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How to delete web browsing history on Mac

safari delete browsing history mac

Periodically cleaning out your browser’s data (such as your history, or your cache and cookies ) can help protect your privacy from snoops who want to discover what sites you’ve visited recently, or what you’ve searched for. We’ve looked at clearing your iPhone browsing history elsewhere; in this article we explain how to clear the web browsing history on your Mac, covering the four most popular Mac browsers : Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Opera.

If you’d like to prevent your browser collecting history data in the first place, see How to use private web browsing on Mac – this is a useful feature if you’d like to hide your tracks online.

Clear history in Safari

Safari’s Clear History tool appears twice in its dropdown menus. You can click Safari > Clear History, or go for History > Clear History instead.

You can choose to clear the last hour, or all of today’s accumulated data, or today plus yesterday, or just all the data since… well, forever! Select from the dropdown list and click Clear History.

Although quick to access, the Clear History tool is badly named because it actually takes a scorched Earth approach – in addition to actual browsing history, it deletes cookies and the entire browser cache too.

Happily, Safari does offer more surgical cleaning tools that let you proceed on a site-by-site basis. It just hides these tools away – but we’re here to help.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Safari

Remove individual sites from Safari history

By clicking History > Show All History you’ll see a list of the sites you’ve visited recently; right-clicking any in the list shows a menu complete with Remove option. Alternatively, select any entry in the list and tap the Backspace or Delete key on your keyboard. Note that the Clear History button at the top right of the list displays the same global clear-up dialog box as mentioned above.

Although you can select several entries in the History list in the usual way by holding down Shift or Cmd, you can only delete them by subsequently tapping the Backspace or Delete key on your keyboard. Right-clicking won’t work in this instance.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Individual sites in Safari

Clear history in Chrome

View your browsing history in Chrome by selecting History > Show Full History (or using the hotkey combination Cmd + Y, although this doesn’t always seem to work).

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Chrome

You can remove specific entries on an individual basis: click the tickbox to the left of it, then Delete in the blue bar at the top, and confirm Remove.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Chrome

If you’d prefer to delete all your history in one go, click ‘Clear browsing data’ in the lefthand list of options.

Select a time range from the dropdown menu – you can select the last hour, day, week or four-week period, or all time – and then make sure the ‘Browsing history’ tickbox is filled.

(You can delete cache and cookies at the same time if you wish, or untick them to ignore. The cache entry will tell you how much space will be saved, as well as warning that sites may load more slowly.)

Hit Clear Data to trigger the deletion.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Chrome

Clear history in Firefox

Firefox offers straightforward history deletion tools too. Select History > Clear Recent History (or hit Shift + Cmd + forward delete) for the simplest method.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Firefox

At the top of the dialogue box you’ll be able to choose a time range: Last Hour, Last Two Hours, Last Four Hours, Today or Everything. Then, if you click the Details chevron you can choose which forms of browsing data you wish to delete. When you’ve decided, hit Clear Now.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Firefox

Delete individual sites from your Firefox history

As with the other browsers, Firefox lets you remove individual entries from your history. Click History > Show All History, and then right-click an entry and select Delete Page.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Firefox

You can delete multiple entries in this way by clicking one, then holding Shift and selecting another: Firefox will highlight both entries and all the entries between them. Or use Cmd + A to select all.

And remember that you can just look at the history from this month, the last seven days etc by using the options on the left.

Clear history in Opera

Let’s do one more browser: the purists’ favourite, Opera.

Select History > Show All History from the top bar (or use the hotkey combo Shift + Cmd + H). You’ll see the full history divided into days. Hover over an entry and click the X on the right to remove it from your history.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Opera

To delete all of your history at once, click Clear Browsing Data at the top right of the history page. You can adjust the timeframe – past hour, day, week, four weeks or all time – and choose whether to clear your cookies, autofill forms and other data at the same time as the history.

Click Clear Browsing Data to wipe the selected data.

How to delete web browsing history on Mac: Opera

safari delete browsing history mac

Clear your browsing history

You can remove all records that Safari keeps of where you’ve browsed during a period of time you choose. If your Mac and your other devices have the iCloud Safari feature turned on, your browsing history is removed from all of them. Clearing your browsing history in Safari doesn’t clear any browsing histories kept independently by websites you visited.

Open Safari for me

Choose History > Clear History and Website Data, then click the pop-up menu and choose how far back you want your browsing history cleared.

When you clear your history, Safari removes data it saves as a result of your browsing, including:

History of webpages you visited

The back and forward list for open webpages

Top Sites that aren’t marked as permanent

Frequently visited site list

Cookies and website data saved while visiting webpages

Recent searches

Icons for open webpages

Snapshots saved for open webpages

List of items you downloaded (downloaded files aren’t removed)

Websites added for Quick Website Search

Websites that asked to use your location

Websites that asked to send you notifications

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

Responses to requests to let websites use WebGL

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

How to clear browsing history on Safari on iPhone or Mac

William Gallagher's Avatar

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

safari delete browsing history 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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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 124,703 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)

Step 1 Open Safari and click the

  • 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)

Step 1 Open Safari and click the

iOS (All History)

Step 1 Open the Settings app.

  • If you want to delete a single entry, click here .

Step 2 Scroll down and tap

iOS (Single Entries)

Step 1 Open the Safari app on your device.

Expert Q&A

Luigi Oppido

You Might Also Like

Add a Bookmark in Safari

  • ↑ 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/

About This Article

Luigi Oppido

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How to Manage Your Browsing History in Safari

Revisit websites or remove them from your Safari search history

safari delete browsing history mac

In This Article

Jump to a Section

  • Step-by-Step: Manage History on macOS
  • Use Private Browsing in Safari
  • Step-by-Step: Manage History on iOS Devices
  • Use Private Browsing on iOS

The Apple Safari web browser keeps a log of your search history and the websites that you visit. Learn how to manage your browsing history in Safari and how to browse privately.

Instructions in this article apply to Safari for Mac computers with OS X Yosemite (10.10) through macOS Catalina (10.15) and Apple mobile devices with iOS 8 through iOS 14.

How to Manage Safari History on macOS

Safari has long been the standard web browser for macOS . Here's how to manage Safari's history on a Mac:

Open the Safari browser and select  History  in the menu bar located at the top of the screen.

You'll see a drop-down menu with the titles of the web pages you visited recently. Select a website to load the respective page or select one of the previous days at the bottom of the menu to see more options.

To clear your Safari browsing history and other site-specific data that's stored locally, choose  Clear History  at the bottom of the History  drop-down menu.

If you want to keep website data (like saved passwords and other autofill information), go to  History  >  Show All History . Press Cmd + A  to select everything, then press  Delete to remove your browser history while retaining website data.

Select the period you want to clear from the drop-down menu. Options include the last hour , today , today and yesterday , and all history .

Select Clear History to delete the list of sites.

If you sync your Safari data with any Apple mobile devices using iCloud , the history on those devices is cleared as well.

How to Use Private Browsing in Safari

To prevent websites from appearing in the browser history, use Private Browsing. To open a private window in Safari, go to File > New Private Window , or use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Command + N .

When you close the private window, Safari doesn't remember your search history, the web pages you visited, or any autofill information. The only distinguishing feature of the new window is that the address bar is tinted dark gray. The browsing history for all tabs in this window remains private.

In Safari for Windows , select the settings gear and choose Private Browsing from the drop-down menu.

How to Manage History in Safari on iOS Devices

The Safari app is part of the iOS operating system used in the Apple iPhone , iPad, and iPod touch . To manage the Safari browsing history on an iOS device:

Tap the  Safari app to open it.

Tap the Bookmarks  icon at the bottom of the screen. It resembles an open book.

Tap the History icon at the top of the screen that opens. It resembles a clock face.

Scroll through the screen for a website to open. Tap an entry to open the page in Safari.

To clear the browsing history, tap  Clear  at the bottom of the History screen.

Choose one of the four options:  The last hour , Today , Today and yesterday , and  All time .

Clearing your Safari history also removes cookies and other browsing data. If your iOS device is signed into your iCloud account, the browsing history is removed from other devices that are signed in.

Tap  Done  to exit the screen and return to the browser page.

If you only want to remove individual sites from your Safari history, swipe left on the entry, then tap Delete .

How to Use Private Browsing in Safari on iOS Devices

You can also use Private Browsing in iOS to prevent your Safari search history and web data from being saved:

Open the Safari app and then press and hold the tabs icon (the two overlapping boxes) at the bottom of the screen.

Tap Private .

Tap the plus sign to open a private browsing window.

When you are in private browsing, the background of the URL address bar is black instead of light gray. Enter a URL or search term as usual.

When you are ready to go back to regular browsing, tap the tabs icon and then tap Private to turn off private browsing.

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Pocket-lint

How to delete your safari history on a mac, iphone, or ipad.

Want to scrub your searches? Here's how to delete your history in the Safari browser, whether you're using it to surf the web on iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

Key Takeaways

  • Clearing your Safari history removes cookies and reduces online tracking.
  • The process for deleting web history is different for Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
  • You can use Private Browsing Mode to prevent web history from being saved.

From accessing your bank account on a shared computer to Googling embarrassing queries, there are a number of reasons to want to clear out your search history. Deleting your history on Safari removes your trail of web browsing, but the process also does more than clear out potentially embarrassing websites.

Clearing your history will also remove associated cookies from the web browser, reducing the number of ways you are being tracked online. While clearing your web history only removes cookies from Safari and not third-party websites that already have your data, it can still be helpful to reduce online tracking. Clearing the related cache can also sometimes fix bugs.

Deleting a web history from Safari isn't a terribly complicated process, but the steps are a bit different if you are using a MacBook , iPad , or iPhone . The steps for clearing several web pages and a single website are also different. Some privacy settings can also prevent you from deleting any web history, leaving the buttons you need grayed out.

