CPU usage on Mac .

Google Chrome vs. Apple Safari: Which browser is better on Mac

About iOS 17 Updates

iOS 17 brings big updates to Phone, Messages, and FaceTime that give you new ways to express yourself as you communicate. StandBy delivers a new full-screen experience with glanceable information designed to view from a distance when you turn iPhone on its side while charging. AirDrop makes it easier to share and connect with those around you and adds NameDrop for contact sharing. Enhancements to the keyboard make entering text faster and easier than ever before. iOS 17 also includes updates to Widgets, Safari, Music, AirPlay, and more.

For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222

This update provides important bug fixes and security updates and is recommended for all users.

For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website:

https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222

This update introduces new emoji, transcripts in Apple Podcasts and includes other features, bug fixes, and security updates for your iPhone.

New mushroom, phoenix, lime, broken chain, and shaking heads emoji are now available in the emoji keyboard

18 people and body emoji add the option to face them in either direction

Apple Podcasts

Transcripts let you follow an episode with text that highlights in sync with the audio in English, Spanish, French and German

Episode text can be read in full, searched for a word or phrase, tapped to play from a specific point and used with accessibility features such as Text Size, Increase Contrast, and VoiceOver

This update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:

Music recognition lets you add songs you have identified to your Apple Music Playlists and Library, as well as Apple Music Classical

Siri has a new option to announce messages you receive in any supported language

Stolen Device Protection supports the option for increased security in all locations

Battery Health in Settings shows battery cycle count, manufacture date, and first use on iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models

Call Identification displays Apple-verified business name, logo, and department name when available

Business updates in Messages for Business provide trusted information for order status, flight notifications, fraud alerts or other transactions you opt into

Apple Cash virtual card numbers enable you to pay with Apple Cash at merchants that don’t yet accept Apple Pay by typing in your number from Wallet or using Safari AutoFill

Fixes an issue where contact pictures are blank in Find My

Fixes an issue for Dual SIM users where the phone number changes from primary to secondary and is visible to a group they have messaged

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website:

This update provides bug fixes for your iPhone including:

Text may unexpectedly duplicate or overlap while typing

This update introduces additional security measures with Stolen Device Protection. This release also includes a new Unity wallpaper to honor Black history and culture in celebration of Black History Month, as well as other features, bug fixes, and security updates for your iPhone.

Stolen Device Protection

Stolen Device Protection increases security of iPhone and Apple ID by requiring Face ID or Touch ID with no passcode fallback to perform certain actions

Security Delay requires Face ID or Touch ID, an hour wait, and then an additional successful biometric authentication before sensitive operations like changing device passcode or Apple ID password can be performed

Lock Screen

New Unity wallpaper honors Black history and culture in celebration of Black History Month

Collaborate on playlists allows you to invite friends to join your playlist and everyone can add, reorder, and remove songs

Emoji reactions can be added to any track in a collaborative playlist

This update also includes the following improvements:

AirPlay hotel support lets you stream content directly to the TV in your room in select hotels

AppleCare & Warranty in Settings shows your coverage for all devices signed in with your Apple ID

Crash detection optimizations (all iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models)

This update provides important bug fixes and is recommended for all users.

This update introduces Journal, an all-new way to reflect on life’s moments and preserve your memories. This release also includes Action button and Camera enhancements, as well as other features, bug fixes, and security updates for your iPhone.

Journal is a new app that lets you write about the small moments and big events in your life so you can practice gratitude and improve your wellbeing

Journaling suggestions make it easy to remember your experiences by intelligently grouping your outings, photos, workouts, and more into moments you can add to your journal

Filters let you quickly find bookmarked entries or show entries with attachments so you can revisit and reflect on key moments in your life

Scheduled notifications help you keep a consistent journaling practice by reminding you to write on the days and time you choose

Option to lock your journal using Touch ID or Face ID

iCloud sync keeps your journal entries safe and encrypted on iCloud

Action Button

Translate option for the Action button on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max to quickly translate phrases or have a conversation with someone in another language

Spatial video lets you capture video on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max so you can relive your memories in three dimensions on Apple Vision Pro

