How to delete autocomplete history

Updated: 03/10/2024 by Computer Hope
Autocomplete in a search box

Autocomplete is a default feature of many web browsers that attempts to anticipate what you are typing and suggests how to complete it. If you press Enter, the application automatically completes your typing with the remainder of the suggested text.

For example, if you type goog in your browser's address bar, the browser may suggest google.com by displaying the letters you haven't typed yet. If you press Enter, the browser goes to that website.

To delete your autocomplete history items, select your browser from the list below, and follow the instructions.

Chrome logo

Google Chrome

Google Chrome's autocomplete feature suggests sites and words/phrases based on web pages you've previously visited and past search queries. To delete autocomplete entries for individual web pages or search queries that you've typed in previously, follow the steps below.

Tip

To clear all suggestions for web addresses, see: How to clear the address bar history.

Note

While similar, autocomplete and autofill are not the same thing. Autocomplete is for web address history and search queries that were typed into a search or address bar. Autofill is a browser tool that populates forms automatically with data, such as saved credit card information or a shipping address. To clear your autofill data, see: How to add, change, or clear autofill data.

Deleting unwanted entries one at a time

  1. Open Google Chrome.
  2. Locate the field where the unwanted item is being autocompleted. This field can be any search box or the address bar.
  3. Start typing the unwanted phrase or web address, or press the down arrow key until it is highlighted.

Selected AutoComplete entry in Chrome

  1. Press Delete. If the entry is not removed, press Shift+Del.
Firefox logo

Mozilla Firefox

Firefox's autocomplete feature suggests sites and words/phrases based on the web pages you've previously visited and past search queries. The following sections show you how to delete specific search entries or suggested websites one at a time, or clear all the autocomplete data at once.

Note

While similar, autocomplete and autofill are not the same thing. Autocomplete is for web address history and search queries that were typed into a search or address bar. Autofill is a browser tool that populates forms automatically with data, such as saved credit card information or a shipping address. To clear your autofill data, see: How to add, change, or clear autofill data.

Deleting unwanted entries one at a time

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox.
  2. Locate the field where the unwanted item is being autocompleted. This field can be any search box or the address bar.
  3. Start typing the unwanted phrase or web address, or press the down arrow key until it is highlighted.

Selected AutoComplete entry in Chrome

  1. Press Delete. If the entry is not removed, press Shift+Del.

How to delete all autocomplete history

The steps in this section clear your autocomplete history for all web addresses and search entries.

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox.
  2. Click the menu icon Firefox menu in the upper-right corner of the browser window.
  3. In the drop-down menu, select Settings.
  4. In the window, click the Privacy & Security option in the left navigation pane.

Privacy and security selector.

  1. Scroll down to the History section and click the Clear History... button.

Clear history button in Firefox.

  1. In the prompt, choose a time range to clear (A), check the boxes next to Browsing & Download History and Form & Search History (B), and click OK (C).

Clearing autocomplete history in Firefox.

  1. Your autocomplete data is now erased for the selected time range.
Tip

You can press Ctrl+Shift+Del to directly access the Clear All History window.

Microsoft Edge logo

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge's AutoComplete feature suggests sites and words/phrases based on web pages you've previously visited and past search queries. The following sections show you how to delete specific search entries or suggested websites one at a time, or clear all of the autocomplete data at once.

Note

While similar, autocomplete and autofill are not the same thing. Autocomplete is for web address history and search queries that were typed into a search or address bar. Autofill is a browser tool that populates forms automatically with data such as saved credit card information or a shipping address. To clear your autofill data, see this page: How to add, change, or clear autofill data.

Deleting unwanted entries one at a time

  1. Open Microsoft Edge.
  2. Locate the field where the unwanted item is being autocompleted. This field can be any search box or the address bar.
  3. Start typing the unwanted phrase or web address, or press the down arrow key until it is highlighted.

Selected AutoComplete entry in Chrome

  1. Press Delete. If the entry is not removed, press Shift+Del.

How to delete all autocomplete history

To clear all your autocomplete data at the same time, delete your browsing history. To learn how, see: How to clear Edge history.

