Introduction
Search history records all the things you have searched for on your iPhone through its web browsers, apps, Siri, or maps. While it can be helpful for those struggling to remember something they searched for previously, retaining a record of every search may raise privacy concerns for some. Additionally, not having enough space on your device to hold a huge amount of data may lead you to clear your search history and other data.
Unlike other devices, iPhones come with multiple ways to clear search history on your device. In this article, we will provide you with a complete guide on how to clear search history on your iPhone using built-in iOS features, third-party apps, and other ways.
Step-by-Step Guide
Clearing search history on your iPhone is simple and can be done through your device’s settings app or Safari browser as follows:
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Step 2: Select Safari Settings from the list.
Step 3: Click on the “Clear History and Website Data” option
Step 4: A warning message “Clearing will remove history, cookies, and other browsing data” will appear, click on “Clear History and Data”.
It is worth noting that clearing website data will disable auto-login to websites for which you previously saved login credentials. Doing this will require you to enter your login credentials again next time you visit those websites.
For reference purposes and to help with better understandings, we have provided screenshots below:
Video Tutorial
If you are unable to follow the written content or prefer a visual explanation to help clear your search history, then video tutorials may be preferable for you. Here’s a video walkthrough on how to clear search history on your iPhone:
Siri Assistance
Another way to clear search history on your iPhone is by using Siri. The following are some commands that you can say to Siri to clear your search history:
“Hey Siri, clear my search history.”
“Hey Siri, delete my search history.”
“Hey Siri, erase my Safari history.”
Upon receiving your command, Siri will delete your search history from your device.
Settings Shortcut
If you prefer using shortcuts, you can clear search history on your iPhone through the settings shortcut. Here’s how:
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Step 2: Click on the “General” option and select “iPhone Storage”.
Step 3: Scroll down to Safari and tap on it
Step 4: Select “Website Data and History”.
Step 5: Under “Website Data and History,” tap “Remove All Website Data.”
Third-Party Apps
While built-in iOS features work well to clear search history, it can be convenient to use third-party apps that accomplish the task with a single click. The following apps are some you can try:
- 1. CCleaner – This app is just as the name suggests; it helps you clear up cache files, browsing history, and cookies.
- 2. PhoneClean – This app helps improve storage capacity and clean up junk files, cookies, and browsing history.
- 3. History Eraser -This allows you to clear browsing history, search history, call log history, and text history.
Clearing Specific History
If you prefer to clear the search history of specific apps separately, you can do so for the following apps:
Safari
Step 1: Open Safari.
Step 2: Click on the “book” icon at the bottom of the screen.
Step 3: Find “History”, click it and press clear. Alternatively, go to settings, Safari, and clear history.
Chrome
Step 1: Open Chrome on your iPhone.
Step 2: Click on the button with three horizontal lines at the bottom right corner of the screen.
Step 3: Tap the “History” button.
Step 4: Select “Clear Browsing Data.” Alternatively, Go to Settings, Chrome, Privacy, and Click on Clear Browsing Data.
YouTube
Step 1: Open the YouTube app on your device.
Step 2: Click on your account avatar located on the top right corner of the screen and select “Settings”.
Step 3: Click on “Clear search history”.
Importance of Clearing History
Clearing search history on your iPhone is essential for maintaining your privacy and keeping your device running smoothly. For privacy, clearing your search history is crucial, especially if you share your device with others or worry about data breaches.
Clearing your search history also helps free up storage space on your device, making your storage capacity sufficient for other activities.
Conclusion
Clearing search history on your iPhone is a straightforward process that can be done through your device’s built-in iOS features, Siri, third-party apps, or by clearing the history of specific apps like Safari, Chrome, or YouTube. By doing so, you can keep your device running smoothly, protect your privacy, and free up valuable storage space.
We hope this guide has been useful to you. Do remember that always clearing your search history may lead to inconvenience of remembering important searches instead of going through a tedious search process every time.