Improved Telephoto camera focusing speed when capturing small faraway objects on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max

Catch-up arrow lets you easily jump to your first unread message in a conversation by tapping the arrow visible in the top-right corner

Add sticker option in the context menu lets you add a sticker directly to a bubble

Memoji updates include the ability to adjust the body shape of any Memoji

Contact Key Verification provides automatic alerts and Contact Verification Codes to help verify people facing extraordinary digital threats are messaging only with the people they intend

Precipitation amounts help you stay on top of rain and snow conditions for a given day over the next 10 days

New widgets let you choose from next-hour precipitation, daily forecast, sunrise and sunset times, and current conditions such as Air Quality, Feels Like, and wind speed

Wind map snapshot helps you quickly assess wind patterns and access the animated wind map overlay to prepare for forecasted wind conditions for the next 24 hours

Interactive moon calendar lets you easily visualize the phase of the moon on any day for the next month

This update also includes the following improvements and bug fixes:

Siri support for privately accessing and logging Health app data using your voice

AirDrop improvements including expanded contact sharing options and the ability to share boarding passes, movie tickets, and other eligible passes by bringing two iPhones together

Favorite Songs Playlist in Apple Music lets you quickly get back to the songs you mark as favorites

Use Listening History in Apple Music can be disabled in a Focus so music you listen to does not appear in Recently Played or influence your recommendations

A new Digital Clock Widget lets you quickly catch a glimpse of the time on your Home Screen and while in StandBy

Enhanced AutoFill identifies fields in PDFs and other forms enabling you to populate them with information such as names and addresses from your contacts

New keyboard layouts provide support for 8 Sámi languages

Sensitive Content Warning for stickers in Messages prevents you from being unexpectedly shown a sticker containing nudity

Qi2 charger support for all iPhone 13 models and iPhone 14 models

Fixes an issue that may prevent wireless charging in certain vehicles

This update provides important security fixes and is recommended for all users.

In rare circumstances, Apple Pay and other NFC features may become unavailable on iPhone 15 models after wireless charging in certain cars

Weather Lock Screen widget may not correctly display snow

This update introduces the ability for AirDrop transfers to continue over the internet when you step out of AirDrop range. This release also includes enhancements to StandBy and Apple Music, as well as other features, bug fixes, and security updates for your iPhone.

Content continues to transfer over the internet when you step out of AirDrop range

New options to control when the display turns off (iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max)

Favorites expanded to include songs, albums, and playlists, and you can filter to display your favorites in the library

New cover art collection offers designs that change colors to reflect the music in your playlist

Song suggestions appear at the bottom of every playlist, making it easy to add music that matches the vibe of your playlist

Option to choose a specific album to use with Photo Shuffle on the Lock Screen

Home key support for Matter locks

Improved reliability of Screen Time settings syncing across devices

Fixes an issue that may cause the Significant Location privacy setting to reset when transferring an Apple Watch or pairing it for the first time

Resolves an issue where the names of incoming callers may not appear when you are on another call

Addresses an issue where custom and purchased ringtones may not appear as options for your text tone

Fixes an issue that may cause the keyboard to be less responsive

Fixes an issue that may cause display image persistence

https://support.apple.com/HT201222

This update provides important bug fixes, security updates, and addresses an issue that may cause iPhone to run warmer than expected.

This update provides important bug fixes, security updates, and fixes an issue that may prevent transferring data directly from another iPhone during setup.

