Every browser keeps a list of the pages that were opened. You can delete the whole list, or delete single entries from it.
- Chrome: open the menu, choose Delete browsing data, pick a time range, then confirm.
- Safari on iPhone or iPad: open Settings and tap Safari — on newer iPhones, tap Apps first, then Safari — then tap Clear History and Website Data.
- Firefox: open the menu, choose History, then Clear recent history.
- Edge: open the menu, choose History, then Clear browsing data.
Menu names change between versions. If you cannot find it, search your browser’s settings for the word “history”.
To delete one page instead of all of them, open the browser’s history list, find that page and delete the line. On an iPhone, swipe left across the line and tap Delete.
Deleting the whole list can be noticed, because it also deletes pages someone else expects to see there. Deleting single entries leaves the rest of the list as it was.
What private browsing does, and what it does not do
Private browsing is also called Incognito or InPrivate. The browser does not save that window’s history, cookies or typed entries on the device. When the window is closed, those are gone.
That is all it does. It does not hide the pages that were opened from:
- monitoring software installed on the device
- the person who owns or manages the device
- an internet provider, an employer, or a school
- whoever holds the phone or internet account, through the bill or account activity
- the websites that were visited
A device nobody else uses is safer than any setting — a computer at a library or community center, or a phone that belongs to someone you trust.