There are also a few tricks that can make the process simpler. For example, if you turn on iCloud for Safari, when you delete the history from your Mac, it will automatically be deleted from your phone and tablet too. If you know you want to delete your web history before you make a single click, you can use Private Browsing Mode instead.

Whether you are a murder mystery writer looking to eliminate search queries that would raise the eyebrows of any detective, or you want to reduce the number of cookies tracking you, this guide will tell you how to delete Safari history in a few simple steps.

Too many Safari tabs open on your iPhone? Close them all with this trick

How to delete safari history on a mac, click on history in the toolbar.

Safari allows you to delete a lot of web history from a Mac or MacBook at once by allowing you to choose the dates for which you would like to erase. If you want to clear websites from the last hour, last day, last two days or all of your web history, this is the process to use.

  • Open Safari
  • From the top toolbar, click on History , then click Clear History.
  • In the pop-up window, use the drop-down menu to select the time period you want to clear from your history.
  • Click Clear History .

14 Safari tips and tricks you absolutely need to know

How to delete safari history on an iphone or ipad, open settings app and go to safari.

The steps for clearing out your Safari history on an iPhone is quite different from using a Safari browser on a Mac. But, the process is the same across both iPhones and iPads, so these steps below work for both your phone and tablet.

  • Open the Settings app.
  • Select Safari.
  • Scroll down to the Privacy & Security section and select Clear History and Website Data.
  • On the next page, tap the time frame that you would like to delete the history for.
  • Optional: If you also want to close out of all open websites, tap the toggle for Close All Tabs.
  • Tap Clear History.

How to delete a single website from Safari history

Safari allows you to easily delete websites from the last hour, day, two days, or your entire web history easily. But, if you only want to remove a single website, you'll instead have to access your history, and then select the individual page to remove.

  • Open a Safari browser.
  • From the top toolbar, select History > Show All History. Or, you can use the keyboard shortcut Command + Y.
  • Select the website entry that you wish to delete. If that site was not visited today, you will need to tap on the date that you visited the website to find it or use the search bar at the top.
  • Right-click on the website entry and select delete.

On an iPhone or iPad:

  • Tap the Bookmark icon on the bottom (it looks like an open book).
  • Tap the Clock or History icon at the top of the page.
  • Locate the website that you wish to delete from your history -- your history is organized by the date you visited.
  • On the website you wish to delete, swipe left, then tap on the red trash icon.

How to use Bing Chat on Safari

How to use private mode in safari.

If you know that you'll want to delete the website that you are about to visit from your history, try using Private Browsing Mode instead. This mode does not save any website history, including search history and autofill information. That means you can do your online banking without going back and deleting your web history when you are done.

To use Private Browsing Mode on a Mac:

  • Open Safari.
  • On the top toolbar, go to File > New Private Window.
  • Use this new private window for browsing. You can quickly see if a Safari browser is Private because the field to type in the URL is dark gray instead of white.

To use Private Browsing Mode on iOS:

  • Tap the tab icon in the bottom left corner.
  • At the bottom of the screen, tap Private (swipe to see all the toppings in this toolbar if you do not see the Private option.)
  • Private browsing will have a dark gray URL field instead of white. To return to regular browsing, repeat the steps but this time swipe back to your open tabs.

How to use picture-in-picture mode in Safari on Mac

Q: how to instantly clear your web history from multiple devices.

With iCloud , Safari can save your web browsing across all the devices that you use with your Apple ID. While that's helpful for quickly recalling a website no matter what device you first opened it with, it also syncs any deletions to the web history across your devices . That means if you delete a web page from your history on a Mac, it will automatically be deleted from your iPhone too -- as long as both devices are logged into the same Apple ID and iCloud for Safari is enabled.

iCloud for Safari can be enabled during the setup process for a new device, but it can also be turned on and off from the Settings app:

  • Tap on your Apple ID or name at the top.
  • Tap on iCloud.
  • Under Apps Using iCloud, select Show All . (If you are running iOS 15 or earlier, you may not see the full list already instead of the Show All option, in which case you can jump to the next step.)
  • Toggle on Safari from the list.

Q: Why can't I clear my Safari history?

In some cases, the buttons that you need to tap to clear your Safari history are gray. But why can't you delete your Safari history, and how do you fix it? Here are a few common reasons why the Safari history options are grayed out:

  • You've already deleted your history and there are no more websites to clear out.
  • Web content restrictions are turned on. Some parental control settings prevent kids and teens from deleting their web history, while other content restrictions can also prevent you from deleting. To access the content restriction options, open the Settings app and go to Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.
  • You are using Private Browsing Mode. This mode does not save your web history, so you have nothing to delete.

Q: Can you permanently delete Safari history?

Deleting your Safari history makes it difficult for the average person to recover the past websites that you have visited. However, if you are connected to your work or school network, in some cases the network administrator can still see your website access. Deleting your website history also may not fool a trained digital forensics expert during an investigation.

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How to Delete Safari History on Your Mac

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Reviewed by

Last updated: September 11, 2023

Expert verified

Navigating the digital world often leaves a trail in the form of browser history. While this history can be useful for quick access to frequently visited websites, it can also pose privacy and security risks.

If you’re a Mac user who relies on Safari as your go-to web browser, you may be wondering how to effectively delete your browsing history to protect your personal information. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the simple steps to delete Safari history on your Mac and browse the web with peace of mind.

Before We Begin

Deleting your browser history is just one method for enhancing your online privacy and security. Another option is to use MacKeeper’s Private Connect VPN, which safeguards both your personal data and your location when you’re online.

How to Clear All Safari History Manually

Clearing your Safari history manually is a straightforward process that you can accomplish in just a few steps. Doing so can protect your privacy and even speed up your browsing experience.

Here’s how to delete Safari history on your Mac manually and in one go:

  • Launch the Safari application by clicking its icon in the Dock or by finding it in the Applications folder.

open safari on your mac

  • Once Safari is open, navigate to the menu bar, click History , and select Clear History… from the dropdown. It’s at the bottom of the menu and you may have to scroll down.

click history in the menu bar and select clear history

  • A dialog box will appear asking you to specify the time range for which you want to delete history. You can select last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all history.

choose a time range to clear safari history

  • Select all history from the menu and click the Clear History button. This will also clear your browser cache and cookies for the specified time range.

click the clear history button

  • For the changes to take effect, close all Safari windows and relaunch the application.

How to Clear Specific Pages From Safari History

If you prefer to delete specific items rather than clear your entire history, Safari also allows you to do that. Here’s how to delete Safari history on your Mac for specific pages:

  • Once Safari is open, navigate to the menu bar, click History and select Show All History .

click history and select show all history

  • A window will display your entire browsing history. Simply right-click the individual site(s) you wish to remove and select Delete .

right click a history item and select delete

  • Alternatively, you can click the Clear History button and it will open the window to select a time range and you can clear all Safari history.

click clear history

Remember, clearing your history will also log you out of any websites where you’ve signed in, so you’ll need to log back in the next time you visit those sites.

How to Clear Safari History and Cookies Automatically

Automatically clearing your Safari history and cookies can be a real time-saver and adds an extra layer of privacy and security to your browsing experience. By setting this up, you won’t have to manually clear your history each time you exit Safari.

Here’s how to clear Safari history and cookies automatically on your Mac:

  • Launch Safari by clicking its icon in the Dock.
  • Click Safari in the menu bar at the top of the screen and select Settings .

click safari and select settings

  • Select the Privacy tab and check the box for Block all cookies next to Cookies and website data.

check the block all cookies check box

Note that doing so might cause some websites to not work correctly.

Another way to automatically clear history and cookies on Safari is to use Private Browsing mode. To enable this, open Safari, go to the File menu, and select New Private Window .

click file and selecte new private window

While in this mode, Safari won’t save your browsing history or cookies.

Using Private Browsing mode or blocking all cookies can affect the functionality of some websites. You might not be able to log in or access certain features in such cases.

How to Clear Cookies and Cache in Safari

Clearing cookies and cache in Safari can improve your browsing speed, solve website issues, and enhance your privacy and security. Here’s how to clear cookies in Safari:

  • Start by launching the Safari application from your Dock or your Applications folder.
  • Select the Privacy tab and click the Manage Website Data button.

select the privacy tab and tap the manage website data button

  • Click Remove All to clear all website cookies completely.

click remove all

  • If you choose to remove all cookies, you’ll be prompted to confirm. Click Remove Now to proceed.
  • Alternatively, you can select individual websites and tap Remove .

select a website and click remove

  • Click Done when you have deleted all cache files.

To delete Safari cache on your Mac, follow these steps:

  • First, you’ll need to enable the Developer menu if it isn’t already. Go to Safari in the menu bar and select Settings .
  • Select the Advanced tab and check the box next to the Show Develop menu in menu bar if it is unchecked.

check the box next to the show develop menu in menu bar

  • Once the Develop menu is enabled, you’ll find it in the menu bar at the top of your screen. Click Develop in the menu bar and select Empty Caches from the dropdown menu.

click develop in the menu bar and select empty caches

This will clear all your Safari cache on Mac.

After you’ve cleared cookies and cache, it may be a good idea to close and relaunch Safari for the changes to take full effect.

Why Can’t You Delete Your History on Safari?

