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How do I clear my search history in FireFox?

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Summary: Sometimes you just want to clear the things you've searched for from automatically appearing in the browser. These steps clear that information in FireFox.

I saw your article on clearing the search history in Internet Explorer 6. I use FireFox; how do I do the same thing?

FireFox is actually easier and a little more intuitive. While we're at it, we'll include the Google toolbar extension to FireFox as well.

The Google toolbar is pretty much the same as its IE equivalent. If you click on the Google logo on the far left you'll get a drop-down menu:

Google Toolbar Menu dropped down

Click on Clear Search History, and that's done.

Now, for FireFox itself (I'll assume FireFox 2.0, by the way) a quick click on the Tools menu shows this:

Clear Private Data menu item

"The Google toolbar is pretty much the same as its IE equivalent."

Clear Private Data looks encouraging, but before you click on it, click on Options instead. Click on the Privacy tab, and you should see this:

Privacy tab of the Options dialog

Note the Private Data area, and the Settings... button to the right. Click on Settings... and you'll get a dialog that includes this:

Setting dialog for Clear Private Data options

Here you can control exactly what it is you want FireFox to clear when you tell it to "Clear Private Data". Most of what people seem to care about is their browsing history, but Saved Form Information is what you want if you're looking to erase the tracks of what you've been searching for using the Google home page.

So, make your selections as you wish, OK your way back out, and then go ahead and hit that Clear Private Data menu item on the Tools menu, and you should be good to go.

Remember: this has only dealt with FireFox. You may still need to return to IE and perform the equivalent there, since IE is used in many places throughout Windows, and some of its settings and/or history appear to be shared with some Windows features.

Related:

Article 10885 | Posted November 7, 2006

Recent Comments
28 Comments

to erase search history you have to click "saved form and search history

Posted by: steven at July 11, 2008 5:35 AM

This does not clear my browsing history in Firefox 3.0???

Posted by: Jon at August 31, 2008 6:19 AM

Its true. Clearing private data in Firefox 3 won't clear the history in the URL bar. To do this, do the following:

If you don't want RichResults
keep track of where you went, in Firefox you need to enter
about:config
and then scroll down to:
browser.urlbar.maxRichResults
and change the default. The default setting is 12 and if you want nothing, you enter 0.

Posted by: Paul at September 20, 2008 3:14 PM

Article is a bit long in the tooth :) One of my users recently asked me the same question for Firefox 3 so I wrote up the How-To here: http://www.groovypost.com/howto/firefox/clear-firefox-browsing-history-and-private-data/

Hope it helps ppl.

Posted by: MrGroove at October 4, 2008 1:13 AM

Thank you so much. I have been looking for this solution, and finally I found it, thanks to you.!! This is especially good, if you want to get rid of some nasty old porn history in your searchbar - which is not always very convenient.

Posted by: Spankeren at October 15, 2008 7:09 AM

Thank you Leo, you are a lifesaver.

Posted by: Dylan at October 19, 2008 11:18 AM

hey this web site helped me clear my history :)
thinks :) 4 having the answers. :)

Posted by: Kristi at November 26, 2008 6:43 AM

I've used that method until I got Firefox 3 which, even though still gives them options, doesn't work for some reason. I've spent an hour trying and it still shows "YouTube - Smiles By David Gardener" etc. Help please :(

Posted by: Kane at December 8, 2008 7:22 AM

Thanks Paul, you were the only one here who knew what to do, as the options tools just do not work, thanks a million, this was doing my head in. :-)

Its true. Clearing private data in Firefox 3 won't clear the history in the URL bar. To do this, do the following:

If you don't want RichResults
keep track of where you went, in Firefox you need to enter
about:config
and then scroll down to:
browser.urlbar.maxRichResults
and change the default. The default setting is 12 and if you want nothing, you enter 0.
Posted by: Paul at September 20, 2008 3:14 PM

Posted by: Brad at December 12, 2008 12:25 AM

Do you have a photo of what a hardrive looks like? I am getting rid of my puter and I want to remove it. Also, how do I get rid of firefox mozilla? I am not usin it and is taking space. Many thanks,

The Wikipedia article on hard drives has some photos.

Firefox uninstalls like any other application: go to control panel, add/remove programs, and look for FireFox in the list.
- Leo
22-Dec-2008

Posted by: Lavinia at December 21, 2008 8:41 AM

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