Contact Posters let you customize how you appear on other people’s devices when you call them with a customized poster

Live Voicemail displays a live transcription as someone leaves a message and allows you to pick up the call

Stickers iMessage app brings all your stickers into one place including Live Stickers, Memoji, Animoji, emoji stickers, and your third party sticker packs

Live Stickers can be created by lifting the subject from photos or videos and stylizing them with effects like Shiny, Puffy, Comic, and Outline

Check In automatically notifies a family member or friend when you arrive at a destination safely and can share helpful information with them in case of a delay

Audio message transcription is available for audio messages you receive so you can read them in the moment and listen later

Search improvements help you find messages faster by allowing you to combine search filters such as people, keywords, and content types like photos or links to find exactly what you are looking for

Swipe to reply to a message inline by swiping to the right on any bubble

One-time verification code cleanup automatically deletes verification codes from the Messages app after using them with AutoFill in other apps

Leave a video or audio message to capture exactly what you want to say when someone does not pick up your FaceTime call

Enjoy FaceTime calls on Apple TV by using your iPhone as a camera (Apple TV 4K 2nd generation and later)

Reactions layer 3D effects like hearts, balloons, confetti, and more around you in video calls and can be triggered with gestures

Video effects allow you to adjust the intensity of Studio Lighting and Portrait mode

Full-screen experience with glanceable information like clocks, photos, and widgets designed to view from a distance when iPhone is on its side and charging in places such as your nightstand, kitchen counter, or desk

Clocks are available in a variety of styles including Digital, Analog, Solar, Float, and World Clock, with elements you can personalize like the accent color

Photos automatically shuffle through your best shots or showcase a specific album you choose

Widgets give you access to information at a distance and appear in Smart Stacks that deliver the right information at the right time

Night Mode lets clocks, photos, and widgets take on a red tone in low light

Preferred view per MagSafe charger remembers your preference for each place you charge with MagSafe, whether that’s a clock, photos, or widgets

Interactive widgets let you take actions, like mark a reminder as complete, directly from the widget by tapping it on the Home Screen, Lock Screen, or in StandBy

iPhone widgets on Mac enable you to add widgets from your iPhone to your Mac desktop

NameDrop lets you exchange contact information with someone new by bringing your iPhones close together

New way to initiate AirDrop allows you to share content or start a SharePlay session over AirDrop by bringing your iPhones close together

Improved autocorrect accuracy makes typing even easier by leveraging a powerful transformer-based language model (iPhone 12 and later)

Easier autocorrect editing temporarily underlines corrected words and lets you revert back to what you originally typed with just a tap

Enhanced sentence corrections can correct more types of grammatical mistakes when you finish sentences (iPhone 12 and later)

Inline predictive text shows single and multi-word predictions as you type that can be added by tapping space bar (iPhone 12 and later)

Safari and Passwords

Profiles keep your browsing separate for topics like work and personal, separating your history, cookies, extensions, Tab Groups, and favorites

Private Browsing enhancements include locking your private browsing windows when you’re not using them, blocking known trackers from loading, and removing identifying tracking from URLs

Password and passkey sharing lets you create a group of passwords to share with trusted contacts that stays up to date as members of the group make changes

One-time verification code AutoFill from Mail autofill in Safari so you can log in without leaving the browser

SharePlay makes it easy for everyone to control and play Apple Music in the car

Crossfade smoothly transitions between songs by fading out the currently playing song while fading in the next so the music never stops

Intelligent AirPlay device list makes finding the right AirPlay-compatible TV or speaker even easier by showing your devices in order of relevance, based on your preferences

Suggested AirPlay device connections are proactively shown to you as a notification to make it even more seamless to connect to your preferred AirPlay devices

Automatic AirPlay device connections are made between your iPhone and the most relevant AirPlay-compatible device so all you have to do is tap “Play” to begin enjoying your content

Adaptive Audio delivers a new listening mode that dynamically blends Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency to tailor the noise control experience based on the conditions of your environment (AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with firmware version 6A300 or later)

Personalized Volume adjusts the volume of your media in response to your environment and listening preferences over time (AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with firmware version 6A300 or later)

Conversation Awareness lowers your media volume and enhances the voices of the people in front of the user, all while reducing background noise (AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with firmware version 6A300 or later)

Press to mute and unmute your microphone by pressing the AirPods stem or the Digital Crown on AirPods Max when on a call (AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro (1st and 2nd generation), or AirPods Max with firmware version 6A300 or later)

Offline Maps allow you to select an area you want to access, search, and explore rich information for places to download for use when your iPhone doesn’t have a Wi-Fi or cellular signal

EV routing improvements give you routes based on real-time EV charger availability for supported chargers

