How to clear your internet traces (history, cookies, cache)

Nicolas, Mar 10, 2026

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Every time you browse the internet, your browser records an impressive amount of information: websites visited, searches performed, files downloaded, passwords entered, form data... Not to mention the cookies placed by websites to track your every move. Whether you want to protect your privacy, regain control of your data or simply clean up your browser, here is the complete guide to clearing all your internet traces.

What traces do you leave on the internet?

Before deleting them, it is useful to understand what types of data your browser collects without your knowledge:

• Browsing history: the list of all websites you have visited, with date and time
• Cookies: small files placed by websites on your device to remember your preferences, login session or track you for advertising purposes
• Cache: local copies of visited web pages (images, scripts, styles) to speed up loading on subsequent visits
• Form data: information entered in search fields, contact forms, delivery addresses...
• Saved passwords: usernames and passwords remembered by your browser
• Session data: information that keeps your connection active on websites

Key takeaway: deleting your browsing history does not remove the traces you leave with your internet service provider (ISP), on the servers of visited websites or with search engines. It is a necessary but not sufficient step for total privacy.

How to clear your traces on the main browsers?

Google Chrome

To clear your browsing data on Chrome:

• Click the three dots in the top right → Settings
• Go to Privacy and security → Clear browsing data
• Select the desired time range (last hour, 24h, 7 days, 4 weeks, or all time)
• Check the items to delete: history, cookies, cache
• Click Clear data
• Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Windows) / Cmd + Shift + Delete (Mac)

Mozilla Firefox

• Click the hamburger menu (three lines) → Settings
• Go to Privacy and Security → Cookies and Site Data → Clear Data
• For history: History → Clear Recent History
• Shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + Delete

Safari (Mac / iPhone)

• On Mac: Safari menu → Clear History
• On iPhone: Settings → Safari → Clear History and Website Data
• For cookies only: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data

Microsoft Edge

• Click the three dots → Settings → Privacy, search and services
• Click Choose what to clear under "Clear browsing data"
• Shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + Delete

Comparison: what to clear and where by browser

Is private browsing enough?

Private browsing (or incognito mode) is often misunderstood. It prevents your browser from locally saving history, cookies and cache — but it does not make you anonymous on the internet. Your ISP, your employer (if you use a corporate network), visited websites and search engines can still see your activity.

Good to know: private browsing protects your privacy from other users of your device, not from the internet. For enhanced privacy, you need to combine private browsing, a VPN and a privacy-respecting search engine.

How to go further in clearing your traces?

Use a privacy-respecting search engine

Google records all your searches and links them to your profile. Alternatives like DuckDuckGo, Brave Search or Startpage do not track your searches.

Use a VPN

A VPN (virtual private network) encrypts your internet connection and hides your real IP address, making your browsing much harder to trace for your ISP, advertisers and websites.

Delete your Google data

If you use a Google account, your searches, GPS locations, YouTube history and much more are stored on Google's servers. You can view and delete them at myactivity.google.com.

Use the Brave browser

Brave is a privacy-focused browser that automatically blocks ads and trackers, with no additional extensions needed. It even offers browsing via the Tor network for enhanced anonymity.

Manage app permissions

On mobile, regularly check the permissions granted to your apps: access to location, contacts, microphone, camera... Limit them to the strict minimum.

Clearing your traces on social media

Browsers are not the only ones collecting your data. Social networks keep a detailed history of your activity:

• Facebook: Settings → Your Facebook Activity → Manage Your Activity
• Google/YouTube: myactivity.google.com → Delete activity
• Twitter/X: Settings → Privacy and safety → Data and privacy
• Instagram: Settings → Security → Access Data

Tools to clear your traces automatically

Clearing your traces is not enough: adopt the right habits

Regularly clearing your history, cookies and cache is a good habit, but it is only the first step in protecting your online privacy. To go further, combine these actions with a VPN, a privacy-respecting search engine and a privacy-focused browser.

The protection of your personal data is a fundamental right. Take control of your digital traces today — a few minutes is all it takes to clean your browser and significantly reduce your exposure to trackers and advertisers.

Good to know: for maximum privacy, no single solution is enough. The combination of private browsing + VPN + non-tracking search engine + regular deletion of local data is the most effective approach to limiting your internet traces.