If you’re unable to delete your history on Safari, there could be several reasons for this issue. Below are some common factors and their potential solutions:

  • 🚫 Restrictions or Parental Controls : If your Mac has been set up with parental controls or other user restrictions, these settings might disable the ability to clear Safari history. You would need administrative access to change these settings. Go to System Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy to make changes.
  • 🚹 Corrupted User Profile : Sometimes, a corrupted user profile may lead to issues with Safari, including the inability to delete the history. Create a new user profile to see if the issue persists. If it doesn’t, you may have to transition to the new profile entirely.
  • 🐞 Software Glitch : Occasional glitches can also cause this issue. Quitting and reopening Safari, or restarting your computer, might solve the problem.
  • 🛡️ Third-Party Software Interference : Some third-party software, like security or parental control applications, can interfere with Safari’s normal operation. Disable or uninstall the third-party software temporarily to see if that resolves the issue.
  • ⌛ Outdated Safari Version : Using an outdated version of Safari may result in various operational issues, including the inability to delete history. Update Safari to the latest version via the App Store.
  • ☁️ iCloud Syncing : If you’re using iCloud to sync Safari data across devices, there might be syncing issues causing the problem. Go to System Settings > Apple ID > iCloud and toggle off Safari syncing, then try to clear history again. You can toggle it back on afterward.
  • 🔒 Lack of Administrative Privileges : In some cases, the logged-in user might not have the administrative rights necessary to clear browsing history. Log in as an administrator and try to clear the history.
  • 🦠 Malware : It’s rare but possible that malware could be preventing you from deleting your history. Run a full virus scan on your Mac using reputable antivirus software and remove any threats detected.

Additional Privacy Tips for Safari Users

For Safari users who are keen on enhancing their online privacy, there are multiple ways to better protect your information and browsing habits. Here are some additional tips for boosting your privacy while using Safari:

  • 🕶️ Use Private Browsing Mode : When you enable Private Browsing, Safari doesn’t save your search history, AutoFill information, or open tabs. To activate, simply open Safari, and go to File > New Private Window .
  • 🍪 Manage Cookies and Website Data : Navigate to Safari > Settings > Privacy , where you can choose to block all cookies or manage data for specific websites.

check block all cookies or click manage website data

  • 🚫 Enable “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking” : This feature blocks advertisers from collecting your browsing data across websites. Enable it from Safari > Settings > Privacy .

check prevent cross site tracking in privacy tab

  • 🌐 Use a VPN Service : Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) mask your IP address, making your online actions virtually untraceable. Many reputable services offer Safari extensions.
  • 📝 Disable AutoFill : To keep personal information like usernames and credit card numbers safe, disable AutoFill by going to Safari > Settings > AutoFill .

disable autofill options in safari settings

  • 🔒 Customize Website Permissions : Control permissions for camera, microphone, and location for individual websites. Go to Safari > Settings > Websites to make adjustments.

website tab in safari settings

  • 🔍 Turn Off Search Engine Suggestions : Disable this feature to prevent search engines from gathering your search queries. Navigate to Safari > Settings > Search to turn it off.

disable search engine suggestions in safari settings

  • 🧩 Examine Browser Extensions : Not all browser extensions are secure. Make sure to review and manage your extensions by navigating to Safari > Settings > Extensions .

extensions tab in safari settings

  • 🔑 Review and Manage Saved Passwords : Regularly update and manage saved passwords. Access this via Safari > Settings > Passwords .

passwords tab in safari settings

  • ⚠️ Enable Fraudulent Website Warning : This feature warns you when you attempt to open a website that’s suspected of phishing. Turn it on by going to Safari > Settings > Security .

enable fraudulent website warning in safari settings

Browse Safely With MacKeeper Private Connect

Browsing safely online is essential for protecting your privacy and sensitive data. MacKeeper Private Connect VPN (Virtual Private Network) provides additional security and privacy while surfing the web.

Here are the steps to use MacKeeper’s Private Connect VPN:

  • Download and install MacKeeper on your Mac.
  • Open the MacKeeper app on your Mac and click Private Connect under the Privacy section.

click the private connect feature under the privacy section

  • Select a server location from the list provided. You can choose a server in your country for faster browsing or another country to bypass geo-restrictions.

select server location from provided list

  • Click Turn On to activate Private Connect VPN.

click turn on to activate private connect vpn

  • Once connected, you should see a notification indicating your VPN connection is active. You can also check your IP address online to confirm the change.

Start browsing the web safely and securely. Your internet connection is now encrypted, and your online activities are private. When you’re done browsing, disconnect the VPN by clicking the Turn Off button.

What Else Can MacKeeper Do?

Besides providing a VPN, MacKeeper is a multifunctional utility software that offers various features necessary for online security. You can use MacKeeper to block annoying ads on your Mac , delete junk files , clear login items , and disable pop-ups on your Mac . If you want to learn more about its features, read my detailed MacKeeper review .

Delete Safari History on Your Mac

Now that you know how to delete Safari history on your Mac, you can declutter your browser and boost its performance. For an even better online experience, consider these additional suggestions:

  • If you also use Firefox, learn how to delete Firefox history on your Mac .
  • If Safari is crashing on your Mac , you should clear Safari cache , disable unnecessary plugins and extensions, and update the app.
  • Sometimes the issue is not your browser, but a particular website. You can block websites on Safari to prevent them from crashing your browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should i clear my safari browsing history.

You should clear your Safari browsing history to enhance online privacy by removing traces of websites you’ve visited. It also boosts browser performance by freeing up memory and storage space. Additionally, clearing history helps protect sensitive information, like login credentials or search queries.

How often should I clear my Safari history?

The frequency of clearing your Safari history depends on your personal needs and security concerns. Some users prefer to clear it daily for maximum privacy, while others do it weekly or monthly to balance convenience and security. Regularly clearing your history helps maintain privacy and optimizes browser performance.

Will clearing my Safari history make my Mac run faster?

Clearing your Safari history can improve browser performance by freeing up memory and reducing clutter. While it may not significantly speed up your entire Mac system, it can make your web browsing experience smoother and more efficient, especially if you haven’t cleared your history for an extended period.

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I'm Hashir, a tech journalist with a decade of experience. My work has been featured in some of the top tech publications like MakeUseOf and MakeTechEasier. I have a bachelor's degree in IT, a master's in cybersecurity, and extensive knowledge of Apple hardware, specifically MacBooks. As the senior writer at MacBook Journal, I write in depth guides that help you solve any issues you have with your mac and unbiased reviews that help you make the right buying decisions.

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Hi there! I'm Ojash, a tech journalist with over a decade of experience in the industry. I've had the privilege of contributing to some of the world's largest tech publications, making my mark as a respected Mac expert. My passion lies in exploring, using, and writing about MacBooks, and I enjoy sharing my expertise to help others make informed decisions and get the most out of their MacBook experience. Join me as we delve into the fascinating world of MacBooks together!

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How-To Geek

How to wipe your browsing history automatically in safari on mac.

Safari records all your web activity, so it's best to occasionally clear it with Safari's self-destruct tool. Here's how it works.

Your browser records all your web activity. Therefore, for added privacy, it's best to regularly clear your browsing history. Safari on your Mac can take care of this for you and automatically wipe your history every once in a while. Here's how to set it up.

Launch Safari on your Mac from the Launchpad or by looking it up on Spotlight .

Next, click "Safari" from the left corner of the menu bar and select "Preferences." Alternatively, you can press Cmd+comma on your keyboard to head directly into this menu.

Under the "General" tab, locate the "Remove History Items" option.

From the dropdown beside it, you can select how often Safari should delete your browsing history. You can have it cleared as frequently as every day or every year.

When you enable this setting, Safari automatically wipes logs of the websites you visit, your web searches, and more.

If you prefer reviewing your browsing history before clearing it, you can choose "Manually" from the dropdown and periodically erase your web activity from Safari yourself.

At the bottom of the "General" section, you'll also find a separate setting called "Remove download list items." With this option, you can configure Safari to automatically remove the list of files you downloaded (but not the files themselves).

You can have them wiped after a day, as soon as you quit Safari, or when the download is unsuccessful.

Enabling these won't affect your Safari browsing data on other Apple devices such as an iPhone or an iPad. As of yet, the options to automatically wipe your browsing history and the download list are not available on Safari's iOS and iPadOS apps.

There's a lot more you can do for a more secure experience on Safari, including browsing in incognito mode by default and optimizing it for maximum privacy .

iGeeksBlog

How to clear Safari cache, history, and cookies on Mac

safari delete browsing history mac

If you are looking for ways to delete your Safari browsing history, stored data, and cache to keep your online activities private, this article is perfect for you. Besides privacy, clearing website data can also help if your Safari browser is running slowly on Mac. Let’s get started!

How to clear Safari cookies and cache for websites on Mac

How to clear safari cache on mac, how to block all cookies for safari on mac.

  • Launch the Safari browser .

Choose Safari in menu bar and select Settings

If you’re like me and enjoy using multiple profiles on Safari to maintain a separation between your personal and professional activities, then I’d like to notify you about something. The above-mentioned method will only delete website data for a particular profile in Safari.

However, if you wish to clear the cookies and cache for all your Safari profiles, then you must employ the following method.

  • Launch Safari → Click Safari in the menu bar → Select Settings .

Head to Advanced tab and tick the checkbox next to Show features for web developers

  • Launch Safari browser → Click Safari in the menu bar → Select Settings .

Click Advance and enable Block all cookies

Consequences of clearing Safari History and Website Data

  • Clearing website data will delete the history of all the sites you visited.
  • This can limit website tracking (which is good).
  • You might need to log in again to all your accounts.
  • Reset the permissions for all apps.
  • Websites will ask permission again.
  • The list of downloaded files will be erased, but the files will be intact.

Clearing your Safari cache, history, and cookies offers several benefits. It can enhance browser performance, create more available storage space , bolster privacy by erasing saved login details and browsing records, and help address issues related to website loading and functionality.

No, clearing your Safari history will not lead to the removal of your bookmarks or saved passwords.

Yes, clearing cookies will cause you to be logged out from websites and services where you were previously signed in. This process removes stored login credentials.

Yes, clearing cache, history, and cookies might have a temporary impact on your browsing experience. Websites could load more slowly initially as cached data is retrieved anew.

