Safari main Clear History command removes browsing history and website data together. That means it can delete cookies and sign you out. If you want history gone but logins preserved, delete entries directly from the History list instead of using the combined cleanup command.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Safari on Mac or iPhone when you want to remove browsing history while keeping cookies and signed-in sessions.
Clear history only on Mac
Delete entries from the history list, not from the Clear History command.
- Open Safari.
- Choose History > Show All History, or press Cmd+Y.
- Select entries to remove. Shift-click selects a range, and Cmd-click selects separate items.
- Right-click the selection and choose Delete, or press the Delete key.
- To clear everything shown, click inside the history list, press Cmd+A, and delete.
This removes history entries without touching cookies or website data.
Clear history only on iPhone
Use Safari history entries instead of Clear History and Website Data.
- Open Safari.
- Tap the book icon.
- Tap the clock icon for History.
- Swipe left on one entry and tap Delete, or tap Edit to select several entries.
- Delete the selected entries.
Some iOS versions group history by date. If available, remove a date group, or select entries under that date manually.
More control
Saved passwords are separate
Safari saved passwords live in iCloud Keychain or the Passwords app. Clearing history entries, and even the combined history/data command, does not delete saved passwords.
Clear one site data separately
If you need to sign out of one site or remove its stored data, use Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data on Mac, or Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced > Website Data on iPhone.
Suggestions may come from bookmarks
If a site still appears in the address bar after clearing history, Safari may be suggesting it from bookmarks or Favorites. Remove or edit those separately.
Confirm cookies remained
After deleting history entries, revisit a site where you were signed in. If it opens without asking for your password again, the cookies stayed in place.
Sources
- Apple Support – Clear your browsing history in Safari on Mac (2025)
- Apple Support – Clear the history and cookies on your iPhone from Safari (2025)
- Apple Support – Manage cookies and website data in Safari on Mac (2025)