When browsing the internet on your Macbook Air, Safari keeps a history of the websites you have visited. While this can be convenient if you need to revisit a website quickly, it can also be embarrassing or compromising if someone else uses your computer and sees your browsing history. Additionally, having a cluttered browser history can slow down Safari’s performance. Therefore, it is important to know how to delete your browsing history on Safari on your Macbook Air.
Video Tutorial:
The Challenge of Deleting History on Safari Macbook Air
Deleting browsing history on your Macbook Air can be challenging, especially for novice users who are not familiar with the navigations and functions of the Safari browser. Additionally, Safari stores browsing history in several locations, such as the browsing history page, recent tab list, and autosuggest feature, which makes it hard to manually delete all traces of your browsing history. However, by following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can quickly delete your browsing history and protect your privacy.
Things You Should Prepare for
Before you start deleting your browsing history on Safari, there are a few things you should prepare for:
- A Macbook Air with Safari browser installed and running
- A few minutes of uninterrupted time to follow the steps
- A backup of the data and history you want to keep
Method 1: Delete Safari History from Browsing History
If you want to delete your entire browsing history from Safari on your Macbook Air, you can do so using the following steps:
1. Open Safari on your Macbook Air.
2. Click on the "History" menu from the menu bar on the top of the screen.
3. Select "Clear History" from the dropdown menu.
4. In the popup window, select the time range you want to clear, such as the last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all history.
5. Click on "Clear History" at the bottom of the window.
Pros: This method is straightforward and easily accessible.
Cons: This method only deletes browsing history and does not clear other forms of data stored by Safari.
Method 2: Delete Safari History from Recent Tab List
If you want to delete certain pages from your recent tab list on Safari, you can follow these steps:
1. Open Safari on your Macbook Air.
2. Click on the "History" menu from the menu bar on the top of the screen.
3. Select "Show Recent History" from the dropdown menu.
4. In the popup window, click on the arrow next to the page you want to remove.
5. Select "Remove from list" from the dropdown menu.
Pros: This method allows you to remove selective browsing history, which saves time.
Cons: This method does not delete the complete browsing history.
Method 3: Delete Safari History from Autosuggest Feature
Safari’s Autosuggest feature stores information about your browsing history to make it easier for you to complete web addresses and search queries. If you want to delete certain suggestions, you can do so using the following steps:
1. Open Safari on your Macbook Air.
2. Click on the "Safari" menu from the menu bar on the top of the screen
3. Select "Preferences" from the dropdown menu.
4. Click on the "Search" tab.
5. Navigate to "Smart Search Field" and uncheck the box "Include search engine suggestions".
6. Click on the "Security" tab.
7. Click on the "Website settings" button next to "Manage website data".
8. Find the website data you want to delete and click on the "Remove" button next to it.
Pros: By disabling Autosuggest feature, you can increase Safari’s performance.
Cons: Disabling Autosuggest feature can make searching harder, as it does not provide auto-completion suggestions.
Why Can’t I Delete History on Safari Macbook Air
It is possible that you may face some issues when trying to delete your browsing history in Safari on your Macbook Air. Some common reasons are:
Q: The "Clear History" option is Grayed out.
A: The "Clear History" option can be grayed out if you haven’t visited any websites recently or if you have private browsing mode enabled. Try disabling private browsing mode and visiting a few websites before attempting to clear your browsing history.
Q: Safari keeps restoring browsing history even after I delete it.
A: Sometimes, Safari may restore your browsing history due to sync issues with other devices that you may have signed in with the same Apple ID. Try disabling iCloud sync for Safari by going to "System Preferences" > "iCloud" > "Options" next to "Safari" and unchecking "Safari".
Q: I accidentally deleted a site from my history; can I recover it?
A: No, if you delete a site from your browsing history, it cannot be recovered. Make sure to back up any essential data before deleting it.
Q: My Safari browser is running slow after deleting my history; what can I do?
A: Safari may still be slow after deleting your browsing history if you haven’t cleared your cache and cookies. Try clearing your cache and cookies using the same method mentioned above.
Additional Tips
- You can also use one of the many cleaning software programs available online to clean your Macbook Air’s caches, history, and other temporary data. This can speed up your computer’s performance and increase your privacy.
- Regularly deleting your browsing history can help prevent targeted online advertising and protect your privacy.
- Make sure that you keep a backup of the essential data you want to keep before you delete it.
5 FAQs about Deleting History on Safari Macbook Air
Q: How often should I delete my Safari browsing history?
A: It depends on how frequently you use your computer and how often you browse the internet. Some users choose to delete their browsing history once a week, while others do it daily.
Q: Can my internet provider see my browsing history if I delete it from Safari?
A: Deleting your browsing history from Safari only clears local data stored on your computer. Your internet service provider may still be able to see your browsing history.
Q: Can deleted Safari browsing history be recovered?
A: No, once you delete your browsing history, it cannot be recovered.
Q: Does deleting my Safari browsing history delete my downloads as well?
A: No, deleting your Safari browsing history only clears your internet browsing data, such as websites, cookies, and cache. Downloads are not affected.
Q: Can I block Safari from storing my browsing history altogether?
A: Yes, you can block Safari from storing your browsing history by turning on private browsing mode. To activate it, go to the "File" menu, select "New Private Window," and start browsing. Safari will not save any browsing history in private browsing mode.
In Conclusion
Deleting your browsing history on Safari on your Macbook Air is essential to protect your privacy and speed up your computer’s performance. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can delete your browsing history from the browsing history page, recent tab list, and Autosuggest feature. Remember to back up any essential data you want to keep before you delete it and use additional tips to protect your privacy.