How to Delete History on Your Computer

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This wikiHow teaches you how to delete your computer's file history, which includes things like recently viewed files and search suggestions. You can do this on both Windows and Mac computers. To clear web-based history, you'll need to delete your browsing history from within your browser's settings.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Deleting Search History on Windows

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  1. It's on the left side of the taskbar, just right of the Windows logo. Doing so prompts the Cortana window to open.
    • If you don't have this option: right-click the taskbar, select Cortana , and click Show search box .
  2. It's on the left side of the Cortana window. This will open Cortana's settings in the window.
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  3. It's below the "My device history" heading. Doing so clears your on-device search history.
  4. This link is below the "My search history" heading. Clicking this link opens a Bing page with all of your searches listed in chronological order.
    • If you aren't connected to the Internet, you won't be able to access this page.
  5. This heading is toward the top of the Bing page. A menu will appear beneath it.
  6. It's in the "Clear search history" section of the menu.
  7. Doing so will clear Cortana's search history entirely, both locally and online.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Deleting File History on Windows

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  1. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
    • You can also press the ⊞ Win key on your computer's keyboard.
  2. Click the folder-shaped icon in the lower-left corner of the Start window.
  3. It's a tab in the top-left side of the File Explorer window. A menu will appear below the View tab.
  4. It's a box-shaped icon on the far-right side of the View menu.
  5. It's in the upper-left corner of the Folder Options window.
  6. This option is in the "Privacy" section toward the bottom of the window. Doing so will remove your recent searches from the File Explorer.
    • If you pinned any folders or files to the File Explorer, they won't be cleared.
  7. Uncheck both the Show recently used files in Quick Access and Show recently used folders in Quick Access boxes in the "Privacy" section. While optional, doing this will prevent searched items from appearing in the File Explorer search bar.
  8. It's at the bottom of the Folder Options window. Your File Explorer history should now be clear.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Deleting File and App History on Mac

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  1. Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen.
  2. It's near the top of the Apple drop-down menu. A pop-out menu with a list of your recently opened apps and files will appear.
  3. This option is at the bottom of the pop-out list. Doing so will clear the pop-out menu's contents.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Deleting Folder History on Mac

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  1. It's a blue, face-like app in your Mac's Dock.
    • You can also just click your desktop.
  2. This menu item is on the left half of your Mac's menu bar, which is at the top of the screen. Clicking Go prompts a drop-down menu.
  3. It's at the bottom of the Go drop-down menu. A pop-out window will appear to the right of Recent Files with a list of your recently opened folders.
  4. You'll see this button at the bottom of the pop-out menu. This will clear the list of recently visited folders.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Do you have to delete your browser history?
    Luigi Oppido
    Computer & Tech Specialist
    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.
    Luigi Oppido
    Computer & Tech Specialist
    Expert Answer
    Not at all—it's all personal preference. Deleting your browser history can be good when you're using a public computer (or a device that isn't yours, like a friend's computer) so no one knows what you were doing. Still, your browser history is no big deal on your personal computer since it doesn't take up a lot of space.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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    Yes No
    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 1
  • Question
    How can a user know what I watched?
    Community Answer
    They can't if you clear your history.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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    Not Helpful 4 Helpful 7
  • Question
    How do you clear just a single search term you have used in the past?
    Community Answer
    If you are using Google Chrome, press the three dots in the top left corner and open the history tab, then select the searches you want to be deleted and press delete.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      • You can download a file manager like TinkerTool System to manage all of your recent items on Mac.
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