Clear Browser History On iPhone & iPad: The Fix For Safari & Chrome!

You want to delete the browser history on your iPhone or iPad, but you’re not sure how. Anyone with access to your iPhone or iPad can check your browsing history and view a list of all the websites you’ve visited! In this article, I’ll show you how to clear browser history on your iPhone and iPad in both Chrome and Safari.

Since the majority of iPhone and iPad owners use Safari when browsing the web, I’ll start there. If you use Chrome on your iPhone or iPad, scroll about halfway down the page!

How To Clear Safari Browser History On iPhone & iPad

First, open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad. Scroll down and tap on Safari. Then, scroll down and tap on Clear History and Website Data. Finally, confirm your decision by tapping Clear History and Data.

clear browser history iphone safari

I Only Want To Clear Safari Website Data, Not My Browser History!

If you don’t want to clear Safari history on your iPhone or iPad, but you do want to remove all Safari website data, that’s possible too. Open the Settings app and tap Safari -> Advanced -> Website Data. Next, tap Remove All Website Data and Remove when the confirmation pop-up appears on the screen.

What Gets Deleted When I Clear Safari History And Website Data?

When you Clear History and Website Data on an iPhone or iPad, your browsing history, cookies (small files saved into your web browser containing information about your visit to a specific website), and all other saved web browsing data will be erased from your iPad.

How To Clear Chrome Browser History On iPhone & iPad

Begin by opening the Chrome app on your iPhone or iPad and tapping the three vertical dots to the right of the address bar.

Next, tap History -> Clear Browsing Data…

clear browsing data ipad chrome

Then, tap Clear Browsing Data… in the lower left-hand corner of the menu that appears. Now, you’ll see five types of browsing data you can delete:

  1. Browsing History: A history of all the websites you’ve visited on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Cookies, Site Data: Small files that websites store in your browser
  3. Cached Images and Files: Images and files that your website keeps a static version of so a page will load faster next time you visit it
  4. Saved Passwords: Your account password that are saved in your iPhone’s or iPad’s Chrome browser
  5. Autofill Data: Information that automatically gets filled into online forms (Name, email address, etc.)

To delete Chrome history on your iPhone or iPad, just make sure there’s a small checkmark to the right of Browsing History.

If you want a completely fresh start on your Chrome browser (maybe you’re gifting your iPhone or iPad to someone), you probably want to check off all of the options. To check an option, simply tap on it.

Finally, tap Clear Browsing Data to clear browsing history on your iPhone or iPad. A pop-up will appear and ask you to confirm your decision by tapping Clear Browsing Data.

clear chrome browsing data iphone ipad

A pop-up will appear to let you know that the browser has been cleared. Click Done in the upper right-hand corner of the screen to close out of the menu.

Will Browser History Be Saved If I Use A Private Browsing Window?

No, if you using a private browsing window, a history of the websites you visit and other website data will not be saved on your iPhone or iPad. So, if you don’t want to go to the trouble of clearing your iPhone or iPad browser history regularly, use the internet in a private browser.

How To Open A Private Browsing Window In Safari On iPhone & iPad

  1. Open the Safari app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap the tab switcher button in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.
  3. Tap Private in the lower left-hand corner of the screen. You are now in Private Browsing Mode!
  4. Tap the plus button at the center of the bottom of the screen to start surfing the web.

enter private browser safari iphone ipad

How To Open A Private Browsing Window In Chrome On iPhone & iPad

  1. Open the Chrome app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap the three vertical dots in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
  3. Tap New Incognito Tab. You’re now in a private browsing window and you can start surfing the web!

open private browsing window chrome iphone ipad

Browser History: Cleared!

You’ve successfully cleared the browser history on your iPhone or iPad! Now no one who borrows your iPad will ever know what you were up to. Do you prefer Safari or Chrome? Leave me a comment down below.

Thanks for reading,
David L.

About Author

David Lynch is an expert on cell phones, cell phone plans, and other tech. After using a flip phone into his early 20s, he learned the ropes about iPhones and Androids from a former Apple employee. Today, his articles and videos are read and viewed by millions, and he has been cited by major publications including Reader's Digest, Wired, CMSWire, Consumers Advocate, and more.

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Fred Hazen
5 years ago

I cleared Safari, Chrome and Facebook history and data. Then I opened up Safari and got the same popup ad.

Scott Deter
5 years ago

What about when you can’t click the three dots in chrome app when using it on Iphone due to the damn popup?!