How to clear browsing history on exit

Updated: 07/31/2022 by Computer Hope
Internet browsers

Clearing browser history on exit is ideal for public computers. It helps prevent users from accessing private data, like usernames, passwords, and other sensitive information entered by the person who previously used the computer.

Although this may help protect your privacy, please note that it slightly slows down your overall Internet experience because clearing history also deletes cached files and cookies.

Tip

If you're using a public computer, you may also open an incognito or InPrivate window to keep your browsing history anonymous. For further details, see this page: How to set a browser to Incognito or private mode.

Select your browser in the list below and follow the steps to make your Internet browser automatically delete the history recorded during your current session each time it's closed.

Note

Unfortunately, Google Chrome, Safari, and Opera DO NOT currently support this feature. If you want your history cleared when you exit, you must choose a different browser. For steps on manually deleting history data in many major browsers, see our history page for a list of links.

Mozilla Firefox

Firefox logo
  1. Open the Mozilla Firefox browser.
  2. Click the menu icon in the upper-right corner of the browser window.
  3. Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
  4. In the new 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 down arrow on the right side of the box next to the Firefox will entry.

Firefox will selector in History.

  1. Select Use custom settings for history from the drop-down menu.
  2. Check the box next to Clear history when Firefox closes.

Clear history on exit checkbox in Firefox.

  1. For further customization, click the Settings button in Firefox. button. In that menu, you may choose specific history items to clear upon exit.

Settings for clearing history in Firefox.

  1. When you're finished, close the Settings tab.

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge logo
  1. Open the Microsoft Edge browser.
  2. Click the Settings and more icon in the upper-right corner of the browser window.
  3. In the drop-down menu, near the bottom, select Settings.

Settings selector in Edge

  1. Under the Settings section on the left, click Privacy, search, and services.

Site permissions selector

  1. In the Clear browsing data section, click the arrow to the right of Choose what to clear every time you close the browser.

Choose what to clear when you exit Edge

  1. Click the toggle switch next to Browsing history to be in the on Toggle switched to the on position in Edge. position.

Clear history on close.

  1. Now your browser history is cleared each time you close Edge.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer logo
  1. Open the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser.
  2. Click Tools in the upper-right corner.
  3. Select Internet options from the drop-down menu.

Internet options selector

  1. In the Internet Options window, make sure the General tab is selected.
  2. In the Browsing history section, check the box next to Delete browsing history on exit (A). Click Apply (B), then click OK (C).

Delete browsing history on exit

  1. Now your browser history is cleared each time you close Internet Explorer.