If you want to remove the Safari cache, history, and cookies on your Mac, just follow the instructions above. Furthermore, I’d highly recommend our complete guides if you’re thinking of changing your default search engine for normal and private windows in Safari.

Did you find this guide helpful? Let me know in the comments!

  • How to create Safari profiles on iPhone, iPad and Mac
  • How to flush your DNS cache on Mac
  • How to fix Safari crashing on Mac

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Home » Tech Tips » Browsers » How to Delete Browsing History in Safari Mac?

How to Delete Browsing History in Safari Mac?

Safari is the default browser app comes with macOS. Though the browser works faster in a new Mac, you will find it become slow over period. Unfortunately, you can’t uninstall this app from Mac neither reset to factory settings easily like other browsers. Therefore, deleting all browsing history is one of the options that could help to fix many browser problems. In addition, you may also want to keep your privacy by deleting all stored data in Safari browser.

Delete Browsing History in Safari Mac

There are different ways to delete the browsing history in Safari, depending upon your need. You can either delete a single site from history or clean up the entire data. Remember, the websites will open slowly at first time after deleting browsing history in browser. However, it will speed up subsequently when you browse through different pages on the site.

1. Clear All History

The first option is to completely get rid of all stored website data in Safari browser.

  • Launch Safari browser and go to “Safari > Clear History” menu.
  • Alternatively, go to “History > Clean History” menu.

Clear History from Safari Menu

  • On the pop-up that appears, click on the dropdown against “Clear” option.
  • It will show you a list of options to select the time frame – you can delete history for last hour, today, today and yesterday and all history.
  • Select “all history” option to delete complete browsing history in Safari.
  • Click on “Clear History” button.

Delete Browsing Data in Mac Safari

This will delete browsing history data from all your devices signed with same iCloud account . For example, if you have an iPhone and Mac signed with same iCloud account, deleting browsing history on your Mac will also delete the browsing history on your iPhone. That’s being said, you can delete the browsing history in Mac using your iPhone also.

  • Tap on “Settings” app in your iPhone or iPad.
  • Find “Safari” app and tap on it to open the relevant settings.
  • Scroll down and tap on “Clear History and Website Data” option.
  • Tap on “Clear History and Data” on the pop-up that appears.
  • This will delete the browsing history across all your devices and delete cookies only on your iPhone.

Clear Safari Browsing Data from iPhone

You can use this option when you are away from your Mac and want to delete the browsing history urgently.

2. Delete Individual History

Instead of deleting the complete history for a specified time frame, you can also choose to delete any specific website from history.

  • When you are in Safari browser, press “Command + Y” shortcuts. Alternatively, go to “History > Show All History” menu item.
  • Now, you will see the complete details of your browsing history including history from all your devices.
  • The history is arranged date wise with the total number of items.

Safari Browsing History Details

  • From here, you can browse through and delete a history for a specific day, or a particular item or the entire history. You can also use the search box to find the site that you want to delete from the history.
  • When you find the entry, just right click on it and select “Delete” option.

Delete Item from History

  • The selected entry will be instantly deleted from your history.

3. Automatically Delete Safari History in Mac

Whether you delete a single website or the entire history, doing it manually every time is a time consuming task. Sometimes you may also forget to delete the history that could slow down your browser or show the private site from history in your new tab page. The best option is to setup a periodic interval for deleting your history to avoid such hassles.

  • When you are in Safari, press “Command + ,” keys or go to “Safari > Preferences…” menu.
  • Go to “General” tab and click on the dropdown against “Remove history items” option.

Remove History Items Option in Safari

  • You can select one of the options from the list – After one day, After one week, After two weeks, After one month or After one year.

Remove History Items Automatically

  • For example, you can select “After one day” which will automatically delete Safari history after each day.

4. Delete Items from Start Page

Safari by default opens a Start Page when you launch the browser as well as open a new tab page . This Start Page will show “Favorites” and “Tops Sites” that could affect your privacy when unwanted sites are showing in the list.

Favorites and Top Sites in Safari Mac

Though clearing all browsing history could help, you can either remove individual sites from Start Page or disable the Start Page completely.

  • Simply right click on and item under “Favorites” or Top Sites” list.
  • Select “Delete” option to remove the item from the list.
  • The delete site will be removed from the history and will not appear in the Start Page again.

Delete Favorites in Safari Mac

Alternatively, you can disable the Start Page and open an empty page instead. This will help you in case if you forget to delete the history.

  • Press “Command + ,” keys and open Safari preferences section.
  • Under “General” tab select “Empty Page” for “New windows open with” and “New tabs open with” options.
  • Next, select “A new window” for “Safari opens with” option.
  • Combined with these options, Safari will open a new empty page when launching a new window or when you open a new tab page.

Customize Start Page and New Tab Page

5. Deleting AutoFill History

Other than website data, you can delete stored AutoFill items in Safari preferences section. Go to “AutoFill” tab and click on “Edit” button against each option to delete usernames, passwords, cards, contacts and other auto fill details from Safari.

Delete AutoFill Data

6. Delete Cookies in Safari

When you notice slow response or a particular website is not opening, the best option is to delete the cookies as corrupted cookies can result in weird behavior. Go to “Privacy” tab in Safari preferences section and click on “Manage Website Data…” button against “Cookies and website data” option. You can view all stored cookies in Safari and delete them if not required.

Manage Cookies in Safari Mac

7. Delete Cache in Safari

Deleting cache is an advanced option in Safari browser. go to “Advanced” tab in Safari preferences and enable develop menu . Now, click on the “Develop” menu and select “Empty caches” or press “Option + Command + E” keys to delete stored cached data in Safari.

Empty Safari Cache in Mac

Final Words

In other browsers like Chrome and Edge, you can press “Control + Shift + Delete” in Windows and “Command + Shift + Delete” in Mac to open the delete browsing history pop-up. You can then select browsing data, passwords, cached content, downloads, cookies, autofill data, stored site settings and delete them with single click. Unfortunately, deleting browsing history is a lengthy process in Safari Mac and you have to navigate through different sections as explained above to completely get rid of all stored content.   

About Editorial Staff

Editorial Staff at WebNots are team of experts who love to build websites, find tech hacks and share the learning with community.

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How to Clear Safari History on a Mac in 4 Simple Steps

When you visit a website, your browser records your visit in the browser history. It also saves elements like the page’s URL, text, images, and lists of IP addresses in the browser cache.

This speeds up the loading time for that website the next time you visit it. What’s more, if you ever need to find that site again, you can just look in your browser history rather than searching for it on Google.

Apple makes it easy to retrieve links from your history with Safari — if you use iCloud on your devices, you can access your history from any device signed in to your iCloud account.

Similarly, deleting your Safari history will make it disappear on all of your connected devices. You can clear the whole of your Safari history or specific parts of it for a selected period of time or for all time.

However, clearing your Safari history still leaves the cache taking up precious disk space. You need to delete your Safari cache separately on each device.

You can find out how to delete your Safari search history, cookies, and cache from a Mac with the detailed guide below. We’ll cover:

  • Clearing your entire Safari history
  • Deleting specific pages from your history
  • Removing the cookies and cache from your Mac
  • Browsing privately in Safari
Before we start   One of the most popular reasons for clearing your history in browsers is that your Mac is running slow. However, it’s more effective to clean up your entire Mac with dedicated cleaning software. Download MacKeeper to remove all junk, useless apps, and duplicate files in just a couple of clicks.
  • How to clear all your Safari history

You can remove your Safari history for a range of dates starting from the last hour and going up to your complete browsing history.

Here are simple steps:

1. Launch Safari . If you keep it in the Dock, simply click on the browser icon. Otherwise, go to Launchpad and find it there

launchpad

2. In the menu at the top of the screen, click History

safari history

3. A drop-down menu will open. At the bottom of the menu, click Clear History

clear history in safari option

4. In the pop-up window, select the period of time for which you want to clear your Safari history

5. Click Clear History

clear all history in safari

  • How to delete specific pages from your Safari history

What if you only need to delete one link from your Safari history? Luckily, there is an option on your Mac to erase particular pages rather than everything.

Here is your step-by-step guide:

  • Launch Safari
  • Open the History menu at the top of the screen
  • Select Show All History from the drop-down menu
  • Right-click on the desired page from the list that appears
  • Click on Delete in the drop-down menu
  • You can search for the website’s name by typing it into the search bar in the top-right corner of the pop-up window
  • How to clear the cookies and cache in Safari

Cookies and cache files are essential for the optimal functioning of most websites. They allow pages to load much faster when you revisit them in the future.

Unfortunately, they can also contain a lot of personal information such as your location, username and password, language preferences, email, and other data. In this way, cookies in particular make your internet usage easily traceable.

How to delete cookies and cache in Safari:

1. Open Safari

2. Open the Safari menu at the top of the screen

3. Click Preferences

4. Go to the Privacy tab

5. Click on the Manage Website Data button

safari privacy preferences

6. A window appears listing all the websites Safari is storing your cookies, cache, and other types of data for. You can delete all of them by clicking on the Remove All button, or you can select specific websites and click on the Remove button instead

Bear in mind that your browser will slow down when you delete your cache. If you’re not sure about the results, we suggest creating a backup before you start the cleanup.

How to clear the cache automatically with MacKeeper

When you visit websites, pieces of text, images, and other data downloads to your Mac. This information is called the cache and its purpose is to speed up the loading of a website on future visits.

Similarly, apps on your Mac and the system as a whole generate a cache, too.

With time, the cache piles up and starts taking up too much of your storage space, rather than just helping you browse or load apps faster.

With Safe Cleanup in MacKeeper, you can remove all types of cache data in just a few clicks, along with other junk files — leaving your Mac clean and free of junk.

mackeeper safe cleanup

We’ve created a separate article in case you want to learn more about clearing the cache on your Mac.

