Everything is stored
All the web pages you visit and all your online activity are stored on your computer or smartphone. If you don't want others to have access to this information, you must clear your browsing history yourself. Here is an explanation of how you can browse anonymously and how to clear your internet history.
Surf anonymously
To avoid leaving any traces of the websites you visit, you can surf anonymously, i.e. incognito. Incognito mode prevents your browser from storing data about your surfing. Some browsers call this private browsing.
When you browse incognito, your computer or smartphone will not save:
- Your searches
- The pages you visit
- Your login details
- Cookies.
Here is how to browse without leaving traces on a computer
For private browsing or incognito mode on a computer, always start in a new web window. How you do this depends on which browser you have.
Firefox
This mode is called private browsing. Press the shortcut Ctrl + Shift + P or click on the Firefox menu (three lines) in the upper right corner of the browser, select "New Private Window" from the program menu.
Google Chrome
This mode is called incognito mode. Press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + N or click on the menu icon (three dots) in the upper right corner of the browser and select "New incognito window".
Microsoft Edge
This mode is called InPrivate. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner of the browser ("Settings and more"), then click on "New InPrivate window". Or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+N.
Internet Explorer
The mode is called InPrivate. Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + P or select "InPrivate Browsing" from the Tools menu (or the gear icon) to open a private window.
How to browse without leaving traces on a mobile device
You can enable private browsing whether you have an Iphone or an Android. |
Iphone and Ipad
How you do this depends on which Iphone or Ipad you have. Click on the links and read the instructions: |
Android
Click on the link and read the instructions on how to open and close incognito mode:
Clear your browsing history on a computer
Go to a neutral page before choosing to clear the cache. If you choose to clear all traces, keep in mind that if someone else uses the same computer, their history will also be deleted. It may therefore be wise to clear only your own history.
Not completely secure
Clearing your history is not completely secure. A computer-savvy user can track deleted information on a computer if they know how to do so. Therefore, it may be a good idea to surf anonymously, as no web history will be saved.
Clear your browser
Here is how to clear your tracks in different browsers.
Firefox
Clear everything
Press the menu button, which looks like three lines in the upper right corner of the browser. Select "History" and click "Clear recent history."
In the "Clear Recent History" menu, a drop-down list will appear where you can select "Time range to clear." Select "Clear everything." Please note that this will delete everything and you will not be able to recover the information you have deleted.
Select what you want to clear
In "Time range to clear," you can also choose to delete history for a specific time period, from the last hour to the last day you browsed. If you want to choose what to delete, click on "Details" and check one or more of the boxes.
Never save
To avoid saving any information when you browse, go to the menu and select "Settings." Select "Privacy and security" and go to the "History" section. In the "History/Firefox will:" menu, select the option "Never remember history."
If you do not want the browser to suggest web addresses when you start typing in the address bar, go to “Settings,” select “Search” and under the "Address Bar — Firefox Suggest" section, uncheck the boxes for the specific suggestions you want to disable."
Safari
Clear everything
In the Safari menu, in the upper left corner of the screen, click on "Safari" and "Clear History." In the window that appears, you can select the time interval you want to clear, from the last hour to all history. Once you have made your selection, click "Clear History". Please note that this will delete everything for the time interval you have selected and that you will not be able to recover the information you have deleted.
In the Safari menu, you can also select "Preferences." In the window that appears, go to the "General" tab and set the "Remove items from history:" menu to "After one day." The history will then not be cleared immediately, but automatically at the end of each day.
Select what you want to clear
If you want to choose what to delete, go to the menu bar and select "History" instead of clicking on "Safari". Click on "Show History". You will now see which pages are saved in your history. Delete information about one or more pages you have visited by selecting the line you want to delete, right-clicking, and selecting "Delete." You can also click "Delete" on your keyboard.
Chrome
Clear everything
Click on the symbol that looks like a menu with three dots in the upper right corner of the browser. Select "Settings." On the page that appears, go to the "Privacy and security" heading (in the left menu) and select "Delete browsing data."
A box will now appear. Select the time range. You can choose to delete history from “last hour” to “all time”. Then check the box to delete everything. Click "Delete data." Please note that this will delete everything within the time range you have selected and that you cannot recover the information you have deleted.
Select what you want to clear
You can also choose which information you want to delete by selecting the Advanced tab and checking one or more of the checkboxes. Select a specific time interval and click "Delete data" to delete the selected data within the selected time interval.
Never save
To ensure that no information is saved, go to "Settings" and the "Privacy and security" section. Select "Site settings" and Third-party cookies. Click the "Block third-party cookies" button. Click “Site settings” again and "Notifications", click "Don’t allow sites to send notifications" so that no website displays notifications on your desktop without permission.
Microsoft Edge
Clear everything or select what you want to clear
Press the menu button with three dots ("Settings and more"). Click on "Settings" and then on "Privacy, search and services" in the left-hand menu. Click on "Clear browsing data". Click on the interval you want to select and tick what you want to clear. Then click on the "Clear now" button.
Never save
To avoid saving any information when you browse, you can select "All time" in the time interval. This means that the data you have checked will never be saved when you browse.
Internet Explorer 9, 10 and 11
Clear everything
To delete all private information, click on the cogwheel icon in the top right corner of the browser. Select "Internet Options." Click on the "General" tab. Click on "Delete..." If you want to get rid of all traces of your browsing, check all the boxes and click on "Delete." Please note that this will delete everything and you will not be able to recover the information you have deleted.
Select what you want to clear
If you want to choose what to delete, check one or more of the boxes. You can then delete temporary files, cookies, previously visited sites, form data, or passwords.
Never save
To prevent pages from being saved while you browse, click "Settings" in the "General" tab. In the "History" field under " ," enter 0 in the "Number of days to keep pages in history " field. To prevent passwords and web addresses from being saved, click on the cogwheel, select "Internet options" and then the "Content" tab. Where it says "Autocomplete", click on the "Settings" button. Remove the check marks in the boxes.
Clearing web history on a smartphone
How you clear your web history on your smartphone or other mobile phone depends on the model you have. In addition to clearing your tracks on your mobile phone, clearing your history also frees up more disk space and improves performance.
Iphone, Ipad, Ipod touch
Read about how to delete history, cookies, and cache memory for Iphone, Ipad, and Ipod touch.
Android
Learn how to clear history and browse privately on an Android phone or tablet.