How to clear search history on Bing is a task many of us face eventually. Whether you’re trying to keep a gift surprise a secret, tidying up your digital footprint, or just wanting a fresh start with your search suggestions, knowing the right steps can save you a lot of time.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through exactly how to wipe your history on desktop, mobile, and even how to stop Bing from saving your searches in the first place.
Why Should You Clear Your Bing History?
Before we dive into the “how,” let’s talk about the “why.” Every time you search for something on Bing, Microsoft stores that data. They use it to personalize your experience, show you relevant ads, and help the AI (like Microsoft Copilot) understand what you’re interested in.
However, there are plenty of reasons to clear it:
- Privacy: If you share a computer with family or roommates, you might not want them seeing your previous queries.
- Better Results: Sometimes your past searches “clog up” your current ones, leading to biased results.
- Security: Reducing the amount of data stored about you online is always a good practice for digital hygiene.
How to Clear Search History on Bing (Desktop)
If you are using a laptop or a desktop computer, clearing your history is quite simple. You have two main ways to do this: through the Bing interface or through your Microsoft Privacy Dashboard.
Method 1: Using the Bing Menu
- Go to Bing.com.
- In the top-right corner, click on the three horizontal lines (the hamburger menu).
- Select Search History from the dropdown list.
- On the next page, you will see a list of your recent activity. To delete everything, look for the “Clear all” button under the “Manage or clear your search history” section.
- Confirm your choice when the pop-up appears.
Method 2: Using the Microsoft Privacy Dashboard
If you want a more “nuclear” option that clears your data across all Microsoft services, use the dashboard.
- Navigate to the Microsoft Privacy Dashboard.
- Sign in with your Microsoft account.
- Scroll down to the Search History section.
- Click Clear search history. This will remove searches tied to your account across all devices where you are logged in.
How to Clear Search History on Bing (Mobile App)
For those who use the Bing app on iPhone or Android, the process is slightly different but just as quick.
- Open the Bing app.
- Tap on your profile icon or the account circle (usually in the top left or bottom center).
- Tap on Settings (represented by a gear icon).
- Navigate to Privacy.
- Look for the option that says Clear data or Clear browsing history.
- Select the types of data you want to remove (ensure “Search history” is checked) and tap Clear.
How to Delete Specific Individual Searches
You don’t always have to delete everything. If you only want to hide one or two embarrassing or private searches, follow these steps:
- Go to the Search History page on Bing.
- Find the specific search term in the list of activity.
- Hover over the search, and a small “X” or a trash can icon will appear next to it.
- Click that icon, and that specific entry is gone forever.
How to Stop Bing from Saving Your History
Tired of manually clearing your data? You can actually tell Bing to stop recording your searches altogether.
Turn Off Search History
On the Bing Search History page, look for a toggle switch that says “Show new searches here” or “Search history.” Flip this to Off. Once disabled, Bing will stop adding new queries to your log. Just keep in mind that this doesn’t delete your old history—you still need to click “Clear all” one last time.
Use InPrivate Browsing
If you’re using Microsoft Edge, the easiest way to avoid history issues is to use an InPrivate window (Ctrl+Shift+N). When you search in this mode, Bing doesn’t save your history, cookies, or site data once you close the window.
Common Issues: Why Won’t My History Delete?
Sometimes, you might click “Clear all” only to see the searches reappear. Here is how to fix that:
- You aren’t signed in: If you aren’t logged in, Bing might be storing history via “cookies” on your specific browser. In this case, you need to clear your browser’s cache and cookies (found in your browser’s settings).
- Syncing is active: If you use Microsoft Edge, your history might be syncing from another device. Make sure to clear the history on all devices or turn off “Sync” in Edge settings.
- Work or School Accounts: If you are using a managed account (from a job or school), your administrator might have certain policies that prevent full deletion.
Final Thoughts on Digital Privacy
Learning how to clear search history on Bing is an essential skill in 2026. As search engines become more integrated with AI and personalized features, managing what they know about you is key to maintaining your privacy.