Deleting your browsing history in Microsoft Edge is a straightforward process that helps protect your privacy and can improve browser performance. You can quickly remove specific browsing data, including your history, from chosen time periods.
Step-by-Step Guide to Clear Browsing History
Follow these simple steps to delete your browsing history in Microsoft Edge:
- Open Microsoft Edge: Launch the Microsoft Edge browser on your computer.
- Access Settings: Click on the three horizontal dots (
...) located in the top-right corner of the browser window. This icon represents "Settings and more." - Navigate to Settings: From the dropdown menu, select "Settings".
- Go to Privacy, Search, and Services: In the left-hand navigation pane, click on "Privacy, search, and services".
- Choose What to Clear: Scroll down to the "Clear browsing data" section. Here, you will find an option called "Choose what to clear". Click on this.
- Select Time Range: A pop-up window will appear. From the "Time range" dropdown list, select the period for which you want to delete data. Options typically include:
- Last hour
- Last 24 hours
- Last 7 days
- Last 4 weeks
- All time
- Check Browsing History: Ensure that the "Browsing history" checkbox is selected. You can also choose to clear other types of data, such as cookies, cached images, and download history, at this stage.
- Clear Now: After selecting your desired time range and checking "Browsing history," click the "Clear now" button.
Your selected browsing history will now be deleted from Microsoft Edge.
Other Data You Can Clear
When clearing browsing data, you have the option to remove more than just your browsing history. Here’s a quick overview of other common data types you might consider clearing:
| Data Type | Description | Impact of Clearing |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing history | List of websites you have visited. | Removes records of visited sites. |
| Download history | List of files you have downloaded. (Does not delete the actual files). | Removes the list of downloads from Edge. |
| Cookies and other site data | Information websites store on your computer to remember you. | You might be logged out of websites; personalized ads may reset. |
| Cached images and files | Temporary files (images, scripts) stored to load websites faster. | Websites may load slightly slower initially; frees up disk space. |
| Passwords | Saved login credentials for websites. | You will need to re-enter passwords for saved sites. |
| Autofill form data | Information you've typed into forms (e.g., names, addresses). | You will need to manually re-enter form data. |
| Site permissions | Permissions granted to websites (e.g., microphone, camera access). | Websites will ask for permissions again. |
For more detailed information, you can refer to the official Microsoft Support page on clearing browsing data.
Additional Privacy Options
Beyond manual deletion, Microsoft Edge offers other features to help manage your browsing data:
Clear Data on Browser Close
You can configure Edge to automatically clear certain data every time you close the browser. This ensures that specific information, like browsing history or cookies, is deleted without manual intervention.
- Follow steps 1-4 from the main guide above to navigate to Settings > Privacy, search, and services.
- Under "Clear browsing data," find the option "Choose what to clear every time you close the browser" and click on it.
- Toggle on the types of data you want Edge to delete automatically upon exit, such as "Browsing history."
InPrivate Browsing
For sessions where you don't want any history, cookies, or temporary files to be saved, use InPrivate mode.
- To open an InPrivate window, click the three dots (
...) in the top-right corner of Edge, then select "New InPrivate window" (or pressCtrl + Shift + N). - No browsing history, cookies, or form data will be saved to your device from an InPrivate session.
By utilizing these methods, you can effectively manage and delete your browsing history and other personal data in Microsoft Edge, enhancing your privacy.
