How to clear search history on your phone (iPhone and Android)

Need to know

• In the Chrome app, open the menu and select History > Clear browsing data.
• In Safari, open the Settings app, then select Apps > Safari > Clear History and Website Data.
• In the Samsung Internet app, open the menu, select Settings > Privacy, then select Delete/Clear browsing data.
• Choose the time range for deleting data, such as the “Last hour” or “All time.”

Every time you search for something on your phone, it records that search. This record doesn’t have to be permanent, though. Regularly clearing your search history helps protect your privacy and keep your phone performing as well as possible.

Your internet browser history actually goes beyond recording your searches. Browsers keep a list of the websites you visit, the searches you make, and temporary files related to your online activity.

Asurion experts are here to help you make the most of your devices while using them safely and securely. Learn how to clear the search history on your phone in this guide.

How to clear search history on iPhone in Safari

The default web browsing app on iPhones® is Safari®. Even if you usually use a different app to search online, you may end up in Safari when you open links.

So whether you use Safari all the time or only occasionally, it’s worth clearing your history on the app. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone—not the Safari app.
2. Go to Apps > Safari > Clear History and Website Data.
3. Choose the timeframe for clearing your search history. The default is just clearing the last hour, but selecting All history will clear any new searches and browsing history since your last clearing.
4. Toggle on Close All Tabs if you also want to close your open tabs.
5. Select Clear History.

Keep in mind that clearing Safari history may also remove your history from other Apple devices signed into the same iCloud account.

If you notice some buttons are greyed out when you try to clear your search history in Safari, it could be due to Screen Time or restriction settings. Check whether these settings are enabled before trying again.

Clearing your search history can improve Safari’s performance, but the more comprehensive option is to clear the cache on an iPhone. Try clearing your cache if performance is your main concern.

How to clear Google Chrome search history on your phone

The process for clearing the Google Chrome® search history on your phone is the same whether you have an iPhone or an Android device.

Follow these steps:

1. Open the Google Chrome app.
2. Open the menu by tapping the three dots.
3. Choose History > Delete browsing data (or Clear browsing data).
4. Select a time range for clearing the data, such as “All time.”
5. Make sure Browsing History is checked off. You can also check the boxes for cookies and cached files to clear more data.
6. Select Delete data.

This process will clear the history on your Android phone, but nowhere else. If you want to clear all the history linked to your Google Account synced through Chrome across devices, you need to do so through your profile in the Google App or your Google My Activity page in a browser.

Alternatively, clear the cache on Android to improve the app’s performance and increase storage space on your phone.

What happens when you delete browsing history?

Deleting your browsing history gets rid of the record of the websites you’ve visited in that web browser app. It also clears your searches.

However, unless you choose to clear your cache, internet cookies, and saved passwords, all those things remain when deleting browsing history. If you have passwords saved in that browser app, they should still be there after clearing your history. Clearing history may sign you out of websites, though.

Use Incognito Mode in Chrome or similar features to privately browse the web if you don’t want to have to delete your browsing history.

FAQs

How do I clear search history on my phone permanently?

While clearing your browsing history in a web browser app clears your search history on your phone, there may still be a copy elsewhere. You may have to clear both browser history and synced account activity (such as Google My Activity) to delete search history on your phone entirely.

Can I delete history for just one website?

Browsers like Chrome and Safari let you remove individual sites or searches instead of deleting all of your browsing history at once.