Clear the history, cache, and cookies from Safari on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (2024)

Learn how to delete your history, cookies, and cache in Settings.

  • Delete history, cache, and cookies

  • Clear cookies and cache, but keep your history

  • Delete a website from your history

  • Block cookies

  • Use content blockers

Delete history, cache, and cookies

  1. Go to Settings > Safari.

  2. Tap Clear History and Website Data.

    Clear the history, cache, and cookies from Safari on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (1)

Clearing your history, cookies, and browsing data from Safari won't change your AutoFill information.

When there's no history or website data to clear, the button to clear it turns gray. The button might also be gray if you have web content restrictions set up under Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time.

To visit sites without leaving a history, turn Private Browsing on.

Clear cookies and cache, but keep your history

  1. Go to Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data.

  2. Tap Remove All Website Data.

When there's no website data to clear, the button to clear it turns gray. The button might also be gray if you have web content restrictions set up under Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time.

Delete a website from your history

  1. Open the Safari app.

  2. Tap the Show Bookmarks buttonClear the history, cache, and cookies from Safari on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (2) , then tap the History buttonClear the history, cache, and cookies from Safari on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (3) .

  3. Tap the Edit button, then select the website or websites that you want to delete from your history.

  4. Tap the Delete button.

Block cookies

A cookie is a piece of data that a site puts on your device so that site can remember you when you visit again.

To block cookies:

  1. Go to Settings > Safari > Advanced.

  2. Turn on Block All Cookies.

    Clear the history, cache, and cookies from Safari on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (4)

If you block cookies, some web pages might not work. Here are some examples:

  • You will likely not be able to sign in to a site even when using your correct username and password.

  • You might see a message that cookies are required or that your browser's cookies are off.

  • Some features on a site might not work.

Use content blockers

Content blockers are third-party apps and extensions that let Safari block cookies, images, resources, pop-ups, and other content.

To get a content blocker:

  1. Download a content blocking app from the App Store.

  2. Tap Settings > Safari > Extensions.

  3. Tap to turn on a listed content blocker.

You can use more than one content blocker. If you need help, contact the app developer.

Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsem*nt. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Contact the vendor for additional information.

Published Date:

Clear the history, cache, and cookies from Safari on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (2024)

FAQs

Clear the history, cache, and cookies from Safari on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support? ›

The most likely reason that you're unable to clear your Safari history is that there is no history left to clear. However, if you're having issues, look at basic things, such as restarting your Apple device or ensuring that Screen Time restrictions are not preventing you from clearing your history.

How do I clear my cache cookies and history on my iPhone? ›

Apple iOS (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad)
  1. From the home screen, tap Settings, and then tap Safari.
  2. At the bottom of Safari's settings screen, tap the buttons for Clear Cookies and Clear Cache. To. confirm, tap Clear Cookies or Clear Cache again.

How do I clear cookies and cache history in Safari? ›

In the Safari browser:
  1. Click on the Safari menu in the top left hand corner next to the Apple symbol.
  2. Click on Settings...
  3. A new dialogue box will open.
  4. Click Privacy.
  5. Click on the Manage Website Data button.
  6. To remove any cached data and cookies from your computer, click Remove all.
  7. A new dialogue box will open.

How do I clear my Safari history on my iPhone? ›

Delete history, cache, and cookies
  1. Go to Settings > Safari.
  2. Tap Clear History and Website Data.
Nov 28, 2023

How to clear the cache in Safari on iPhone? ›

To clear cache and cookies:
  1. From the home screen, Select Settings > Safari.
  2. At the bottom of Safari's settings screen, Select Clear cookies and data or Clear Cookies and Clear Cache.
  3. Confirm when prompted.

How do I empty the cache on my iPhone? ›

Clear your cache and cookies on iPhone
  1. Open the Safari app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap , tap. , then tap Clear.
  3. Below Clear Timeframe, choose how much of your browsing history to clear. Note: If you have Safari profiles set up, select a profile to clear only the history of that profile, or select All Profiles.
  4. Tap Clear History.