  • How to browse privately

When you use Safari in Private mode, the usual data acquired when you visit a website isn’t saved in your browser history. Therefore, it won’t be synchronised with your other Apple devices that use the same iCloud account.

This is useful when you don’t want the history and cookies for your browsing session recorded but don’t have time to delete them manually afterwards. Take a look at our guide to learn more about how to browse in Safari Private mode .

For an even more private connection, use MacKeeper’s VPN Private Connect. This tool will help you hide your online activity and conceal what you browse while keeping your identity a secret from the websites you visit.

  • How to clear history on Chrome on a Mac
  • How to delete Firefox history
  • Safari bookmarks disappeared: what to do
  • How to remove unwanted browser toolbars

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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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Troubleshooting, how to delete specific safari history on mac.

How to delete specific Safari history on Mac

Did you know that you can delete any specific Safari history item from the web browsers history stored on a Mac? While many Mac Safari users likely already know they can clear Safari history for the past hour, day, two days, or clear all history from the browser , far fewer users know that it’s possible to selectively delete specific browser history items from Safari on the Mac.

Removing items from Safari history is useful for many obvious reasons, whether you’d like to remove a secret from browser history, delete an embarrassing webpage visit or browsing session, or even if you want to correct an

The ability to delete specific items and history from Safari History is fairly easy, and is largely version agnostic, so as long as the Mac is vaguely new and running anything other than an ultra antiquated version of software, the version of Safari and Mac OS or Mac OS X should support specific history removal.

Do note deleting an item from Safari history on the Mac is permanent, at least until that site(s) or webpage(s) have either been visited again, or unless a backup of the Mac has been restored to the computer. You can not undo removal of Safari history items.

How to Delete Specific History from Safari on Mac

You can selectively remove any item found within Safari history on a Mac by following these instructions:

  • Open the Safari web browser if you haven’t already
  • Pull down the “History” menu, then select “Show All History”

How to show all Safari History on Mac

  • Locate the specific Safari browser history item you want to remove (either through the list view or by searching Safari history for word matches )
  • Select the item you want to delete from Safari history
  • Hit the “Delete” key on the Mac keyboard, or right-click and choose “Delete” from the pop-up menu

How to delete specific Safari history on Mac

  • Repeat with other items you want to remove from Safari history on the Mac

You can delete any individual search history from Safari this way.

This tip is particularly useful when combined with the Safari History Search feature, since you can find specific keywords, terms, webpages, websites, and topics within History if you want to selectively delete the history within the browser for any found occurrences.

You can also go for the drastic option of clearing all web history data in Safari from the Mac , though obviously wiping everything clean isn’t going to be targeted in the same way that deleting particular items from Safari History would be.

If you find yourself frequently wanting to delete specific Safari history items, you may be better off preemptively using Private Browsing mode in Safari for Mac , which does not leave any browser history when active.

It’s worth mentioning that whether you delete Safari history or use private browsing mode or not, your browsing sessions are not going to be truly anonymous or private because of the nature of how browsers, DNS, ISPs, and the internet in general work. While removing local history will remove traces of a website visit from a particular computer and perhaps hide the visit from yourself or another person, that local data removal has no impact on the various remote servers or the underlying infrastructure used to access websites or the internet in the first place, which separately will track all internet data like website visits and browsing sessions (and they may sell that data too). If you do want to attempt a more anonymized web browsing experience, you’d need to turn to anonymous web browsing apps like TOR or a privacy-conscious VPN service, though even those are not infallible nor perfect.

As usual, iOS users are not left out either, as you can delete specific history items from Safari on iPhone and iPad too using a similar method. And it’s worth mentioning these browser history tricks apply to most other browsers like Chrome and Firefox too, though we’re obviously focused on Safari here.

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Related articles:

  • How to Recover Deleted Safari History on Mac
  • View Browsing History on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch from Safari
  • How to Turn off & Delete Google Location History on iPhone & iPad
  • How to Automatically Delete Google Maps Search History on iPhone & iPad

» Comments RSS Feed

If you don’t have the time to delete every item individually just hit

fn + arrow pointing to the left under the start/close button

I have one website (Shutterfly) that will not delete from History. Whether I’ve use all history or tried to get rid of it individually. yes, I’ve done what is listed here. Can you advise me? Thanks!

Hi Paul, Thanks for sharing your great tips again. I use Safari always in private Modus, it’s a best way to get my Browser like invisible, I open in tabs every using Website and if it’s to much, just delete all in Settings. Thanks again and have a great day! Friendly Greetings from 🇳🇿

This stuff, even with a step by step guide is way too complicated for me!

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Why Can’t I Clear My History on Safari? Solutions and Answers

Nick deCourville

  • Safari allows you to clear your history for a certain length of time, or you can clear the whole thing.
  • You may just need to restart your device to clear your history.
  • Remember that the steps for iPhone and iPad will be roughly the same. 

Cant Clear Safari History November 2023 Featured

If you’re having issues because you can’t clear your Safari history, know that a solution isn’t too far behind. I love using Safari for a great browsing experience, but I was recently unable to clear my history, which was giving me some problems. Fortunately, I discovered a solution to my problem. Let’s take a look at some troubleshooting steps and solutions. 

Why Is My Clear History Button Grey?

If your Clear History button is grey, the most likely reason is that you do not have any History to clear. However, you may also be experiencing a grey Clear History button due to certain Content & Privacy Restrictions within Screen Time being enabled. You can check on iPhone via Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps and ensure that Safari is enabled. Note, however, that this will require your password.

On Mac, you can disable Screen Time via System Settings > Screen Time>  Content & Privacy > Content Restrictions . Ensure Access to Web Content is set to  Unrestricted.  Of course, if you didn’t set up Screen Time in the first place, this likely isn’t your issue. Keep reading for further solutions.

How Do I Clear My Safari History and Cache?

1. how to clear your safari browser history.

If you need to clear your Safari history, you can check out our full guide here . However, note that on iOS, clearing your history is as easy as going to Settings >  Safari > Clear History and Website Data . For Mac, all you need to do is open Safari and select History > Clear History from the menu bar. With both Mac and iOS you are able to choose how much of your history you delete based on time. 

2. Disable iCloud Sync for Safari

If you’re still having issues clearing your Safari browsing history, it may just be that you need to disable iCloud sync for Safari. This default option shares your history and your reading lists across all your Apple devices. It may be the case that some history or content did not sync properly. 

Disable iCloud Sync iOS

Time needed:  2 minutes

If you need to disable iCloud Sync on iOS, follow these steps.

Cant Clear Safari History Tap Your Name

Disable iCloud Sync macOS

  • From the Apple Menu, go to System Settings .
  • Select [Your Name] .

Cant Clear History Safari Select iCloud

3. Reset Network Settings (iOS Only)

If you are still looking for an effective solution to your clear history issue, you may want to consider resetting your network settings. 

  • Go to the Settings app. 

Cant Clear History Safari Tap General

4. Delete History Manually (Mac Only)

If you need to clear your Safari history on Mac and are having problems, remember you can delete your history manually. 

Cant Clear History Safari Tap Go To Folder

  • While holding down the Command key, select the following items: History.db , History.db-lock , History.db.shm and History.db.wal . 

Cant Clear History Safari Select Move to Trash

  • Empty your Trash. 

Why Can’t I Clear History in Safari?

The most likely reason that you’re unable to clear your Safari history is that there is no history left to clear. However, if you’re having issues, look at basic things, such as restarting your Apple device or ensuring that Screen Time restrictions are not preventing you from clearing your history. You may also want to consider that iCloud Sync may prevent you from properly clearing your history. 

Being able to clear your entire history from Safari is incredibly useful. However, it’s only useful if it’s working correctly. Fortunately, solutions for your history clearing problems are rather easy, so there’s little to worry about. Not clearing your history can be a common issue for many users. However, a comprehensive solution is available.

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  • Nick deCourville

safari delete browsing history mac

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

I can’t clear my history on Safari!

I can’t clear my history on Safari. It is very irritating because I know how to but the “clear” button is grayed out and I cant push it. I cleared everything in settings, but when i search things that I accidentally searched before pop up. I don’t understand why I cannot clear history when I push the bookmark button, and it is really annoying that it is grayed out. I tried looking it up, everything all the websites say to do are from a long time ago and they do not work, like when you go to General in Settings, there is supposed to be a button that says “Restrictions”, but there isn’t anymore. Please help me!

iPhone 7, iOS 12

Posted on Mar 20, 2019 5:03 PM

ckuan

Posted on Mar 20, 2019 5:07 PM

On iOS 12, the restrictions has moved to a new location:

Settings > Screen Time > Content and Privacy Restrictions > here

Similar questions

  • Unable to clear safari history I am unable to clear my sons search history in safari. The clear history button is greyed out. I an clear website data but not search history. can someone help me? thanks Mark 10410 4
  • Why can i not clear my history from safari I can't click clear on safari so I went to setting but it won't let me click clear history 3634 1
  • My safari history won’t clear I wanted to clear my safari history, as it gets in my nerves when it isn’t clear. I went to clear it, however the button is greyed out, and I can’t press it. When I go to settings the clear history button doesn’t work either. Please help. 2665 10

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Mar 20, 2019 5:07 PM in response to cherry_ontop

Eric Root

Mar 23, 2019 7:17 PM in response to cherry_ontop

Turn off Screen Time Restrictions.

Mar 23, 2019 3:39 PM in response to ckuan

what do i do after that to make it so the clear button in history is not grayed out?

Mar 23, 2019 3:47 PM in response to cherry_ontop

Then it will only grated out after you tap the button.

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  • How to Clear Web Browsing History on Mac

Estimated reading time : 3 minutes

In this guide, you will learn:

  • How to Clear Safari Browsing History on Mac
  • How to Clear Chrome Browsing History on Mac
  • How to Clear Firefox Browsing History on Mac

Why Should I Clear my Web Browsing History?

