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Applies to these editions of Windows Vista:

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Delete webpage history

The information in this Help topic applies to Windows Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Internet Explorer 8.

As you browse the web, Internet Explorer stores information about the websites you visit, as well as information that websites frequently ask you to provide (such as your name and address). Internet Explorer stores the following types of information:

  • Temporary Internet files

  • Cookies

  • A history of the websites you've visited

  • Information that you've entered into websites or the Address bar (this includes things such as your name, address, and the website addresses that you've visited before)

  • Saved web passwords

  • Temporary information stored by browser add-ons

Regardless of whether you delete all webpage history or just cookies, you should close Internet Explorer when you're done to clear cookies that are still in memory from your current browsing session. This is especially important when using a public computer. Deleting your browsing history does not delete your list of favorites or subscribed feeds. Deleting your history could take awhile if you have a lot of files and history.

Show all

To delete all or some of your browsing history in Internet Explorer 8

  1. Open Internet Explorer by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, and then clicking Internet Explorer.

  2. Click the Safety button, and then click Delete Browsing History.

  3. If you do not want to delete the cookies and files associated with websites in your Favorites list, select the Preserve Favorites website data check box.

  4. Select the check box next to each category of information you want to delete.

  5. Click Delete.

Notes

Notes

  • You can use Internet Explorer's InPrivate Browsing feature to avoid leaving a history as you browse the web. For more information, see What is InPrivate Browsing?

  • You can delete all settings that have changed since Internet Explorer was first installed, including browsing history. For more information, see Reset Internet Explorer 8 settings.

To delete all or some of your browsing history in Internet Explorer 7

  1. Open Internet Explorer by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, and then clicking Internet Explorer.

  2. Click the Tools button, and then click Delete Browsing History.

  3. Do one of the following:

    • To delete some of your browsing history, click the button next to each category of information you want to delete.

    • To delete all your browsing history, click Delete all.

      Note

      Note

      You can delete all settings that have changed since Internet Explorer was first installed, including browsing history. For more information, see Reset Internet Explorer settings.

  4. Click Close when you are finished.

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