Option to say “Siri” in addition to “Hey Siri” for an even more natural way to make requests

Back-to-back requests can be issued without needing to reactivate Siri in between commands (iPhone 11 and later)

Visual Look Up

Expanded domains in Visual Look Up help you discover similar recipes from photos of food, Maps information from photos of storefronts, and the meaning of signs and symbols on things like laundry tags

Multiple or single subjects can be lifted from the background of photos and videos and placed into apps like Messages

Visual Look Up in Video helps you learn about objects that appear in paused video frames

Visual Look Up for subjects in photos enables you to look up information about objects you lift from photos directly from the callout bar

State of Mind reflection allows you to log your momentary emotion and daily mood, choose what factors are having the biggest impact on you, and describe your feelings

Interactive charts give you insights into your state of mind, how it has changed over time, and what factors may have influence such as exercise, sleep, and mindful minutes

Mental health assessments help you understand your current risk for depression and anxiety and if you might benefit from getting support

Screen Distance leverages the TrueDepth camera that powers Face ID to encourage you to increase the distance you view your device to reduce digital eye strain and can help reduce the risk of myopia in children

Sensitive Content Warnings can be enabled to prevent users from unexpectedly being shown images containing nudity in Messages, AirDrop, Contact Posters in the Phone app, and FaceTime messages

Expanded Communication Safety protections for children now detect videos containing nudity in addition to photos that children may receive or attempt to send in Messages, AirDrop, Contact Posters in the Phone app, FaceTime messages, and the system Photo picker

Improved sharing permissions give you even more control over what you share with apps, with an embedded photo picker and an add-only Calendar permission

Link tracking protection removes extra information from links shared in Messages, Mail, and Safari Private Browsing that some websites use in their URLs to track you across other websites, and links still work as expected

Accessibility

Assistive Access distills apps and experiences to their essential features in Phone and FaceTime, Messages, Camera, Photos, and Music, including large text, visual alternatives, and focused choices to lighten cognitive load

Live Speech lets you type what you want to say and have it be spoken out loud in phone calls, FaceTime calls, and for in-person conversations

Personal Voice enables users who are at risk of losing their voice to privately and securely create a voice that sounds like them on iPhone, and use it with Live Speech in phone and FaceTime calls

Point and Speak in Magnifier Detection Mode uses iPhone to read text out loud on physical objects with small text labels, such as keypads on doors and buttons on appliances

This release also includes other features and improvements:

Roadside Assistance via satellite lets you contact AAA to help you with vehicle issues when out of Wi-Fi or cellular range (iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max)

Pets in the People album in Photos surfaces individual pets in the album just like friends or family members

Photos Album widget lets you select a specific album from the Photos app to appear in the widget

Item sharing in Find My allows you to share an AirTag or Find My network accessory with up to five other people

Activity History in Home displays a recent history of events for door locks, garage doors, security systems, and contact sensors

Grid Forecast in Home shows when your electrical grid has cleaner energy sources available (Contiguous US only)

Grocery Lists in Reminders automatically group related items into sections as you add them

Inline PDFs and document scans in Notes are presented full-width, making them easy to view and mark them up

New Memoji stickers in Keyboard include Halo, Smirk, and Peekaboo

App Shortcuts in Spotlight Top Hit offer you app shortcuts to your next action when you search for an app

Redesigned Sharing tab in Fitness provides highlights of your friends’ activity like workout streaks and awards

Email or phone number sign-in lets you sign into your iPhone with any email address or phone number listed in your Apple ID account

New drawing tools in Freeform include a fountain pen, watercolor brush, ruler and more to create expressive boards

Crash Detection optimizations (iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max)

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For more information, please visit this website:

https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-17

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all iPhone models. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website:

