# How can one erase google history? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 17, 2007, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294 "2007-03-17T02:44:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![benny73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@benny73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benny73)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/1 "2007-03-17T02:44:31Z")
hello. when i google, the words/phrases pop back into the subject box and i don’t know how to keep this from happening or how to earase my tracks from days gone past. this is disturbing because if i keel over others will get a peek into my soul (which isn’t fair because i don’t get to look it to theirs in the same way). any suggestions would be much appreciated. thanks in advance! p.s. i wasn’t able to find any help regarding this problem in google’s help page. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/2 "2007-03-17T02:50:43Z")
Assuming you’re using internet explorer: Go to tools, internet options, then click on the content tab. There’s a button there that says “auto complete.” Click it, and a little box pops up that says “use auto complete for.” Uncheck the box that says forms. If you uncheck the box, the program won’t fill out any forms for you anymore though, assuming you like that feature. ---
**Author:** ![badkittypriestess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8baadc/32.png) [@badkittypriestess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badkittypriestess)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/3 "2007-03-17T02:55:56Z")
benny73, go to tools, internet options, click on browsing history, click on form data. Depends on which Internet Explorer your using. oops, didn’t see there was an answer already, Damn these fingers! :smack: 😉 ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/4 "2007-03-17T03:01:35Z")
There’s no help on Google’s web page because this is not a feature peculiar to Google; it’s a component of Windows. What internet browser are you using? If you’re using Internet Explorer, go to: **Tools \> Internet Options** Click on the **Content** tab, then click on the button labeled **AutoComplete…** In that box that pops up, click the **Clear Forms** and **Clear Passwords** buttons. That should get rid of your previous autocomplete entries. If you don’t want IE to save your future entries, uncheck the boxes in the section labeled **Use AutoComplete for**. If you’re using Firefox, go to: **Tools \> Options** Click on the **Privacy** selection. Click the button under **Private Data** that says **Settings** , and make sure the box that says **Saved form information** is check. Go back and click the button that says **Clear Now**. If you don’t want future searches saved, uncheck the box that says **Remember what I enter in forms and the search bar**. ---
**Author:** ![benny73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@benny73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benny73)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/5 "2007-03-17T03:03:16Z")
thanks folks! i should have said that i use an imac with maco5x/leopard. maybe your info will work … i’ll see! again, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![tiger\_lily](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/96bed5/32.png) [@tiger\_lily](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiger_lily)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/6 "2007-03-17T03:29:42Z")
[QUOTE=benny73] thanks folks! i should have said that i use an imac with maco5x/leopard. maybe your info will work … i’ll see! again, thanks! [/QUOTE] Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard) hasn’t been publically released yet. I assume you have 10.4. In any case, it’s actually handled by whatever browser you’re using, not the OS. If you’re using Safari, then go Safari \> Preferences \> AutoFill, and uncheck the AutoFill Web Forms boxes. Or, if you never want to safe anything from one session to the next, go Safari \> Private Browsing and hit OK. If you’re using Firefox, go Tools \> Clear Private Data, check the boxes for everything you want cleared, and hit Clear Private Data Now. ---
**Author:** ![benny73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@benny73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benny73)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/7 "2007-03-17T03:48:44Z")
thank you Tigerlilly! i don’t know about 10.4 but do know that i called the imac tech people up the other day and they guided me through some stuff and i wrote down that mac info i posted. but, again, don’t know if it’s 10.4 (and am too lazy to check now because i gotta get ready for work). i’ll use your info tomorrow and see how it works. again, thanks!!! ---
**Author:** ![benny73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@benny73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benny73)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/8 "2007-03-17T04:03:33Z")
thanks All!! i followed Tigerlilies advice and did it. it wasn’t so hard after all!! Thanks!, now i can drop dead at work and everything will be fine! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![benny73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@benny73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benny73)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/9 "2007-03-17T04:12:55Z")
now if i can just figure out how to refresh a page on this thing i’ll be in great shape. funny that they don’t give you a dvd to walk ya through on how to use the features of these things. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/10 "2007-03-17T08:26:43Z")