How often should i clear my browsing history, will clearing my browsing history make my mac run faster, what's the difference between clearing browsing history and clearing cookies and caches.

Cleaning your browsing history regularly protects your privacy on your Mac. It removes the data it saved for all the websites you have browsed for a certain period of time.

However, clearing your browsing history will also delete temporary files and website data such as cookies and caches .

Clear Apple Safari Browsing History on Mac

  • Open Safari .
  • Go to Safari > Clear History and Website Data .
  • In the pop up window, Select the desired time range to clear.
  • Click Clear History to confirm.

Clear Chrome Browsing History on Mac

  • Open Google Chrome .
  • On the upper right corner, click the More button ⋮ , then go to More Tools > Clear browsing data .
  • On the Clear browsing data window, select which time range you want to clear.
  • Make sure Browsing History is checked, then click Clear data .

Clear Firefox Browsing History on Mac

  • Open Mozilla Firefox .
  • At the upper right, click the Menu button ☰ , then select History .
  • Click Clear Recent History .
  • Make sure Browsing & Download History is checked, then click Clear Now .

Are There Any Apps That Can Do This Automatically?

Yes! Trend Micro has Antivirus One that can help clean your browsing history automatically.

  • Open Antivirus One .
  • Go to the Privacy tab.
  • Choose your browser, then click its corresponding gear ⚙ icon. A new window will pop up.
  • Click the arrow head icon beside History .
  • Select Navigation History & Download History , then click Close .
  • Hit Clean .

Clearing your browsing history helps protect your privacy by removing records of the websites you've visited, making it harder for others to track your online activities.

Clearing it like once a month, is a good practice for maintaining privacy.

It may help improve browser performance slightly, but it won't significantly impact your overall Mac speed.

Clearing browsing history removes the record of websites visited, while clearing cookies and caches removes temporary files and data stored by websites. Both actions protect your privacy.

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Update your iPhone, iPad and Mac! New patch fixes nasty Safari issue

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You’d like to think your browser prioritizes privacy. Unfortunately, sometimes our search providers let us down. Tap or click here to take a free, fast test that reveals how much private data our browser is leaking .

Last week, security researchers discovered that Apple’s Safari browser could leak your data to websites you visit. It all comes down to an implementation bug in IndexedDB, designed to hold user data.

Put simply, the bug lets websites see databases they shouldn’t. It also lets them search those databases for information like your browsing history, personal data and even your Google avatar. Luckily, Apple released a new update that fixes this privacy-endangering bug.

Patch the bug ASAP

Don’t wait to update. There’s a lot of personal information at risk. Not only is this bug an invasion of your privacy, but it also lets hackers see your browsing activity in real-time .

If you want to go into the weeds and get a technical understanding of how this works, check out this short video from FingerprintJS , the folks who blew the whistle on Jan. 14.

Fun fact: Someone reported the issue to the WebKit Bug Tracker on Nov. 28, 2021. Apple didn’t take action until Jan. 16 — after FingerprintJS shone a spotlight on the issue. (How curious.)

You can even run a quick test to see the problem in action

Head to  Safari Leaks and see if the site can grab your Google User ID. You can even check out one of its test websites in a new tab. Return to the site and you’ll see that browsing history. It can be creepy to see the surveillance in real-time.

RELATED : Is someone spying on your cellphone?

Typically, this shouldn’t be possible. When Safari is working correctly, Safari Leaks would have no way to find this information. That’s because sites are only supposed to access data from their databases. (Or to be super technical, databases its domain created.)

How to fix the bug

To protect yourself, update your Apple devices. Apple released a few updates:

  • iPhone: iOS 15.3
  • iPad: iPadOS 15.3
  • Mac: macOS 12.2
  • Apple Watch: watchOS 8.4

Install the latest OS onto whichever Apple device you’re using. To do this, follow these steps:

How to update iPhone, iPad or iPad touch

  • Open  Settings .
  • Tap  General .
  • Select  Software Update .
  • Tap  Install Now .

Instead of  Install Now,  you might see  Download and Install . If so, select that option to download the update. Then, enter your passcode and select  Install Now .

How to update macOS

  • Click on the  Apple menu  in the corner of your screen.
  • Select  System Preferences .
  • Click  Software Update .
  • Select  Update Now .

How to update Apple Watch

  • Open  Settings  on your  Apple Watch .
  • Tap  Software Update .
  • Tap  Install .
  • Open the  Watch  app on your iPhone and agree to the Terms & Conditions.
  • On your  Apple Watch , tap  Download &   Install .

Good news: You’re doing a lot of good when you download the update. Not only are you fixing this bug, but you’re also downloading security updates for iCloud, Crash Reporter, ColorSync and more. Here’s the complete list of updates you’re getting when you download iOS 15.3 .

Ranked: Best browsers for privacy

Browser security settings you need to check now

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

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

Delete your history, cache and cookies

Clear your cookies and the cache, but keep your history

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.

ios-17-iphone-14-pro-settings-safari-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. The button may also be grey if you have web content restrictions set up under Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time .

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

Go to Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data.

Tap Remove All Website Data.

When there’s no website data to be cleared, the button to clear it will turn grey. The button may also be grey if you have web content restrictions set up under Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time .

Open the Safari app.

Bookmarks button

Tap the Edit button, then select the website(s) that you want to delete from your history.

Tap the Delete button.

A cookie is a piece of data that a site puts on your device so that site can remember you when you visit again.

To block cookies:

Go to Settings > Safari > Advanced.

Turn on Block All Cookies.

ios-17-iphone-14-pro-settings-safari-block-all-cookies

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

You'll likely not be able to sign in to a site even when using your correct user name and password.

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

Some features on a site may not work.

Content blockers are third-party apps and extensions that let Safari block cookies, images, resources, pop-ups and other content.

To get a content blocker:

Download a content blocking app from the App Store.

Tap Settings > Safari > Extensions.

Tap to turn on a listed content blocker.

You can use more than one content blocker. If you need help, contact the app developer .

Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Contact the vendor for additional information.

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How to manage all web browser notifications on your Mac

In this tutorial, we will show you how to allow, block, customize, and turn off website notifications in popular browser apps like Safari, Chrome, and Firefox on your Mac.

Website asking permission to send notifications on Mac

These tips will be helpful if you’re getting too many notifications or not receiving alerts from sites that are important to you.

But before you do that, remember that not all websites are designed to send notifications. And ones that do have this feature will probably show you a banner to allow notifications when you visit them for the first time, after a few weeks, or after clearing all your web browser data .

Allow browser notifications

When you install a browser app like Chrome, Firefox, Brave, or Opera, you will get an alert in the top right corner of your Mac’s screen asking your permission to allow notifications from this app. Click Options to Allow (or block) alerts.

Allow notifications from web browser on Mac

If you don’t get that automatic alert, visit a website like bennish.net , Slack , or something similar that can send notifications. Then, you may see the macOS notification asking your permission to send browser notifications.

  • Visit  bennish.net  and click  Authorize  >  Allow .
  • Now, if you see the macOS notification for browser notification, click  Options  >  Allow  and confirm if prompted.

Manage browser notifications for a specific website

Once the browser app in question is permitted to send notifications, you can decide which websites can send you notifications and which cannot.

Allow notifications

When you visit a website that is designed to send notifications, you will see a popup. Allow that and then confirm if prompted. Remember that websites use different popup styles.

Website asking permission to send notifications on Mac

Block notifications

You can prevent a website from sending notifications when it asks for the first time. If you have already allowed it, you can block it later by following these steps.

Open the app and click  Safari  >  Settings  from the top menu bar. Now, go to the  Websites  tab and select  Notifications . Here, you’ll see all the websites that you have allowed or blocked from sending notifications. Click the dropdown menu next to an allowed site to block it.

Notifications settings for a website in Safari settings

Visit the website that sends you notifications and click the  settings icon from the top address bar. Now, turn off the Notifications  switch. If you don’t see it, that means you did not permit this site to send notifications, or it does not have that feature.

Turn off notifications for a website in Chrome on Mac

Additionally, you can go to chrome://settings/content/notifications or click Chrome  >  Settings  from the top menu bar and then go to  Privacy and security  >  Site settings  >  Notifications . From here, click the  three dots icon  next to a website under the “Allowed to send notifications” and block it.

See Chrome notification settings

Visit the website that sends you notifications. Now, click the  settings icon  and hit  Allowed  next to  Send notifications  to block it. Don’t forget to reload the page for changes to take effect.

Block notifications from a website in Firefox

In addition to that, you can click  Firefox  >  Settings from the top menu bar. Then select Privacy & Security  and scroll down to the  Permissions  heading. From here, click  Settings  next to  Notifications  to see all allowed or blocked sites. Click the  dropdown menu  next to a site listed here to block (or allow) notification privileges for it.

Firefox notifications settings

Customize browser app notifications

A third-party web browser does not offer many per-website notification customization options. You are pretty much limited to allowing or blocking alerts from that site.

However, macOS offers handy notification settings for web browser apps. Furthermore, when you allow a website to send you notifications in Safari, macOS treats that website as an app in its notification settings. So, you can customize that website’s notifications as if it were an app.

Here’s how to mute, change style, block previews, and do other personalizations for your web browser notifications on Mac:

1)  Open  System Settings  and click  Notifications .

2) You will see your browser apps like Safari ,  Chrome ,  Firefox , etc. Additionally, as mentioned, websites that are permitted to alert you in Safari may also be listed here. Click a browser app or Safari website.

Safari and Safari websites in Mac Notifications settings

3)  Now, you can customize it like you would with a regular Mac app.

