Although the browsing history It is a very practical tool to recover websites that we have visited in the past and that we are interested in visiting again, it also poses a risk to our privacy. And anyone who accesses our device with the Internet (with or without permission) can have access to it and know our movements on the network. That is why it is important to know how to clear data stored in Edge browser.
The new version of Microsoft Edge by default it collects all that data, with the aim that the user can always have the information available. That data includes passwords, the content you filled out in forms, the sites you visited, and more.
In addition to being stored on the device, All this data can also be stored in the Microsoft Cloud. And if we have activated the synchronization, also on all other possible devices on which we have signed in with Microsoft Edge.
The way to delete this data in the new Microsoft Edge is somewhat different from that used in the old version. Next, we will explain what needs to be done in each case to effectively delete our browsing data:
In the old version of Microsoft Edge
Those who have not yet updated their Edge to the newest version can clear the data stored in the browser as follows:
- First of all, we open the Microsoft Edge browser and click on the three point icon horizontals, located in the upper right part of the screen.
- In the menu that is displayed, we choose the option "Settings".
- There we look for the section "Clear browsing data."
- Next, we click the button «Choose what you want to delete».
- We just have to select the items from the list that we want to delete and click on "Delete".
Advanced erase
If what we want to do is carry out a more advanced erase, we can resort to another method. Of course, it is important that we first take care of making a backup copy, because the data deleted in this way will not be able to be recovered later in any way.
This more expeditious and drastic deletion is achieved with these steps:
- First We access the following system folder and delete its contents: C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
- Then you have to right click on the start menu icon and select the S optioncommand prompt (administrator).
- In the window that opens then, we write (we can also use the copy and paste method): Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose}
Once these steps are completed, we receive a confirmation message. Then, when we open Edge again we will find it clean and empty, as if we were using it for the first time.
In the new version of Microsoft Edge
The task of clearing Edge browser data in its latest version (Edge Chromium, launched in 2020) is much more direct and simple. All we have to do is the following:
- With the browser open, we select the option "Settings and more."
- From there we access "Record".
- And then, click on the option «Manage history». Within this screen, which can be used to consult the history, we find the possibility of deleting it completely.
Delete browsing data on your computer
It is also possible delete browsing data from our computer (for that we need to make sure that synchronization is disabled). Synced items will be deleted on all synced devices. This is how to proceed:
- First, as before, we select "Settings and more."
- Then we will "Settings".
- In the next menu, we choose the option "Privacy and services".
- Next, in the section "Clear browsing data", Select «Choose what you want to delete». The selection can be further refined using the following parameters:
- Time interval in which we want to apply the deletion.
- Type of data that we want to delete (see details below).
- Once everything has been chosen, all that remains is to select "Delete now."
Types of data to delete
There are different types of data that we can consult or delete within the options offered by the Edge browser. The Chromium user has the possibility of selecting them "à la carte", depending on their preferences or needs. Something really practical. The data we are referring to is these:
- Browsing history: the URLs of the sites we have visited, with the date and time of each visit.
- Download history made.
- Cookies and other data. That is, the information stored by websites on our devices. This is data that is saved to improve our browsing experience (login information, location, licenses, etc.).
- Cached images and files.
- Passwords
- Autofill Form Data (email, credit card numbers, phone numbers, etc.).
- Site permissions.
- Hosted Application Data on our devices.