Web browser records every interaction from search terms to web pages we browse. These records are generally stored in the Safari browser history log and can be easily accessed in the future for references. However, if you want to clear the search terms, then we need to clear the browsing history from the Safari browser. We can clear history for the last one hour or select the all history.
There could be many instances when you might need to remove the traces of your recent searches on your Mac or iPhone devices. For example, if you have scrolled past some websites that you weren’t supposed to in the first place.
Or, if you are using a shared PC and wish to delete the searches you have made during the past day, this option could come in handy.
Likewise, some users also prefer to have a more secure and private browsing experience, and hence they don’t want to leave their web footprints behind.
Well, there could be many reasons why you might need to remove your previous searches from the browsing session. And in all those cases, this guide shall help you out.
Please note that these frequent search terms are also known as top hits in the Safari browser.
Here are the detailed instructions to clear the search history from the Safari browser across both Mac and iPhone/iPad.
Clear Search History for Safari Mac
There exist two different approaches through which you could carry out the said task. The first one involves directly using the clear recent option baked in the browser’s search bar in older Safari versions.
The following and broader approach is to delete the entire browser history itself. It, in turn, will delete the history of the sites that you have visited, the frequently visited sites, top hits, the saved snapshots, the quick website search entries, and of course, all your recent searches as well.
In this regard, we have listed both methods. You may try out the one that is in sync with your requirement. Here are the steps to remove search term history:
- Launch the Safari app on your Mac.
- Click on the History menu from the menubar.
- Select the Clear History… option from the menu list.
It will pop up a small clear history dialog window. - Select the time range from the Clear drop-down option.
- Hit the command button.
That’s it; it will clear the search history and browsing history from the Safari browser.
If you’re using the older version of Safari, then you might see the option clear search term within the address bar itself. Just hit the Clear Recent Searches button to remove all the search terms from the Safari browser.
These were the steps to clear the search history in the Safari browser on your Mac. Let’s now inform you how we can clear search terms on an iPhone/iPad.
Remove Search History in Safari iPhone
Unlike the macOS clear recent option, there’s no specific option to delete your recent browser searches on iOS. Instead, you must delete the entire browser history, which will delete the search history.
- Head over to the Settings menu on your device.
- Scroll down and select the Safari app from the listing.
- Go to the Clear History and Website Data option and tap on it.
- Hit on the Clear History and Data option in the confirmation dialog box.
With this, your browsing history, including all your recent Safari search terms, will be deleted.
Bottom Line
We round off the guide on clearing the Search History in Safari, both on your Mac and handheld devices.
While deleting the history will automatically delete all the search results; however, it also tends to delete the frequently visited sites, the saved snapshot, icons for web pages, websites that ask to use your location or the sites that send you notifications.
On the other hand, iPhone users don’t have much say in this. They must delete the entire browser history to delete just the search history.
With that said, we round off this guide on removing search terms and result from the Safari browser. Let us know your thoughts on the same.
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