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COMMENTS

Clear the history, cache, and cookies from Safari on your iPhone, iPad
Delete a website from your history. Block cookies. Use content blockers. Delete history, cache, and cookies. 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 ...
How to clear Safari browsing history on iPhone and iPad
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 ...
How to Delete Specific Website History From Safari on iPhone or iPad
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.
How to view and clear your web browsing history in Safari on iPhone or
In Safari, tap the Bookmarks button. Select the History icon in the upper right corner. Tap Clear and select how much history you'd like to clear: the last hour, the last day, 48 hours' worth, or all recorded history. To clear History, tap the Bookmarks button, then choose the History icon.
How to Clear History on an iPhone: Safari, Chrome, and More
Things You Should Know. To clear your Safari browsing history, go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Web Data. To clear your call history, open the Recents area of the Phone app, tap Edit, and then tap Clear. Use the Google app to delete your search history. Method 1.
How to Clear Recent History in Safari on iPhone and iPad
On an iPhone, it's at the bottom of the screen. In the pop-up that appears (on the left side of the screen on iPad and over the whole screen on iPhone), tap the History tab (which looks like a clock face), and then tap the "Clear" button. (Don't worry. It won't clear anything yet.) After you tap "Clear," another pop-up will give you yet another ...
How to clear browsing history on Safari on iPhone or Mac
In Safari, choose the History menu. Select Clear History from the very bottom of the menu. In the dialog box that appears, choose from clearing the last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all ...
How to Clear Search History on iPhone
Open the Safari app and tap Bookmarks (the icon that looks like an open book) at the bottom. Tap History (clock icon). Select Clear, and then select All time to erase your browsing history completely. Alternatively, choose The last hour, Today, or Today and yesterday . Depending on the setting you chose, you've deleted your browsing history.
How to Clear Safari's Browsing History on an iPhone or Mac
Here's how to do it: Launch Safari using Spotlight search ( Command + Space) or any other desired method. Once in Safari, mouse up to the menu bar and click History. Then, choose Clear History from the dropdown. A dialogue box will appear. Select the timeframe using the Clear dropdown menu and click Clear History when you've decided.
How to delete browsing history on iPhone & iPad
Open Safari, and tap the bookmarks icon (the open book). On iPhone this is at the bottom of the screen; on iPad it's at the top left. At the top of the Bookmarks pane you'll see three icons ...
How To Clear the Browser History on Your iPhone
To quickly clear your browsing history from Safari on your iPhone, open Settings and go to Safari > Clear History and Website Data. Then choose a timeframe and tap Clear History. If you want to clear all your history, make sure to enable the radio button next to Close All Tabs. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
How To Delete Safari History, Cookies And Cache On iPhone And iPad
To start the process, go to the iPhone's (or iPad's) ' Settings ' and then select ' Safari ' from the settings menu. On the Safari Settings page, scroll down a little and tap on 'Clear History and Website Data.'. Confirm the decision by hitting ' Clear History and Data ' on the pop-up. As explained by Apple, this will delete all history and ...
How to Clear History in Safari: Mac and iOS
Open Safari and click the "History" menu. 2. Select "Show History". You can also press ⌘ Command +⌥ Option + 2 to open the Show History window. 3. Find the entry that you want to delete. You can use the search bar in the upper-right corner, or expand the dates to browse through all your entries. 4.
iOS 17
Hop into Settings: Tap on that silver cog icon commonly found on your home screen. That's the "Settings" app. Once inside, scroll down until you see the "Safari" option, and give that a tap. Seek out the Clearing Option: Once you're in the Safari settings, you'll see an option that says "Clear History and Website Data.".
How to See the Safari History on an iPhone: A Step-by-Step Guide
Seeing the Safari history on an iPhone is a straightforward process. Just open the Safari app, tap the book icon at the bottom of the screen, and then tap the clock icon to view your browsing history. You'll be able to see a list of all the websites you've visited, sorted by date. After completing this action, you'll have access to the ...
How To Delete History On Safari On iPhone
Introduction. Deleting browsing history on Safari is a fundamental aspect of maintaining privacy and keeping your browsing habits confidential. Whether you're looking to clear out a cluttered history or simply want to ensure that your online activities remain private, knowing how to delete history on Safari for your iPhone is essential.
