How to clear browsing history, cookies and saved passwords (Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox on computer and phone): what to delete after a leak, and what to keep first

Do not delete the email or move it to spam. Take screenshots showing the sender, date, body and list of attachments. Do not open links or attachments in the email, and do not reply. Paying or replying does not guarantee that the sender will delete what they hold.

Record the names of extensions you do not recognise, with a screenshot, in Extensions (Chrome and Edge) or Add-ons and themes (Firefox), then remove them (labels vary by version). An extension you did not install may be able to read your browsing history and page content.

Screenshot each service's sign-in history, transaction history and notification emails about actions you did not take, with dates visible. How to find them is covered in how to check whether your account has been accessed.

In Japan, the National Police Agency's cyber incident consultation page (Japanese) lists the prefectural police consultation desks and a nationwide online reporting form. Outside Japan, contact your local police. If there is a risk to someone's life, call emergency services.

From More (the three vertical dots) at the top right, select Delete browsing data. You can also open it with Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows or ⌘+Shift+Delete on Mac. Set the time range to All time, select Cookies and other site data plus any other items you want to remove (browsing history, cached images and files, autofill data and so on), then select Delete data (item labels vary by version).

Deleting browsing data does not delete saved passwords. Go to More > Passwords and autofill > Google Password Manager, select a password and select Delete. To remove everything, select Settings on the left, then Delete data next to "Delete all Google Password Manager data", then Delete. This also removes passkeys and other Password Manager data.

Tap More to the right of the address bar, then Delete browsing data. The default duration is 15 minutes, so choose a longer range. To pick specific data types, tap More options, then tap Delete data. Google says that if you delete cookies while signed in to Chrome, you won't be signed out of your Google Account.

Tap More, then Delete Browsing Data. The default time range is 15 minutes. In the popup, choose a duration next to Time Range, tap Browsing Data to pick the types to remove, tap Confirm, then tap Delete Browsing Data (labels vary by version).

Choose History > Clear History in the menu bar, then use the pop-up menu to choose how far back to clear. Apple says this does not clear histories that websites keep on their own, and downloaded files stay on your Mac.

Choose Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data, select sites and click Remove, or click Remove All. Apple says this may sign you out of websites.

Go to Settings > Apps > Safari > Clear History and Website Data, confirm the timeframe and tap Clear History. To keep history and clear only cookies and cache, go to Safari > Advanced > Website Data > Remove All Website Data > Remove Now. Apple says clearing history does not change your AutoFill information.

In Safari, open the sidebar, tap History, tap More, then Clear. Under Clear Timeframe, choose how far back to clear and tap Clear History. Apple says this also removes cookies and permissions you granted to websites. If you use Safari profiles, choose All Profiles; otherwise only the selected profile's history is cleared.

Open the Passwords app, tap All, choose the account, tap Edit, then Delete, and confirm (labels vary by version). Apple says this removes the password from your iPhone and iCloud Keychain, but does not remove it from the website or app where you created it. On a Mac, use the Passwords app (or System Settings on some macOS versions).

Select Settings and more (the three dots at the top right) > Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data, then Choose what to clear next to "Clear browsing data now". Pick the longest option in the Time range menu (labels vary by version), select from Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, Cached images and files, Passwords, Autofill form data and others, then select Clear now. Microsoft's list of Edge keyboard shortcuts gives Ctrl+Shift+Delete to open the clear browsing data options.

Microsoft says items that are synced will be cleared across all synced devices. To clear data only on the current device, first turn sync off under Settings > Profiles > Sync (labels vary by version).

Go to Settings > Passwords and autofill > Microsoft Password Manager to see which sites have saved passwords. Microsoft notes that changing a password in Edge does not change it on the website.

Select the menu button > History > Clear Recent History (Ctrl+Shift+Del on Windows, ⌘+Shift+Delete on Mac). In the When drop-down, choose Everything, check Cookies and site data, cache and any other items you want removed, then click Clear.

Select the menu button > Passwords to open your saved logins. Select an entry and click Remove, or choose Remove All Passwords from the three-dot menu at the top right.

Go to Google Account > Security & sign-in > Your devices > Manage all devices, select any device you do not recognise and select Sign out.

On your account's security dashboard, open Advanced security options and select Sign out under "Sign out everywhere". Microsoft says this can take up to 24 hours, and Xbox consoles must be signed out separately.

On iPhone, go to Settings > your name, select any unfamiliar device in the device list and tap Remove from Account. Then change your password from a trusted device.

For important services such as brokers, banks and email, check signed-in devices, sign them out and change the password. Someone who knows your password can sign in again after being signed out. Service-by-service screens are covered in how to check for unauthorized access. Also set up multi-factor authentication.