How to Clear Search History & Cookies on iPad

Clearing your search history and cookies on an iPad frees up storage, protects your privacy, and can fix websites that load slowly or show outdated content. This guide walks you through clearing history and cookies in Safari, as well as in Chrome and Firefox if you use those. You don’t need any special tools—just your iPad and a few minutes.

What You’ll Need

• Your iPad with the latest iOS or iPadOS (the steps work on iOS 15 and newer, but menu names may vary slightly on older versions).
• Your passcode or Face ID/Touch ID if you have Screen Time restrictions enabled.
• If you use Chrome or Firefox, have those apps installed and updated.

Step-by-Step

Clear Safari History and Cookies

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon) on your iPad.
2. Scroll down and tap Safari in the left sidebar (or just scroll the main list until you see it).
3. Scroll down to the Privacy & Security section.
4. Tap Clear History and Website Data.
5. A pop-up will appear asking to confirm. Choose the time range: All History (or you can pick a shorter range like “Last Hour� or “Today�).
6. Tap Clear History to confirm. This removes your browsing history, cookies, and other cached data from Safari.

Clear Cookies Only (Keep History)

1. In Settings > Safari, scroll to Advanced and tap it.
2. Tap Website Data. You’ll see a list of sites storing data.
3. Tap Remove All Website Data at the bottom, then confirm. This clears cookies and site data but keeps your history.

Clear History and Cookies in Chrome

1. Open the Chrome app.
2. Tap the three-dot menu (⋯) at the bottom right.
3. Tap History (or “Clear Browsing Data� directly from the menu if available).
4. Tap Clear Browsing Data at the top.
5. Choose a time range (e.g., “All time�).
6. Check the boxes for Browsing History, Cookies, Site Data, and optionally Cached Images and Files.
7. Tap Clear Browsing Data and confirm.

Clear History and Cookies in Firefox

1. Open the Firefox app.
2. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right.
3. Tap Settings (gear icon).
4. Tap Data Management (or “Clear Private Data� on some versions).
5. Toggle on Browsing History, Cookies, and Cache.
6. Tap Clear Private Data and confirm.

Common Mistakes

• Only clearing history, not cookies: If you want to remove cookies, you must also clear “Website Data� in Safari. The “Clear History� button does both, but if you use the “Advanced� route, make sure to select “Remove All Website Data.�
• Forgetting to close tabs: Clearing history doesn’t close open tabs. If you have tabs open, they may still show cached content until you close and reopen them.
• Not knowing that clearing cookies logs you out: You’ll be signed out of most websites after clearing cookies. That’s normal—you’ll need to log back in.
• Using the wrong browser settings: If you use Chrome or Firefox, the Safari settings won’t affect them. You must clear data within each browser app.

Tips

• Use Private Browsing for sensitive sessions: In Safari, tap the tabs icon, then “Private� to browse without saving history or cookies in the first place.
• Set Safari to clear history automatically: Go to Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data and you can’t set auto-clear, but you can use Screen Time to limit history retention—not a built-in Safari feature, so stick with manual clears.
• Clear only specific sites: In Safari’s Website Data list, you can swipe left on a site and tap “Delete� to remove just that site’s cookies.
• After clearing, restart Safari: Double-tap the Home button (or swipe up from the bottom) to see app switcher, then swipe Safari away to force-close it. Reopen to ensure all data is refreshed.

Troubleshooting

Clearing didn’t work or websites still remember you? First, make sure you confirmed the action—sometimes the pop-up is dismissed accidentally. Then, force-quit Safari and reopen it. If that fails, restart your iPad by holding the top button and either volume button, then sliding to power off. On iPads with Face ID, press and release Volume Up, then Volume Down, then hold the top button until the slider appears.

Can’t find the “Clear History� button? If you’re running an older iOS (before 13), the option is under Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data, but the wording may be “Clear Cookies and Data.� Update your iPad if possible.

Screen Time restrictions block clearing? If you see a message that the action is not allowed, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps and make sure Safari is allowed. Also check “Website Data� under Content Restrictions—set it to “Allow.�

Chrome or Firefox won’t clear? Close the app completely and reopen it. If that doesn’t work, delete and reinstall the app (you’ll lose bookmarks unless you’re signed in to sync).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does clearing history also clear passwords?

No. Clearing history and cookies does not remove saved passwords. To delete passwords, go to Settings > Passwords (or Safari > AutoFill > Passwords) and manage them there.

Will I lose my bookmarks?

No, clearing history and cookies does not affect bookmarks. They are stored separately.

How often should I clear cookies?

There’s no set rule. If you notice websites loading slowly or showing outdated content, or if you’re concerned about privacy, clear them every few weeks. Be aware that you’ll have to log in again to most sites.

Does clearing cache speed up my iPad?

It can free up storage space, which may help if your iPad is low on storage. It won’t dramatically boost performance, but it can fix glitchy websites.

Can I clear history for a specific website only?

Yes. In Safari, go to Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data, find the site, swipe left, and tap Delete. This removes that site’s cookies and cached data.

Will clearing cookies sign me out of apps?

No, only websites in the browser. Apps store their data separately. However, if an app uses a web view (like some social media apps), it may log you out if you clear Safari data.

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