Clear the history, cache and cookies from Safari on your iPhone, iPad
Delete history, cache and cookies. 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 be cleared, the button to clear it will turn grey.
How To Delete Browser History On iPhone
Open the Safari app on your iPhone. Tap the Bookmarks icon, located at the bottom of the screen. In the bookmarks menu, tap the Clock icon, which represents the History section. You will see a list of your browsing history. Swipe left on any individual entry that you want to delete, and a "Delete" button will appear.
iPhone 15: How to Clear Safari History Quickly and Easily
Simply head to the Settings app, scroll down to Safari, tap on it, and then select "Clear History and Website Data.". Confirm the action, and voila, your browsing history is gone! After you complete this action, all the records of your browsing history, cookies, and other website data on your iPhone will be erased.
How to delete iPhone search and browsing history
QUICK ANSWER. To delete your Safari browsing history on an iPhone, open the Settings app, select Safari, then tap Clear History and Website Data. If you're using Google Chrome, launch the app and ...
iPhone 15: How to Clear Safari History in Just a Few Steps
Simply go to the settings app, select Safari, scroll down to the 'Clear History and Website Data' option and tap it. A confirmation pop-up will appear; confirm your choice and your Safari browsing history will be erased. When you clear the Safari history on your iPhone 15, all records of your web browsing activity, including your search ...
Can't Clear the Browsing History in Safari on Your iPhone or iPad
Remove everything, including the read items, from your Safari Reading List. Then clear the Safari history and browsing data from your iPhone or iPad again. How to delete items from the Safari Reading List on an iPhone or iPad: Open Safari on your iPhone or iPad. Tap the book icon at the bottom of the screen.
How to clear the cache on your iPhone (and why you should)
Tap on General. Select iPhone Storage. Scroll through to find the app you're looking for. Tap on the app to view storage status and options. Unfortunately, you can't clear your iPhone cache for ...
How to delete your search history
How to delete search history on iPhone and in Safari. On macOS, open Safari and go to the macOS menu bar → History → Clear History ... No ISP will delete your browsing history just because you ask it to, so there's little you can do about the data it already has. However, moving forward, you can prevent your ISP from seeing what you do by ...
Your Android Phone's Web Browser Has Junk Files You Can Tap Away ...
If you want to access similar options from your phone's settings menu, open the Settings app and tap on Apps, then scroll down to and tap Samsung Internet and then Storage . At the bottom of ...
10 iPhone Apps & Features For A More Private Lifestyle
The free app for iPhone comes with a suite of privacy features built-in that help protect your data and stop others from being able to monitor your activity. This includes the DuckDuckGo search ...
Google Chrome vs. Apple Safari: Which browser is better on Mac
As the default web browser on Mac, Safari has received a steady stream of updates over the last few years. Apple releases new builds for all its apps and services with yearly OS updates.
About iOS 17 Updates
Inline predictive text shows single and multi-word predictions as you type that can be added by tapping space bar (iPhone 12 and later) Safari and Passwords. Profiles keep your browsing separate for topics like work and personal, separating your history, cookies, extensions, Tab Groups, and favorites

How to clear Safari browsing history on iPhone and iPad

1. In Safari, tap the book icon

2. Select the history tab (clock icon) and tap Clear

3. Select how far back to clear and tap Delete

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How to Clear Search History on iPhone

In This Article

Clear Browsing History Using the Safari App

Clear Browsing History Using the Settings App

How to Clear Safari's Browsing History on an iPhone or Mac

How to Delete Your Safari Browsing History on an iPhone or iPad

How to Clear Your Browsing History in Safari on a Mac

Safari Keeps Your History Private

How to delete browsing history on iPhone & iPad

How to selectively delete browsing history

How to delete all browsing history

Author: David Price , Editor

Recent stories by David Price:

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How To Delete Browser History On iPhone

Introduction

Method 1: Deleting Safari Browser History

Method 2: Clearing Google Chrome Browser History

Method 3: Removing Firefox Browser History

Method 4: Deleting Microsoft Edge Browser History

Method 5: Clearing Opera Browser History

Method 6: Removing Brave Browser History

Bonus Tip: Clearing All Browser History at Once

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