You can change the notification style, block it from appearing on the locked Mac screen, prevent it from stacking in your Notification Center , turn off the red number badge on the app’s icon in Launchpad and Dock, turn off the notification sound, display or hide the preview, and decide a grouping style.

Notifications settings for Safari in Mac System Settings

Turn off all browser notifications

Go to Mac’s  System Settings  >  Notifications  and select the browser app. Now, turn off the  Allow notifications  switch from the top. After this, you won’t receive notifications from this browser at all. It will even block alerts from websites you had previously allowed to send notifications.

Check out next: Not getting app notifications, banners, or sound on Mac? Here’s how to fix it

  • Services & Software

Spring Cleaning: Clear Your iPhone Cache

Give your iPhone a fresh start by clearing your browser cache.

safari delete browsing history mac

  • Adam has been covering streaming services since 2013 and wants to help people navigate the subscription creep in their lives.

safari delete browsing history mac

  • Apple software beta tester, "Helps make our computers and phones work!" - Zach's grandparents

A person using an iPhone

A clear cache keeps your browsing snappy.

Your  iPhone  can get cluttered, just like the rest of your home. No, I'm not talking about too many videos of your kids and pets, or too many memes saved to your camera roll. I'm talking about your browser cache.

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If you're cleaning up your home for the spring, don't forget to spruce up your iPhone's cache, especially if your browsing starts to feel sluggish over time. It takes only a few seconds to keep your iPhone 15 or 15 Plus , iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max or any other model moving as fast as possible. 

Browser caches are intended as a convenience, but without proper maintenance, they can turn into more of a hassle. Think of them like a table, counter or other flat surface in your home that starts as a quick place to leave and grab your keys but eventually turns into a cluttered mess where it's impossible to find anything. Your cache stores website data for faster retrieval the next time you visit, but if the design or content of that site changes, it can actually slow down your browsing or lead to bad formatting on the site. Clearing your cache is like clearing off the counter so everything is clean and easy to navigate.

Whether you use  Chrome , Safari or other browsers on your iPhone, your cache builds up that digital clutter over time. Clearing your cache gives the browser a new start, which can speed up your web surfing, even on  iOS 17 . (If you're trying to get your phone to run faster, try  managing your iPhone's storage .)

Website cookies are similar, except they store information about user data, rather than data on the website itself. Clearing your cookies gives you a chance to reset those preferences, which could improve your browsing experience. Note that clearing your cache and cookies will log you out of sites, which means you'll have to log into them again and reset any preferences. The upfront investment of that time can lead to a smoother experience down the road, and it can be a useful fix if you've recently changed settings that aren't being applied properly.

Here are step-by-step guides on how to clear your cache on your iPhone based on  the browser you use . 

How to clear your iPhone cache in Safari

Safari is the default browser on iPhones, and you can clear your Safari cache in a few short steps. Starting with iOS 11, following this process will affect all devices signed in to your iCloud account . As a result, all your devices' caches will be cleared, and you'll need to sign in to everything the next time you use them. Here's what to do.

1 . Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

2 . Select Safari from the list of apps.

3 . Go to Clear History and Website Data.

4 . Choose Clear History and Data in the pop-up box.

Then you're set!

Read more : Best iPhone in 2024: Which Apple Phone Should You Buy?

How to clear your iPhone cache in Chrome

Google Chrome internet browser logo

It's easy to clear your iPhone cache in Chrome.

Chrome is another popular browser for iPhone users. Thankfully, Google has simplified the process for clearing your Chrome cache, making it much faster to clear your data. 

1 . Open the Chrome app.

2 . Select the three dots in the bottom right to open more options.

3 . Swipe over to Settings in the top menu bar. 

4 . Scroll down and tap Privacy and security .

5 . Tap Clear Browsing Data  to open up another menu. Select the intended time range at the top of the menu (anywhere from Last Hour to All Time). Make sure that Cookies, Site Data is checked, along with Cached Images and Files . Finally, hit Clear Browsing Data at the bottom of the screen.

Read more : This iPhone Setting Stops Ads From Following You Across the Web

How to clear your iPhone cache in Firefox

If you're a Firefox devotee, don't worry. Clearing the cache on your iPhone is pretty straightforward. Just follow these steps. 

1 . Click the hamburger menu in the bottom right corner to open up options.

2 . Choose Settings at the bottom of the menu.

3 . Select  Data Management  in the Privacy section.

4 . You can select Website Data to clear data for individual sites, or select Clear Private Data at the bottom of the screen to clear data from all selected fields.

Read more : Experiencing Slow Wi-Fi? It Could Be Caused by Internet Throttling. Here's How to Tell

What happens when you clear the cache? 

Clearing your cache removes the website data your phone stored locally to prevent having to download that data upon each new visit. The data in your cache builds over time and can end up slowing things down if it becomes too bulky or out of date. (My phone had about 150MB of data stored in Chrome when I checked.) Clearing that data gives sites a fresh start, which may fix some loading errors and speed up your browser. Clearing your cache also signs you out of pages, so be prepared to sign in to everything again. 

How often do I need to clear my cache?

Most people only need to clear their caches once every month or two. That's generally the point when your browser will build up a cache large enough to start slowing things down. If you frequent a large number of sites, you should err on the side of clearing your cache more often.

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safari delete browsing history mac

How to clear the cache on your iPhone (and why you should)

How many tabs are open on your mobile browser right now? Go ahead, check -- you might be surprised by what you find.

Americans spend over five hours a day on their smartphones. That's over five hours of your phone potentially accessing, retrieving, and saving cache and cookies, which can negatively impact your iPhone's storage space .

What is cache?

Cache is the temporary storage of some data, like parts of a website from the last time you visited it, for example. Browser cache is content from a website that is stored on your phone during a browser session to help the browser execute faster the next time you visit that page.

Also:  How to clear Google search cache on Android

Cache data can slow down your phone's overall browsing performance, however, since it takes up storage space on your device, so it's good to clear it out regularly. In this article, we mainly focus on clearing web browser cache on an iPhone, but you should know that other types of cache include mobile app cache and CPU cache.

How to clear cache on iPhone

What you'll need: Everything you need to clear your browser cache is within the iPhone's settings app or the Safari app, so grab your iPhone to get started.

Keep in mind that clearing the cache can clear private data, which can close all open tabs in Safari. This is also likely to log you out of all your websites, prompting you to sign in again the next time you open them. 

How do I clear the cache from Chrome on iPhone?

If Google Chrome is your preferred browser, it may have a substantial amount of data stored on your device, which could also slow down performance. 

To clear the cache in Chrome, open the Google Chrome app and follow these steps:

  • Tap  Settings .
  • Go to  Privacy and Security .
  • Select  Clear Browsing Data .
  • Select the time from which to delete the data (if you want to delete all your browsing history, choose All Time ).
  • Go through the items you'd like to delete, like your Browsing History, Cookies and Site Data, Cached Images and Files, Saved Passwords , and Autofill Data.
  • Confirm by tapping  Clear Browsing Data  at the bottom of the screen.
  • Tap Done when you've deleted the Chrome cache.

Also: Apple releases iOS 17.4 with podcast transcripts, new emojis, and EU app store changes

Clearing the browsing and cache data in Google Chrome doesn't close all open tabs, but it will refresh each tab and log you out of websites. Once you tap on one of the tabs you want to access, you'll have to log back in.

How can I browse on Safari without history?

If you're learning how to clear cache on an iPhone, you may also be wondering if there's a way to use Safari without saving any browsing history. You can turn on Private Browsing by following these steps:

  • Open  Safari .
  • Tap on  Tabs .
  • Choose Private .

You can also enable private browsing by going to your iPhone Settings, finding Safari, and toggling on the private option. 

How do I clear my app cache on my iPhone?

To clear the app cache from your iPhone Settings app, you can either delete the app and reinstall it, offload it, or try to clear the cache from within the app. Unfortunately, iOS apps don't have consistent settings across the board that would allow you to clear the cache of every app.

Also: Apple warns: Don't put your wet iPhone in rice. Do this instead

Apps like TikTok and CapCut, for example, have options to Clear Cache within their respective settings. Amazon lets users delete their browsing history, while the Reddit app can clear local history. It all depends on what the app's settings let you do. 

Is "clear cache" the same as offloading?

Not exactly, though app offloading can help if your phone is slowed down by low storage. To offload an app  means to uninstall an app without deleting any documents or data associated with it. 

Also: Apple secures iMessage against threats from the future

To offload an app, go to  Settings , then  General , choose  iPhone Storage  and select the app to offload, then tap  Offload App . If you ever download it again, you'll pick up where you left off for that app.

Are cookies and cache the same thing?

Cookies and cache are not the same. Cookies are data files that websites send to your phone, including things like saved passwords to keep you logged into an account or even the website preferences from the previous time you visited. 

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Though they do sound harmless, cookies can also track how you browse the internet. They monitor patterns in your browsing and search history, even seeing what you clicked on or what your mouse hovered over. Ever made an innocuous search on Amazon only to find ads for it on all the apps you use? Cookies likely made that possible.

Can I block cookies on my iPhone?

While you can block cookies on Safari, the ranks are divided on whether you should. Blocking cookies entirely means that websites won't be able to get information from you, but it also means that some websites may not even work correctly on your browser. A lot of users actually enjoy a more personalized browsing experience, so cookies are a good thing for them.

 If you'd like to block cookies in Safari, follow these steps:

  • Go to  Settings  and select  Safari .
  • Tap on the toggle next to  Block All Cookies .

There are also third-party extensions that help you block cookies and trackers in Google Chrome, like Ghostery and Disconnect .

How do I check iPhone storage?

On an iPhone, Settings can show you what's taking up most of your media storage, like photos, videos, and music. You can also see what each particular app's storage consumption is, which includes temporary data. To view the details of your iPhone's storage space, follow these steps:

  • Go to the iPhone Settings .
  • 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 third-party apps by going into your Settings app, but this gives you a visual of your iPhone's storage and the option to delete or offload apps.

