How to Delete Browsing History in Safari Mac?

Safari is the default browser app comes with macOS. Though the browser works faster in a new Mac, you will find it become slow over period. Unfortunately, you can’t uninstall this app from Mac neither reset to factory settings easily like other browsers. Therefore, deleting all browsing history is one of the options that could help to fix many browser problems. In addition, you may also want to keep your privacy by deleting all stored data in Safari browser.

Delete Browsing History in Safari Mac

There are different ways to delete the browsing history in Safari, depending upon your need. You can either delete a single site from history or clean up the entire data. Remember, the websites will open slowly at first time after deleting browsing history in browser. However, it will speed up subsequently when you browse through different pages on the site.

1. Clear All History

The first option is to completely get rid of all stored website data in Safari browser.

• Launch Safari browser and go to “Safari > Clear History” menu.
• Alternatively, go to “History > Clean History” menu.

• On the pop-up that appears, click on the dropdown against “Clear” option.
• It will show you a list of options to select the time frame – you can delete history for last hour, today, today and yesterday and all history.
• Select “all history” option to delete complete browsing history in Safari.
• Click on “Clear History” button.

This will delete browsing history data from all your devices signed with same iCloud account. For example, if you have an iPhone and Mac signed with same iCloud account, deleting browsing history on your Mac will also delete the browsing history on your iPhone. That’s being said, you can delete the browsing history in Mac using your iPhone also.

• Tap on “Settings” app in your iPhone or iPad.
• Find “Safari” app and tap on it to open the relevant settings.
• Scroll down and tap on “Clear History and Website Data” option.
• Tap on “Clear History and Data” on the pop-up that appears.
• This will delete the browsing history across all your devices and delete cookies only on your iPhone.

You can use this option when you are away from your Mac and want to delete the browsing history urgently.

2. Delete Individual History

Instead of deleting the complete history for a specified time frame, you can also choose to delete any specific website from history.

• When you are in Safari browser, press “Command + Y” shortcuts. Alternatively, go to “History > Show All History” menu item.
• Now, you will see the complete details of your browsing history including history from all your devices.
• The history is arranged date wise with the total number of items.

• From here, you can browse through and delete a history for a specific day, or a particular item or the entire history. You can also use the search box to find the site that you want to delete from the history.
• When you find the entry, just right click on it and select “Delete” option.

• The selected entry will be instantly deleted from your history.

3. Automatically Delete Safari History in Mac

Whether you delete a single website or the entire history, doing it manually every time is a time consuming task. Sometimes you may also forget to delete the history that could slow down your browser or show the private site from history in your new tab page. The best option is to setup a periodic interval for deleting your history to avoid such hassles.

• When you are in Safari, press “Command + ,” keys or go to “Safari > Preferences…” menu.
• Go to “General” tab and click on the dropdown against “Remove history items” option.

• You can select one of the options from the list – After one day, After one week, After two weeks, After one month or After one year.

• For example, you can select “After one day” which will automatically delete Safari history after each day.

4. Delete Items from Start Page

Safari by default opens a Start Page when you launch the browser as well as open a new tab page. This Start Page will show “Favorites” and “Tops Sites” that could affect your privacy when unwanted sites are showing in the list.

Though clearing all browsing history could help, you can either remove individual sites from Start Page or disable the Start Page completely.

• Simply right click on and item under “Favorites” or Top Sites” list.
• Select “Delete” option to remove the item from the list.
• The delete site will be removed from the history and will not appear in the Start Page again.

Alternatively, you can disable the Start Page and open an empty page instead. This will help you in case if you forget to delete the history.

• Press “Command + ,” keys and open Safari preferences section.
• Under “General” tab select “Empty Page” for “New windows open with” and “New tabs open with” options.
• Next, select “A new window” for “Safari opens with” option.
• Combined with these options, Safari will open a new empty page when launching a new window or when you open a new tab page.

5. Deleting AutoFill History

Other than website data, you can delete stored AutoFill items in Safari preferences section. Go to “AutoFill” tab and click on “Edit” button against each option to delete usernames, passwords, cards, contacts and other auto fill details from Safari.

6. Delete Cookies in Safari

When you notice slow response or a particular website is not opening, the best option is to delete the cookies as corrupted cookies can result in weird behavior. Go to “Privacy” tab in Safari preferences section and click on “Manage Website Data…” button against “Cookies and website data” option. You can view all stored cookies in Safari and delete them if not required.

7. Delete Cache in Safari

Deleting cache is an advanced option in Safari browser. go to “Advanced” tab in Safari preferences and enable develop menu. Now, click on the “Develop” menu and select “Empty caches” or press “Option + Command + E” keys to delete stored cached data in Safari.

Final Words

In other browsers like Chrome and Edge, you can press “Control + Shift + Delete” in Windows and “Command + Shift + Delete” in Mac to open the delete browsing history pop-up. You can then select browsing data, passwords, cached content, downloads, cookies, autofill data, stored site settings and delete them with single click. Unfortunately, deleting browsing history is a lengthy process in Safari Mac and you have to navigate through different sections as explained above to completely get rid of all stored content.