How to Delete Your Web History

Warning

The best way to protect yourself is to use a computer your abuser cannot access!

Access a computer at a friend’s house or at the library. Use any computer that your abuser cannot access.

Important Information about Hiding Your Internet Tracks from Your Abuser
If you are in an abusive relationship and your abuser has access to your computer, it is important that you take precautionary steps to hide your internet activities.
Even if you follow the directions below your abuser may still be able to see what web sites you have been visiting or what emails you have been sending. If you know that your abuser has access to the computer that you use, the best safety measure to take is to use another computer.

 

Covering Your Tracks

If you must use a computer your abuser can access, you can attempt to cover your tracks by doing the following:

  1. Use an email account your abuser cannot access – for more information read this description.
  2. Delete insecure information created by your web browser – Your web browser creates many files and saves certain information which can allow your abuser to discover your internet activities. You can attempt to delete these by doing the following:

    1. Determine what type of web browser you have – The name of your web browser should be displayed in the title bar of this window. For example, it would say “Safe Horizon: Protect Yourself – Microsoft Internet Explorer” at the top of this window if you are using Internet Explorer. Or it would say “Safe Horizon: Protect Yourself – Mozilla Firefox” if you are using Firefox.
    2. Find your browser in the list below, click on the link and follow the web browser cleanup guide. This will give you directions on how to delete your web browser history, cache, cookies, and form data.
  3. Find and delete other files created by your browser – Some web browser plug-ins and other features may create other files. Click on each of the guides listed below in order to remove these files:

Warning

Even if you take these cautionary steps, your abuser may be able to discover your online activities. To ensure that your online activities are not discovered by your abuser, you must use a computer that your abuser cannot access.