How to delete browsing history on Android

Browsing history can be a treasure trove of personal information. Most of us think we have nothing to hide, and therefore it doesn’t matter who sees what sites we visit online. But you may want to be a little more discreet.

If you’ve been shopping for a partner’s birthday, researching a mystery ailment, watching something you don’t want the kids to find, or asking the type of questions you’d feel silly asking an actual human on a shared Android phone or Android tablet, know that anyone who has access to that device can also see what you’ve been looking at.

If you’re looking to delete your browsing history on an Android device, follow these steps tailored to different popular browsers.

Google Chrome

Google Chrome is one of the most widely used browsers on Android and deleting your browsing history in it is a straightforward process.

If you wish to delete specific items:

1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner.
3. Selecting ‘History’ from the dropdown menu.
4. Tap the ‘X’ next to the entry you wish to remove.

If you wish to clear your entire browsing data:

1. Tap ‘Delete browsing data…’ at the top of the ‘History’ page.
2. Choose the desired time range (e.g., last hour, last 24 hours, all time).
3. Check the boxes for the types of data you want to delete (browsing history, cookies, cached images and files, etc.).
4. Tap ‘Clear data.’

Samsung Internet

Samsung Internet is the default browser on Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets, and is known for its smooth performance and robust feature set. However, you can still use it on any other Android phone.

If you wish to delete specific items:

1. Open the Samsung Internet browser.
2. Go to your history by tapping the three-line menu icon in the bottom-right corner and selecting ‘History.’
3. Tap and hold the entry you want to delete, then tap ‘Delete’ when the option appears.

If you wish to clear your entire browsing data:

1. Tap the three-line menu icon again and select ‘Settings.’
2. Go to ‘Personal browsing data’ and then to “Delete browsing data.’
3. Select the data you want to delete and tap ‘Delete data.’

Opera

Opera is an another feature-rich browser with a built-in ad blocker and free VPN.

If you wish to delete specific items:

1. Open Opera.
2. Tap on the Opera icon in the bottom-right corner and select ‘History.’
3. Tap and hold the entry you want to delete, then tap the trash can icon when it appears.

If you wish to clear your entire browsing data:

1. Tap the Opera icon again and go to ‘Settings.’
2. Scroll down and tap on ‘Privacy & security.’
3. Tap ‘Clear data…’
4. Choose the data you want to clear, and then tap ‘Clear data.’

Mozilla Fiferox

Mozilla Firefox is known for its strong privacy features and customisation options. Here’s how you can delete your browsing history.

If you wish to delete specific items:

1. Open Firefox.
2. Access your history by tapping the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner.
3. Select ‘History’ from the dropdown menu.
4. Tap and hold the entry you want to delete, then tap ‘Delete’ when the option appears.

If you wish to clear your entire browsing data:

1. Tap the three-dot menu icon again and select ‘Settings.’
2. Scroll down to ‘Privacy and security’ and select ‘Delete browsing data.’
3. Choose the data you want to clear (browsing history, cookies, cached images and files, etc.).
4. Tap ‘Delete browsing data.’

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge offers seamless integration with Windows and other Microsoft services. If you’re using Edge on your Android device, follow these steps to delete your browsing history.

If you wish to delete specific items:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Tap the three-line menu icon at the bottom of the screen and select ‘History’ from the menu.
3. Tap and hold the entry you want to delete, then tap ‘Delete’ when the option appears.

If you wish to clear your entire browsing data:

1. Tap the three-dot menu icon again and go to ‘Settings.’
2. Scroll down and select ‘Privacy and security,’ then tap ‘Delete browsing data.’
3. Choose the types of data you want to clear and tap ‘Delete data.’

If really want to master your browser, be sure to check our guide on how to close tabs on Android.