Realize that your web browser is also keeping a history of all the webpages you’ve visited in the past. The quick and easy way to erase _all_ your tracks in Safari is to go to the Safari menu item and choose “reinitialize safari” - this of course means that you will have to re-enter any saved passwords. To easily find out your version of the operating system, go to the apple menu and choose “About this Mac”. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/11 "2007-03-17T09:30:54Z")
[QUOTE=benny73] thanks All!! i followed Tigerlilies advice and did it. it wasn’t so hard after all!! Thanks!, now i can drop dead at work and everything will be fine! 😉 [/QUOTE] One other bit of advise is: “Don’t browse porn at work!” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![benny73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@benny73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benny73)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/12 "2007-03-18T02:29:44Z")
Sage Rat – Thanks! Did you browse porn at work? By the way, do you know how one refreshes a page using a mac? ---
**Author:** ![GiantRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@GiantRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiantRat)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/13 "2007-03-18T02:54:55Z")
I might add that Google (and pretty much everyone else in industry) is regulated by data retention laws set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR - this only applies to the US). Google just announced the other day that they were going to strengthen their “privacy” platform by expunging more data on (I think) a 12-18 month schedule. But search data remains available for investigation (with court order) for some time. That said, I hope no one here is doing anything that warrants investigation. ---
**Author:** ![benny73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@benny73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benny73)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/14 "2007-03-18T03:08:51Z")
Giant Rat – What other type of data would Google have other than “search data”? Hmm. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/15 "2007-03-18T04:26:24Z")
It might not hurt to get HistoryKill as well. It wipes out a huge number of traces. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/16 "2007-03-18T05:42:50Z")
How do I do this with Firefox? ---
**Author:** ![tiger\_lily](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/96bed5/32.png) [@tiger\_lily](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiger_lily)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/17 "2007-03-18T09:39:50Z")
[QUOTE=benny73] By the way, do you know how one refreshes a page using a mac? [/QUOTE] To reload a page in Safari OR Firefox for Mac, you can do one of the following: - Click once on the menu button at the top of the window that has an arrow curved into a circle. - Go into the menu and select View \> Reload Page - Use the keyboard and type Cmd R (the Cmd key is the key next to the space bar; it has an apple on it). benny, you shouldn’t be afraid to just select options from the menu and see what happens. You won’t break the machine in the process, promise. 🙂 If you want to ask questions, though, it’s helpful to specify what program you’re using as well as saying that you’re working on a Mac. The steps to accomplish certain things are going to vary from program to program, and there are often minor differences even between the PC and Mac versions of software that can change the exact steps you take to do certain things. (See the difference between mhendo’s instructions and mine for clearing private data in Firefox, for example.) [QUOTE=DrDeth] How do I do this with Firefox? [/QUOTE] Do what, exactly? And on PC or Mac? ---
**Author:** ![benny73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@benny73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benny73)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/18 "2007-03-18T17:10:45Z")
Thanks again, tiger lily, for your help! My system: Mac OS X, version 10.4.7 It seems odd (to me) that these Mac sellers don’t at least give you a DVD to show a guy the basics on how to get things done. Maybe it’s because they’re constantly changing things on 'em and so such training methods would ultimately be too confusing, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![tiger\_lily](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/96bed5/32.png) [@tiger\_lily](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiger_lily)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/19 "2007-03-18T17:24:26Z")
[QUOTE=benny73] Thanks again, tiger lily, for your help! My system: Mac OS X, version 10.4.7 It seems odd (to me) that these Mac sellers don’t at least give you a DVD to show a guy the basics on how to get things done. Maybe it’s because they’re constantly changing things on 'em and so such training methods would ultimately be too confusing, I don’t know. [/QUOTE] You don’t get a DVD for free, because then all the third-party lesson providers would make less money. 😉 Seriously, PC dealers don’t give you a guide to Windows for free; I don’t see why Mac dealers should be any different w/r/t OS X. You got your Mac home, started up and are surfing the net, so you’re in pretty good shape to start with. If you feel you need a systematic guide of Mac OS X Tiger features, you can buy any of the guides on [this page](http://www.apple.com/macosx/resources/) (or try your local library). Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![benny73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@benny73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benny73)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-one-erase-google-history/396294/20 "2007-03-18T17:50:05Z")
You’re an angel, lily. Thanks for the link! Any suggestion as to which of those products is best??