Also: Here's the fastest way to declutter your iPhone and free up Gigabytes of space

When you look at your device's storage space, you'll probably see recommended steps you can take to optimize your iPhone's storage, like offloading unused apps.

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How to clear the cache on your iPhone (and why you should)

Rumor: iOS 18 to include new ‘Safari browsing assistant’ AI feature

Avatar for Chance Miller

iOS 18 is rumored to include a number of new artificial intelligence features spread across the entire operating system. A new rumor today suggests that one of those features could be “Safari browsing assistant.”

As for what that means, we are left to speculation for now…

Safari browsing assistant rumored for iOS 18

In a post on social media today, code sleuth Nicolás Álvarez shared two new features in the works at Apple:

  • Safari browsing assistant
  • Encrypted visual search

According to Álvarez, both of these features use Apple’s Private Relay infrastructure to send data back to Apple. Álvarez speculates that this is a privacy-preserving practice on Apple’s part, so it doesn’t learn user IP addresses. Of note, iCloud Private Relay is currently only available to iCloud+ subscribers.

( Update : Álvarez says that it’s not actually iCloud Private Relay but rather an “Oblivious HTTP gateway.”)

Apple already offers different visual search-style features, integrated into Spotlight and the Photos app. It’s not explicitly clear if “encrypted visual search” is just a more secure version of existing features or something new entirely.

The more interesting thing here is the “Safari browsing assistant” feature. Based solely on the name, this feature sounds like it will bring AI features of some sort to Safari, similar to what other browsers already offer. Microsoft’s Edge browser, for example, has different Copilot AI features built in. Arc from The Browser Company also combines a variety of AI features with web browsing.

Bloomberg reports that Apple is likely to team up with a company such as Google to power some of its new AI features. We aren’t expecting any announcement from Apple about a partnership until WWDC at the earliest.

iOS 18 is expected to be announced at WWDC, which kicks off on June 10. Check out our in-depth guide for more details on what to expect from AI in iOS 18 .

Álvarez has also reported that iOS 18 will bring two new features to Apple Maps on iPhone, including custom route creation and new topographic maps.

Follow Chance :  Threads ,  Twitter ,  Instagram , and  Mastodon . 

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:

iOS 18

Chance is an editor for the entire 9to5 network and covers the latest Apple news for 9to5Mac.

Tips, questions, typos to [email protected]

IMAGES

  1. How To Check Safari History

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  2. How to Clear Browsing/Search History on Mac(Safari/Google/Firefox)

    safari delete browsing history mac

  3. How to Delete Browsing History on Safari

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  4. Total Cleanup: How to Delete Browsing History on a Mac

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  5. How to Clear Browsing/Search History on Mac(Safari/Google/Firefox)

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  6. How to Delete Browsing History in Safari Mac?

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VIDEO

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  4. How To Fix Safari Clear History Button Greyed Out On iPhone Full Guide

  5. how to quickly delete your safari history on Mac iphone or ipod

  6. How To Clear Search History on Safari iPhone (Greyed Out?)

COMMENTS

  1. Clear your browsing history in Safari on Mac

    Open Safari for me. In the Safari app on your Mac, choose History > Clear History, then click the pop-up menu. Choose how far back you want your browsing history cleared. When you clear your history, Safari removes data it saves as a result of your browsing, including: History of webpages you visited. The back and forward list for open webpages ...

  2. Clear the history, cache, and cookies from Safari on ...

    Clear cookies and cache, but keep your history. 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 ...

  3. Clear your browsing history in Safari on Mac

    In Safari on your Mac, remove all records of your browsing history for a period of time you choose.

  4. How to Clear Safari's Browsing History and Cookies on macOS

    If you simply want to clear part of your history, you can click "Show History" ("Command + Y"). Click on the site or use the "Command" key to select several sites, then press the "Delete" key. You can also click "Clear History" in the upper right corner to remove everything all at once. You can also right-click a history entry to delete it.

  5. How to clear Safari cache and cookies on a Mac

    Cleaning cookies and the cache data for individual sites can be done via Safari's Settings/Preferences. Open Safari. Click on Safari in the menu at the top of the screen. Click on Settings or ...

  6. How to delete web browsing history on Mac

    Select History > Show All History from the top bar (or use the hotkey combo Shift + Cmd + H). You'll see the full history divided into days. Hover over an entry and click the X on the right to ...

  7. Clear your Safari browsing history

    Choose History > Clear History and Website Data, then click the pop-up menu and choose how far back you want your browsing history cleared. When you clear your history, Safari removes data it saves as a result of your browsing, including: Remove all records that Safari keeps of where you've browsed during a period of time you choose.

  8. 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 ...

  9. 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.

  10. How to Manage Your Browsing History in Safari

    Here's how to manage Safari's history on a Mac: Open the Safari browser and select History in the menu bar located at the top of the screen. You'll see a drop-down menu with the titles of the web pages you visited recently. Select a website to load the respective page or select one of the previous days at the bottom of the menu to see more options.

  11. How to delete Safari history on Mac, iPhone, iPad

    On a Mac: Open a Safari browser. From the top toolbar, select History > Show All History. Or, you can use the keyboard shortcut Command + Y.; Select the website entry that you wish to delete.

  12. How to Delete Safari History on Your Mac

    If you're a Mac user who relies on Safari as your go-to web browser, you may be wondering how to effectively delete your browsing history to protect your personal information. In this guide, I'll walk you through the simple steps to delete Safari history on your Mac and browse the web with peace of mind.

  13. How to Wipe Your Browsing History Automatically in Safari on Mac

    Launch Safari on your Mac from the Launchpad or by looking it up on Spotlight . Next, click "Safari" from the left corner of the menu bar and select "Preferences." Alternatively, you can press Cmd+comma on your keyboard to head directly into this menu. Under the "General" tab, locate the "Remove History Items" option.

  14. How to clear Safari cache, history, and cookies on Mac

    If you are looking for ways to delete your Safari browsing history, stored data, and cache to keep your online activities private, this article is perfect for you. Besides privacy, clearing website data can also help if your Safari browser is running slowly on Mac. ... How to clear Safari cache on Mac. Launch Safari → Click Safari in the menu ...

  15. How to Delete Browsing History in Safari Mac?

    The first option is to completely get rid of all stored website data in Safari browser. Launch Safari browser and go to "Safari > Clear History" menu. Alternatively, go to "History > Clean History" menu. Clear History from Safari Menu. On the pop-up that appears, click on the dropdown against "Clear" option.

  16. How to Delete History in Safari on a Mac in 4 Easy Steps

    Launch Safari. If you keep it in the Dock, simply click on the browser icon. Otherwise, go to Launchpad and find it there. 2. In the menu at the top of the screen, click History. 3. A drop-down menu will open. At the bottom of the menu, click Clear History. 4.

  17. 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.

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

    Follow these simple steps too: 1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone. 2. Scroll through the options and click on Safari. 3. Again, scroll and find the Clear History and Website Data option. 4 ...

  19. How to Delete Specific Safari History on Mac

    Pull down the "History" menu, then select "Show All History". Locate the specific Safari browser history item you want to remove (either through the list view or by searching Safari history for word matches) Select the item you want to delete from Safari history. Hit the "Delete" key on the Mac keyboard, or right-click and choose ...

  20. Search your web browsing history in Safari on Mac

    In the Safari app on your Mac, choose History > Show All History. Type in the Search field at the top-right corner of the window. Safari uses iCloud to keep your browsing history the same on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Mac computers that have Safari turned on in iCloud preferences. On your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, go to Settings ...

  21. Why Can't I Clear My History on Safari? Solutions and Answers

    Select Reset Network Settings and confirm your decision. 4. Delete History Manually (Mac Only) If you need to clear your Safari history on Mac and are having problems, remember you can delete your ...

  22. I can't clear my history on Safari!

    I can't clear my history on Safari! I can't clear my history on Safari. It is very irritating because I know how to but the "clear" button is grayed out and I cant push it. I cleared everything in settings, but when i search things that I accidentally searched before pop up. I don't understand why I cannot clear history when I push ...

  23. How to Clear Web Browsing History on Mac

    On the upper right corner, click the More button ⋮, then go to More Tools > Clear browsing data. On the Clear browsing data window, select which time range you want to clear. Make sure Browsing History is checked, then click Clear data. Open Mozilla Firefox. At the upper right, click the Menu button ☰, then select History.

  24. Safari is letting sites look through your browser history. Update to

    It also lets them search those databases for information like your browsing history, personal data and even your Google avatar. Luckily, Apple released a new update that fixes this privacy ...

  25. Clear the history, cache and cookies from Safari on ...

    Clear your cookies and the cache, but keep your history. 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 ...

  26. How to manage all web browser notifications on your Mac

    Turn off all browser notifications. Go to Mac's System Settings > Notifications and select the browser app. Now, turn off the Allow notifications switch from the top. After this, you won't receive notifications from this browser at all. It will even block alerts from websites you had previously allowed to send notifications.

  27. Spring Cleaning: Clear Your iPhone Cache

    Apple software beta tester, "Helps make our computers and phones work!" ... How to clear your iPhone cache in Safari. Safari is the default browser on iPhones, ... Go to Clear History and Website ...

  28. How to clear the cache on your iPhone (and why you should)

    How to clear cache on iPhone. What you'll need: Everything you need to clear your browser cache is within the iPhone's settings app or the Safari app, so grab your iPhone to get started. Keep in ...

  29. Rumor: iOS 18 to include new 'Safari browsing assistant' AI feature

    Safari browsing assistant rumored for iOS 18 In a post on social media today, code sleuth Nicolás Álvarez shared two new features in the works at Apple: Safari browsing assistant