More often than not, we found ourselves in a browser, searching for answers, entertainment, or simply looking for information about something specific. Browsing is a broad concept that cannot be generalized or comprehended. It is something that we all do in our daily lives, whether related to our line of work or not. That said, no one is comfortable revealing their browsing history. So, in this post, we will learn how to view or delete browsing history in Microsoft Edge.
How Does Browsing History Affect Privacy?
It affects Privacy because the information we search for on the Internet using a browser is private and should not be shared with anyone else. Anything we search for on a browser is saved as a history, primarily because you may need to access the same page about that information again.
However, if your browsing falls into the wrong hands, it can cause problems, especially if you’re sharing a system with someone else. Then it’s even more important to delete the browsing history. It is recommended that you delete your history after viewing it. You can choose to delete some or all, depending on your choice.
Microsoft Edge And Its Privacy Features
As the name implies, Microsoft created it, and it is the default browser for Windows. Microsoft Edge has a significant advantage over other browsers in that it is faster and has a plethora of additional features.
You can use Microsoft Edge to synchronize multiple devices that you use daily. It means that all of your passwords and personalized settings will be available across all of your devices.
Several other privacy features can also increase your chances of getting better protection from malware and phishing. There’s a feature called InPrivate tabs and windows, aka Incognito mode. When using this mode, your browsing history and search data, including cookies, history, etc., are not saved by the browser once you close that tab.
There’s also a mode called Kids Mode, designed explicitly for kids-friendly content. It also has many password protection features to protect your password from trackers and other malware.
What Does Microsoft Edge Stores When It Comes To Browsing?
Your browser can reveal a lot about you. It’s a copy of your daily thoughts and actions you do. When browsing the Internet, you’re leaving behind digital traces that a website can use legally. They use it to keep track of your activities on their website and can even identify you when you revisit the website.
It doesn’t matter what security precautions you take while surfing the Internet using a browser. A certain degree of information is revealed to the website that you visit. That’s why most people use VPNs to access surf the Internet so they can remain anonymous. It helps to keep away the cookies, personalized searches, which websites you have visited, and so on.
What Are Cache And Cookies? Should You Delete Them?
Cache and cookies play an essential role in increasing and improving website performance and advertisements. It is made possible by storing additional data on the client-side device. In general, browsers use the cache to store the resources of online pages while surfing. It reduces the loading time of the website. On the other hand, cookies are handy to save the user’s preferences to keep track of them.
Here’s what happens when you decide to get rid of them. Some additional settings made on a specific website will be deleted. You will need to sign in again to websites as they use cookies to authenticate users. Some websites might perform slower than usual as the content needs to be loaded again.
How to View or Delete Browsing History in Microsoft Edge
If you wish to delete your browsing history from the Microsoft Edge browser, then look no further as we are going to show you a step-by-step guide on how to view and delete browsing history from Microsoft Edge.
However, when clearing browsing data from your computer, make sure that sync is turned off. So the items that are previously synced will be deleted from all the devices that are currently synced.
Here’s a step by step guide:
- Open your Microsoft Edge browser.
- Click on the three-dot menu on the top-right and click on Settings.
- You’ll see an option called Privacy, Search, and services in settings. Click on that.
- There, under Clear Browsing Data, choose What to clear.
- Microsoft Edge allows you to set a time limit for what you want to delete and until what date in the past.
- Choose the Time Range option.
- Select which type of data you want to delete from the browsing history. You can choose to delete either the whole browsing history or cookies and keep the passwords untouched or delete the rest.
- Click on the Clear now button.
See, wasn’t that simple? It is straightforward to get rid of what you don’t need on Microsoft Edge.
Hence, we recommended using Microsoft Edge. It is available on all platforms, including Windows, macOS, Android, and Linux. Therefore, cross-platform usage is straightforward using Microsoft Edge.
How to Automatically Delete Browsing Data From Microsoft Edge?
Microsoft Edge allows you to clear your entire browsing data every time you close it. To enable this, you will need to go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data on close. You will now have to select what you need to clear. The options include Browsing History, Download History, Cookies, and other site data, Cached Image and Files, Passwords, Autofill data, and Site Permission.
How To View Deleted Browsing History In Microsoft Edge And Other Browsers?
Open the Run dialog box from the Start menu or use Windows+R Shortcut. Paste the following path in the dialog box—%localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\History— and press ok. You will now be able to see browsing history categorized according to period.
If I Delete Browser History In Microsoft Edge, Is It Deleted Permanently?
No, the browsing history you delete from any browser is still stored in your computer deep into the directories if you wish to delete the browsing history permanently, head over to the—%localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\History— path in Windows Explorer to delete the browsing history permanently.
Conclusion
We’ve covered the fundamentals of Microsoft Edge, including its features, specifications, specialties, and so on. The thing that should most concern you, however, is your Privacy. Whatever browser you use, there is always a risk to your Privacy and data because the Internet is a dangerous place to be, and if you are not self-aware, it can cost you dearly.
As a result, it is recommended that you delete your history if you no longer require it, especially if you are using a system shared with other users, as it poses an ethical risk to your Privacy if you know what we mean.
At all costs, Privacy should be respected and protected. There are several other privacy features that you can research in-depth to reduce your risk of losing your Privacy, but the average user isn’t aware of them or is too innocent for them. As a result, be mindful that your Privacy is in your hands. Hopefully, you found this helpful article and found what you were looking for.
