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Learn what information is stored in your Firefox history and how to clear all or part of it if you are using a public or shared computer.

As you browse the web, Firefox helpfully remembers lots of information for you – sites you've visited, files you've downloaded and more. All of this information is called your history. However, if you are using a public computer or share a computer with someone, you may not want others to see these kinds of things. This article explains what information is stored in your Firefox history and gives you step-by-step ways to clear all or part of it. * To temporarily stop Firefox from storing history, see [[Private Browsing - Browse the web without saving information about the sites you visit]]. __TOC__ = What things are included in my history? = * '''Browsing & Download History''': Browsing history is the list of sites you've visited that are shown in the History menu, the Library window's History list, and the [[Search your bookmarks, history and tabs with the Awesome Bar|Location bar autocomplete]]'s address list. Download history is the list of files you've downloaded that are shown in the [[Use the Downloads window to manage downloaded files|Downloads window]]. * '''Form & Search Bar History''': Form history includes the items you've entered into web page forms for [[Control whether Firefox automatically fills in forms with your information|Form autocomplete]]. Search Bar history includes items you've entered into Firefox's [[Search bar - Easily choose your favorite search engine|Search bar]]. * '''Cookies''': [[Cookies - Information that websites store on your computer|Cookies]] store information about websites you visit, such as site preferences or login status. This includes information and site preferences stored by plugins such as Adobe Flash. Cookies can also be used by third parties to track you across sites. For more info about tracking, see [[How do I turn on the Do-not-track feature?]]. {note}'''Note:''' In order to clear cookies set by Flash you must be using the latest version. See [[Flash Plugin - Keep it up to date and troubleshoot problems#w_updating-flash|Updating Flash]] for instructions.{/note} * '''Cache''': The cache stores temporary files, such as web pages and other online media, that Firefox downloaded from the Internet to speed up loading of pages and sites you've already seen. * '''Active Logins''': If you have logged in to a website that uses HTTP authentication since you most recently opened Firefox, that site is considered "active". Clearing this logs you out of those sites. *'''Offline Website Data''': If you've allowed it, a website can store files on your computer so that you can continue to use it when you are not connected to the Internet. * '''Site Preferences''': Site-specific preferences, including the saved [[Font size and zoom - increase the size of web pages|zoom]] level for sites, character encoding, and the permissions for sites (like pop-up blocker exceptions) described in the [[Page Info window#w_permissions|Page Info window]]. = How do I clear my history? = #{for fx57}Click the Library button [[Image:57 library icon]], click {menu History} and then click {menu Clear Recent History…}{/for}{for not fx57}Click the menu button [[Image:New Fx Menu]], click {button History} and then click {menu Clear Recent History…}{/for}. # Select how much history you want to clear: #* Click the drop-down menu next to '''Time range to clear''' to choose how much of your history Firefox will clear. #:{for win}[[Image:History Win2]]{/for}{for mac}[[Image:History Mac2]]{/for}{for linux}[[Image:History Lin2]]{/for} #*Next, click the arrow next to '''Details''' to select exactly what information will get cleared. Your choices are described in the [[#w_what-things-are-included-in-my-history|What things are included in my history?]] section above. #:{for win}[[Image:History Win3 Fx11]]{/for}{for mac}[[Image:History Mac3 Fx11]]{/for}{for linux}[[Image:History Lin3 Fx11]]{/for} # Finally, click the {button Clear Now} button. The window will close and the items you've selected will be cleared. = How do I make Firefox clear my history automatically? = ''If you need to clear your history every time you use Firefox, you can set it to happen automatically on exit so you don’t forget.'' # [[T:optionspreferences]] #[[T:customhistory]] # Check the box for '''Clear history when Firefox closes'''. #;{for not fx56}[[Image:clear history auto fx38]]{/for}{for fx56}[[Image:Fx56History-custom-clear]]{/for} # To specify what types of history should be cleared, click the {button Settings…} button next to '''Clear history when Firefox closes'''. #In the '''Settings for Clearing History''' window, check the items that you want to have cleared automatically each time you quit Firefox. #;{for not fx42}[[Image:history fx38]]{/for} {for fx42}[[Image:Fx44ClearHistoryWhenFirefoxCloses-Settings]]{/for} # After selecting the history to be cleared, click {button OK} to close the '''Settings for Clearing History''' window. # [[T:closeOptionsPreferences]] = How do I remove a single website from my history? = #[[T:OpenHistoryLibrary]] #Search for the website you want to remove from your history by typing its name in the '''Search History''' field in the top-right corner and then pressing {for win,linux}{key Enter}{/for}{for mac}{key Return}{/for}. #Then, in the search results, {for win,linux}right-click{/for}{for mac}hold down the {key Ctrl} key while you click{/for} on the site you want to remove, and select {menu Forget About This Site}.{warning}'''All history items (browsing and download history, cookies, cache, active logins, passwords, saved form data, exceptions for cookies, images, pop-ups) for that site will be removed.'''{/warning} #;{for win}[[Image:History Win6]]{/for}{for mac}[[Image:History Mac6]]{/for}{for linux}[[Image:History Lin6]]{/for} # Finally, close the Library window.