8 Quick Ways to Delete Your Usage History Tracks in Windows

Remove your computer activity history on a PC

If you want to delete your usage history on Windows, there are a few places you'll need to check. You can clear your Start search history, app history, File Explorer history, and your internet browsing history. This wikiHow will teach you how to delete your usage history tracks in Windows 10 and 11.

Quick Steps

  1. Click Start .
  2. Click Settings .
  3. Click Privacy & security .
  4. Click Activity history .
  5. Toggle off Store my activity history on this device .
Method 1
Method 1 of 8:

Activity History (Windows 11)

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  1. 1
    Open Settings. Click the Start menu and select the cog icon. A new window will open.
  2. 2
    Click Privacy & security . You can find this in the left panel.
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  3. 3
    Click Activity history . This is under the Windows permissions header.
  4. 4
    Toggle off "Store my activity history on this device". The switch will turn grey.
    • This will prevent Windows from storing your activity history, such as app and services usage and browsed websites.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 8:

Activity History (Windows 10)

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  1. 1
    Open Settings. Click the Start menu and select the cog icon. A new window will open.
  2. 2
    Click Privacy . This is towards the bottom of the screen.
  3. 3
    Click Activity history . This is in the left panel, under the Windows permissions header.
  4. 4
    Uncheck "Store my activity history on this device". This will prevent Windows from storing your activity history, such as app and services usage and browsed websites.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 8:

App Usage History

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  1. The taskbar is the bar at the bottom of the screen. Doing so invokes a pop-up menu.
  2. It's near the bottom of the pop-up menu.
    • Alternatively, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager .
  3. This tab is at the top of the Task Manager window.
  4. It's a link near the top of the window. Doing so will reset the usage clock for each app on your computer to zero.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 8:

File Explorer History

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  1. Open File Explorer . Click the File Explorer app icon, which resembles a folder, in the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.
    • You can also click Start , type in "file explorer", and click File Explorer at the top of the Start window.
  2. This tab is in the top-left section of the File Explorer window. You should see a toolbar appear at the top of File Explorer.
  3. It's a box-shaped icon in the upper-right side of the File Explorer window. Doing so opens the Folder Options window.
    • If clicking Options prompts a drop-down menu, click Change folder and search options in the drop-down menu before you proceed.
  4. You'll see this option in the upper-left corner of the Folder Options window.
  5. It's 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. You can remove a pinned folder or file by right-clicking it and then clicking Unpin from Quick access .
  6. To do so, uncheck both the "Show recently used files in Quick Access" and "Show recently used folders in Quick Access" boxes in the "Privacy" section. Doing so will prevent future searches from appearing in the File Explorer.
  7. It's at the bottom of the Folder Options window. Your File Explorer history should now be clear.
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Method 5
Method 5 of 8:

Start Search History

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  1. 1
    Click the Start menu. This is the Windows logo.
  2. 2
    Type "search history". Results will load as you type.
  3. 3
    Click Clear my device search history . On Windows 10, this will be Change Search history settings . [1]
    • A new window will open.
  4. 4
    Click Clear device search history . You may need to scroll down to find this option.
    • Your search history will be deleted.
    • If you don't want to save your search history, click the switch to toggle off Search history on this device .
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Method 6
Method 6 of 8:

Internet History (Chrome)

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  1. Click or double-click the Chrome app icon, which resembles a red, green, yellow, and blue sphere.
  2. 2
    Click â‹® . This icon is in the top-right corner of the Chrome window. Clicking it will prompt a drop-down menu.
  3. 3
    Click History , and then History again. A new window will open.
  4. 4
    Click Delete browsing data . This is in the left panel.
  5. 5
    Select the data you want to delete. You can select or deselect download history, cookies, cache, passwords, and more.
    • If you want to delete history from a certain time frame, click the Time range drop-down menu and select an option.
  6. 6
    Click Delete data . Your Chrome history will be deleted.
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Method 7
Method 7 of 8:

Internet History (Firefox)

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  1. 1
    Open Firefox. Click or double-click the Firefox app, which resembles a globe with an orange fox wrapped around it.
  2. 2
    Click ☰ . It's in the top-right corner of the page. A drop-down menu will appear.
  3. 3
    Click History . More options will open.
  4. 4
    Click Clear recent history… . A new window will open.
  5. 5
    Select the data you want to delete. You can select or deselect download history, cookies, cache, site settings, and more.
    • If you want to delete history from a certain time frame, click the When drop-down menu and select an option.
  6. 6
    Click Clear . Your Firefox history will be deleted.
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Method 8
Method 8 of 8:

Internet History (Edge)

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  1. 1
    Open Microsoft Edge. Click the Microsoft Edge app icon, which resembles a blue-green swirled e .
  2. 2
    Click ⋯ . This option is in the top-right corner of the Edge window. Clicking it prompts a drop-down menu.
  3. 3
    Click History . A new menu will open.
  4. 4
    Click the trash can icon. A new page will open.
  5. 5
    Select the data you want to delete. You can select or deselect download history, cookies, cache, site settings, and more.
    • If you want to delete history from a certain time frame, click the Time range drop-down menu and select an option.
  6. 6
    Click Clear now . Your Microsoft Edge history will be deleted.
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  • Question
    Where is the taskbar?
    Community Answer
    The taskbar is usually by default at the bottom of your screen, although the taskbar could be on any one side of your desktop.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/turn-search-history-off-or-on-b0f77f8c-5235-4bea-93a7-c93733329979

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