If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably looking for a clear answer to one very specific question: how to delete your history in Microsoft Edge without leaving loose ends. Because while “clearing history” sounds like a single action, it can actually refer to several different things: the browsing history stored in the browser itself, searches tied to Bing within your Microsoft account, searches you’ve done on Google, and even the history Windows keeps when you use its search bar.
The interesting part (and what often goes unnoticed) is that Edge can coexist with multiple histories at the same time, so clearing only one may not be enough if what you want is to keep your digital footprint under control. Ever cleared your history and still seen suggestions or past activity show up? It’s not magic—it’s syncing and connected services.
Below is a practical guide to clearing each type of history, explaining what gets deleted in each case and where it’s managed, so the result is what you expect and not a half-finished “reset”.
Clear browsing history and local data in Microsoft Edge
If your priority is removing what Edge stores on your device (PC or Mac), you’ll find it in the browser settings. In Edge, open the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, go to Settings, then Privacy, search, and services. In that section you’ll see Clear browsing data and the button to choose what gets removed.
At this point it’s worth being selective, because Edge lets you tick different categories and they don’t all have the same impact. You can delete browsing history (sites you’ve visited), download history (the list of downloaded files), cookies and other site data (often what keeps you signed in), and the cache (stored files and images to speed up loading). You’ll also see more sensitive options like saved passwords and autofill form data (names, addresses, or billing details), plus other items such as data from older versions of Edge or Media Foundation Data, which includes certificates, licenses, and keys tied to content and services.
Another key setting is the time range: you can clear just the last hour, the last 24 hours, the last week, the last 4 weeks, or select all time. If you want a full wipe, “all time” is the most straightforward option; if you’re only trying to “clean up” a specific session, a shorter range is more practical and helps you keep useful data.
Once you’ve selected what you want to remove and the right time period, just click Clear now. That deletes the chosen data from the browser on that device. This is the quickest method and usually what most people need—especially if you’re concerned about the history visible in Edge or certain local traces that affect your browsing experience.
Delete Bing search history from your Microsoft account
The second level—more “ecosystem” related—comes into play when you use Edge while signed in and search with Bing. In that case, part of your history may be tied to your account, and clearing the local browser isn’t enough if you also want to remove what’s stored online.
To manage it, go to account.microsoft.com in a browser and sign in with the Microsoft account you use in Edge. Once inside, open the Privacy section, which takes you to the dashboard where activity-related data is managed. From there, go to the area for managing browsing and search data and find Search history, where recent searches are shown.
On that screen you can use Clear all activities to delete all saved search activity. Microsoft also provides steps to set up automatic deletion, which is useful if you don’t want to remember to do it manually every so often (because, realistically, nobody does until they need to).
If you’re also using ecosystem tools such as Microsoft Copilot, it helps to be clear about which data gets cleaned in the browser and what remains linked to your account.
And while you’re in that panel, there’s a useful nuance: if you also want to delete browsing history tied to your account from when you used Edge while signed in, there’s a similar option for Browsing history, with its own “Clear all activities” and follow-up confirmation. It’s an important distinction: one thing is clearing what’s stored in the browser, and another is deleting what’s linked to your cloud account.
Clear Google history and Windows search history
If in your day-to-day use you mix Edge with Google searches, there’s another place where activity can be saved—even if you’re browsing in Edge. In that case, you manage it at myactivity.google.com. Sign in with your Google account (and confirm login if prompted), find your search history, and use Delete to choose the time period: you can delete all time or limit it to ranges such as the last hour or last day, and you can even use a custom range. If you choose to delete everything, Google lets you select which products or activities are removed, and at minimum you should keep the option related to Search selected so search history is actually deleted.
If your concern is what gets indexed by search engines, you may also want to review how to stop Instagram from showing your photos on Google and other search engines.
Finally, there’s the history many people forget: what Windows stores when you use its search, whether from the Start menu or the search bar. To manage it, open Start and go to Settings (the gear icon), then Privacy, and then the Windows permissions section where you’ll find the option related to device search history. There you can turn off Windows saving it going forward and also use the button to clear the history already stored.
With these three fronts covered (local Edge data, Microsoft account/Bing, and, where relevant, Google and Windows), clearing your history stops being a symbolic gesture and becomes a real cleanup. And yes, it sounds like there are too many places where activity is stored… but that’s modern life when everything is connected and synced—for better, and for when it’s time to sweep things up. If you want to take it one step further, here’s a guide to making your phone almost impossible to track.