Note

Some web page suggestions still show after clearing your browser history because, in Edge, they are also tied to your bookmarks. To clear these site suggestions, remove bookmarks. See: How to delete and organize Internet favorites and bookmarks.

Internet Explorer logo

Internet Explorer

Note

While similar, autocomplete and autofill are not the same thing. AutoComplete is for web address history and search queries that were typed into a search or address bar. Autofill is a browser tool that populates forms automatically with data, such as saved credit card information or a shipping address. To clear your autofill data, see: How to add, change, or clear autofill data.

  1. Open Internet Explorer.
  2. Click Tools Internet explorer tools icon in the upper-right corner.
  3. In the menu, click Internet Options.

Internet options selector.

  1. Under the Content tab, in the AutoComplete section, click the Settings button.
  2. In the AutoComplete Settings window, using the checkboxes, select the fields where you want to store autocomplete data.
  3. Once you've made your selections, click the Delete AutoComplete history button.
  4. Check the boxes for areas whose history you'd like to clear, then click Delete.
  5. Click OK twice to exit the two windows.

Internet Explorer - clear AutoComplete data

Safari logo

Safari

Safari's autocomplete feature suggests sites and words/phrases based on the web pages you've previously visited and past search queries. The following sections show you how to delete specific search entries or suggested websites one at a time, or clear all the autocomplete data at once.

Note

While similar, autocomplete and autofill are not the same thing. Autocomplete is for web address history and search queries that were typed into a search or address bar. Autofill is a browser tool that populates forms automatically with data, such as saved credit card information or a shipping address. To clear your autofill data, see: How to add, change, or clear autofill data.

Deleting individual history entries

  1. Open Safari.
  2. In the menu bar at the top of the screen, click History and choose Show All History from the drop-down menu. Or, press the keyboard shortcut Command+Y.

Safari Show All History

  1. In the History window, websites you've visited are listed chronologically by day. Press and hold the control key, and click an entry. In the context menu, select Delete.

Delete one history item

  1. To delete an entire day's history, press and hold the Ctrl key, click the day, and select Delete.

Delete one day's history

How to delete all autocomplete history

  1. Open Safari.
  2. In the menu bar, click Safari menu to open the Safari menu, and select Clear History from the drop-down menu.

Safari menu, Clear All History

  1. In the menu, select All History, then click the Clear History button.

Clear All History

Note

Some web page suggestions still show after clearing your browser history because, in Safari, they are also tied to your bookmarks. To clear these site suggestions, remove the corresponding bookmarks/favorites. See: How to delete and organize Internet favorites and bookmarks.

Opera logo

Opera

Opera's autocomplete feature suggests sites and words/phrases based on web pages you've previously visited and past search queries. The following sections show you how to delete specific search entries or suggested websites one at a time, or clear all the autocomplete data at once.

Note

While similar, autocomplete and autofill are not the same thing. Autocomplete is for web address history and search queries that were typed into a search or address bar. Autofill is a browser tool that populates forms automatically with data, such as saved credit card information or a shipping address. To clear your autofill data, see: How to add, change, or clear autofill data.

Deleting unwanted search field entries one at a time

  1. Open Opera.
  2. Locate the search field where the unwanted item is being autocompleted.
  3. Start typing the unwanted phrase or web address, or press the down arrow key until it is highlighted.

Selected AutoComplete entry in Chrome

  1. Press Delete. If the entry is not removed, press Shift+Del.

Deleting unwanted address bar entries one at a time

  1. Open Opera.
  2. In the upper-left corner of the browser window, click the Opera menu button. icon.
  3. Select History from the drop-down menu.

History selector in Opera.

  1. In the expanded menu, click History.

History selector in Opera.

  1. Move your mouse over the entry you'd like to delete and click the X that appears on the right side.

Remove history entry in Opera.

Clear all autocomplete entries at once

To clear all your autocomplete data at the same time, delete your browsing history. To learn how, see: How to clear Opera history.

Note

Some web page suggestions still show after clearing your browser history because, in Opera, they are also tied to your bookmarks. To clear these site suggestions, remove the corresponding bookmarks. See: How to delete and organize Internet favorites and bookmarks.