Bid farewell to your browsing data in the stock Android browsers – for better privacy

Privacy knows no medium. Safeguard your mobile browsing sessions, too!

David bisson
David Bisson
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Bid farewell to your browsing data in the stock Android browsers - for better privacy

By now, regular readers of this site are amply equipped to protect their privacy while browsing the web. Indeed, they know why web browsers elect to save information about them, and they can list multiple reasons why deleting their cookies, clearing the cache, and removing their history can benefit not only their privacy but also their computers and browsing sessions more generally.

Most importantly, readers also know how to efface this information on Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Safari, and Opera.

But what about when you’re browsing the web on their mobile devices? iOS users don’t have to worry about it; iPhones and iPads come with Safari, and you already know how to remove your information from that browser. Meanwhile, many new Android devices come with Google Chrome, but some still sport the stock Android browser.

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Android users of this standard browsing solution have just as much right to protect their privacy. Let’s dive into the details!

  1. Open the Android internet browser. When you do, you should see an image of three dots arranged vertically. That’s the Menu icon. Press it.
  2. A menu appears that allows you to save a page for offline reading, access your bookmarks, and print. It also comes with the option of viewing your browsing settings. Click on Settings.
  3. In the subsequent menu, users can access their General, Advanced, and Accessibility settings. We don’t want any of those today. Instead we want Privacy & security.
  4. The Privacy & security menu offers users the availability to clear their cache, history, or cookie data. Simply click the “Clear cache,” “Clear history,” or “Clear all cookie data”options.
  5. You’ll receive a prompt to confirm the deletion of the Android internet browser’s cache, history, or cookie data. Submit your confirmation.
Aid1829350 v4 728px clear your browser's cache on an android step 4 version 5
Source: wikiHow

And there you have it. Not only can you now protect your privacy while browsing the web from a desktop computer, but you can also keep your browsing information close while on the go!


David Bisson is an infosec news junkie and security journalist. He works as Contributing Editor for Graham Cluley Security News and Associate Editor for Tripwire's "The State of Security" blog.

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