Why can't I clear my history on Safari iPad? ›

The most likely reason that you're unable to clear your Safari history is that there is no history left to clear. However, if you're having issues, look at basic things, such as restarting your Apple device or ensuring that Screen Time restrictions are not preventing you from clearing your history.

How do I clear cache and cookie history? ›

In Chrome
  1. On your computer, open Chrome .
  2. At the top right, click More. Clear browsing data.
  3. Choose a time range, like Last hour or All time.
  4. Select the types of information you want to remove.
  5. Click Clear data.

How do I erase my history? ›

Manage Search history saved to your Google Account
  1. All your Search history: Above your history, tap Delete. Delete all time.
  2. A specific time period: Above your history, tap Delete. ...
  3. A specific day: Next to the day, tap Delete all activity from [day] .
  4. A specific activity: Next to the activity, tap Delete activity item .

Is it better to delete or clear history? ›

Your web history is a record of all the websites you visit. All browsers log your history, and while it's helpful, you could run into potential speed and privacy problems if you never delete your browsing history.

Does clearing history Safari really clear history? ›

When you clear your history, Safari removes data it saves as a result of your browsing, including: History of webpages you visited. The back and forward list for open webpages. Top Sites that aren't marked as permanent.

Should you clear browsing history on an iPhone? ›

If a person is at risk of technology facilitated abuse, they should clear the browser history after each web session where logins were used, and sessions when they visited websites they don't want a perpetrator to see. They should be careful not to alert a perpetrator by over-using this.

How to clear cache and cookies on Safari iPad? ›

Open the Settings app, then select Safari. Scroll down, then select Clear History and Website Data. Tap Clear History and Data to confirm.

How do I hard empty my Safari cache? ›

To enable the clearing of cache and hard reloading in Safari for Mac, use the shortcut combination Shift+Command+R on the Safari Web Inspector. To force clear a single page's cache, click on the Reload option on the browser while holding the shift key in the address or search bar.

Should I clear my Safari cache? ›

Maximize Speed and Performance

For those of you who do spend a lot of time online for work or surfing the web, your cache will build up even faster. This can affect the speed and performance of your computer. Clearing the Safari browser cache frees up some space and may help speed things back up again.

How do I clear my iPhone cache without deleting apps? ›

In “Settings,” scroll down to the list of installed apps. Tap the one you want and search its settings for a clear-cache feature. If you can clear the cache directly, return to your home screen and restart the app. The app will rebuild its cache with fresh data as you use it.

How do I delete the cache in my iPhone? ›

How to clear your iPhone cache in Safari
  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Select Safari from the list of apps.
  3. Go to Clear History and Website Data.
  4. Choose Clear History and Data in the pop-up box.
  5. Read more:Best iPhone in 2024: Which Apple Phone Should You Buy?
  6. Open the Chrome app.
Jun 1, 2024

How to clear cache and cookies? ›

Using Internet Explorer, Edge, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox, you can quickly clear your cache with a keyboard shortcut. While using your browser, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete simultaneously on the keyboard to open the appropriate window. Remember to close the browser and restart it after clearing the cache and cookies.

How do I force delete history in Safari? ›

Android
  1. Go to Settings and choose Apps or Application Manager.
  2. Swipe to the All tab.
  3. In the list of installed apps, find and select your web browser. Select Clear Data, and then Clear Cache.
  4. Exit/quit all browser windows and re-open the browser.
Apr 30, 2024

How to clear memory on iPhone? ›

Press and hold the power button (on the side or the top) until the power-off slider shows up on the screen. Release the power button. When you press and hold the Home button, your iPhone will turn off and on again. In the process, it will clear the RAM, freeing up space on your phone.

Should I clear cookies on my phone? ›

Cookies won't harm your device—they aren't malware and can't affect how your computer runs. But cookies stay on your phone unless you clear them. Clearing cookies frees up storage space on your Android phone and can protect your privacy, so those kettlebell ads will stop following you.

How to clear data app in iPhone? ›

You can go to the Settings app, scroll down to locate the App Store option. Tap it and then choose Personalised Recommendations. Tap on Clear App Usage Data and then tap it again to confirm that.

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