Hide My Visit - Internet Explorer

If an abuser knows how to read your computer's history or cache file (automatically saved web pages and graphics), they may be able to see information you have viewed recently on the internet. You can clear your history or empty your cache file in your browser's settings.

This information may not completely hide your tracks. Many browser types have features that display recently visited sites. The safest way to find information on the internet, would be at a local library, a friend's house, or at work.

If you have a very tech-savvy and suspicious partner : they may check your temporary files and cookies folder. Details from most sites visited are sent here automatically. These are not viewable in the browser history once you have deleted it using the methods below but they are still saved to a drive on the computer. It is usually not necessary to delete these but if you would like more information about how to delete these files see the Microsoft support tutorial.

Another thing to consider if you have a suspicious partner is that deleting your ENTIRE browsing history could act as a red flag that you are covering your tracks. If your partner knows that people in the house are using the internet it will be suspicious to find no or very few sites listed in the browser history. Because of this we recommend only deleting the sites you do not want them to see. For example instead of emptying the entire folder you could follow the instructions for 'viewing history' and then right-click on each individual site you want deleted and select 'delete'. For more information you can go to: www.netsafe.org.nz.

Microsoft Internet Explorer Users

Viewing History

Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.x users can view their history files by clicking the "Tools" menu, "Internet Options", clicking the "Settings" button under the Browsing history, and then clicking the "View Files" button.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.x users can view their history files by clicking the "Tools" menu, "Internet Options", clicking the "Settings" button, and then clicking the "View Files" button.

Deleting History

Microsoft Windows users running Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.x and 7.x can delete their history files by clicking the "Tools" menu, "Internet Options", and clicking the "Delete Files" or "Delete" button.

Users also have the option of automatically deleting files each time the close the browser window by clicking the "Advanced" tab and checking "Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed" under the "Security" section.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.x users on an Apple Macintosh can delete the history by clicking the "Hard Drive" icon, "System", "Preferences", "Explorer", and moving the history file into the trash. Remember to empty the trash.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.02 and lower users can delete their history by clicking the "View" menu, "Options", open the tab "Advanced", click the "Settings" tab, and click the "Empty Folder" button.