Learn How to Clear Autofill on Your Devices

Understanding Autofill and Why You Might Want to Clear It

Autofill is a feature found on most devices and web browsers that stores information you type repeatedly. When you fill out a form or search box, your device remembers what you entered. The next time you start typing in a similar field, the device suggests what you typed before. This happens with passwords, addresses, phone numbers, credit card information, search queries, and usernames.

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According to a 2023 survey by the Pew Research Center, approximately 64% of Americans worry about their personal information being stored on their devices. Autofill can be convenient when you're the only person using a device, but it creates privacy concerns when others share your computer, tablet, or phone. If someone else uses your device, they could see your saved addresses, email addresses, or even partial password information depending on your browser settings.

Clearing autofill data serves several purposes. First, it removes stored information from shared devices before you give them to someone else or sell them. Second, it helps protect your privacy if your device is lost or stolen. Third, it can fix errors when autofill suggestions are outdated or incorrect. Fourth, it prevents autocomplete from showing sensitive information on public or semi-public devices.

Different devices store autofill data in different locations. Windows computers save this data in the browser and sometimes in system settings. Mac computers store it similarly through Safari or other browsers. Android phones and iPhones each have their own autofill systems managed through their operating systems and individual apps. Understanding where your data lives is the first step to clearing it effectively.

Practical Takeaway: Before clearing autofill, consider what information you want to remove and which devices need attention. Make a list of devices you use regularly and whether they're shared with others.

How to Clear Autofill on Windows Computers and Microsoft Edge

Windows computers using Microsoft Edge browser have autofill settings accessible through the browser menu. To clear autofill data in Microsoft Edge, open the browser and click the three horizontal dots in the upper right corner. Select "Settings" from the dropdown menu, then choose "Privacy, search, and services" from the left sidebar. Scroll down to find the "Clear browsing data" section.

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When you click "Clear browsing data," a window appears with several options. You'll see a time range selector at the top—this lets you choose whether to clear data from the last hour, last 24 hours, last 7 days, last 4 weeks, or all time. For comprehensive autofill clearing, select "All time." Below the time range, checkboxes appear for different data types. Look for options labeled "Autofill form data," "Passwords," and "Payment info." Check whichever boxes match the data you want to remove.

Microsoft Edge also allows you to manage autofill settings before clearing data. In the same "Privacy, search, and services" section, you'll find "Clear browsing data" options and below that, "Autofill" settings. Here you can toggle autofill on or off entirely, or manage specific categories like addresses, payment methods, and passwords. Some users prefer to turn off autofill for sensitive information like credit cards while keeping it on for addresses.

For those using Google Chrome on Windows, the process is similar but accessed through different menus. Click the three dots in the top right, go to "Settings," then "Privacy and security," then "Clear browsing data." The same time range and data type options appear. Chrome stores autofill information for addresses, payment methods, and passwords, all manageable from this single screen.

If you use multiple browsers on Windows—such as Firefox, Edge, and Chrome—you'll need to clear autofill in each browser separately since they maintain independent databases. This is an important consideration if you're preparing a device for someone else to use.

Practical Takeaway: Write down which browsers you use on your Windows computer and clear autofill in each one. Set a reminder to do this quarterly or before sharing your device with others.

Clearing Autofill on Mac Computers and Safari

Apple's Safari browser stores autofill information in its own database separate from other browsers. To clear autofill data in Safari, open the browser and click "Safari" in the menu bar at the top. From the dropdown menu, select "Settings." A window opens with several tabs at the top. Click the "AutoFill" tab to see what types of information Safari is storing and managing.

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In the AutoFill tab, you'll see checkboxes for "Using saved contacts," "User names and passwords," "Credit cards," and "Other forms." Each checkbox shows whether that category is currently active. To remove stored data, you have two options. First, you can uncheck these boxes entirely to disable autofill going forward, but this doesn't delete existing data. Second, you can click the "Edit" button next to each category to view and manually delete specific entries.

For more complete autofill clearing in Safari, you need to access the browser history and cache settings. Click "Safari" in the menu bar, then "Clear History." A dropdown menu appears asking how far back you want to clear—options typically include the last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all history. Select the appropriate timeframe. However, this method clears browsing history along with some cached data but may not remove all autofill forms completely.

A more thorough approach involves using Safari's advanced settings. In Safari's main Settings window, click the "Privacy" tab. Here you'll find options related to tracking prevention and cookie management. While this doesn't directly clear autofill, it prevents future tracking and cookie storage. To truly clear all autofill data, Safari users sometimes need to manually delete entries through the AutoFill interface or use third-party privacy tools available through the Mac App Store.

Users of other browsers on Mac—such as Chrome or Firefox—should refer to those browsers' specific settings, which typically follow the same patterns as their Windows versions. The key difference is that Mac's system-level autofill, managed through System Preferences rather than individual browsers, stores autofill data for Safari primarily.

Practical Takeaway: Mac users should check Safari's AutoFill tab monthly and manually review stored passwords and payment information, deleting entries that are outdated or no longer used.

Managing Autofill on Android Phones and Tablets

Android devices handle autofill at both the system level and within individual apps and browsers. Google's system autofill service, called "Google Autofill," can be managed through device settings. To access this on most Android devices, open Settings, scroll to "System" or "Advanced," then look for "Languages and input" or "Autofill service." The exact path varies depending on your Android version and device manufacturer (Samsung, Motorola, Google Pixel, etc.), but the concept remains consistent.

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Once you locate autofill settings, you can manage which apps have permission to use autofill and whether autofill is enabled globally. Some Android devices allow you to select between different autofill services—Google's built-in service, Samsung Pass (on Samsung devices), or third-party password managers. Within Google's autofill settings, you can clear saved addresses and payment information. Open Google Play Services settings or access this through your Google account settings online, where you can view and delete saved addresses and payment methods associated with your account.

For Chrome browser specifically on Android, the autofill process connects to your Google account. Clearing Chrome's autofill means signing into Google Chrome on your Android device, opening the menu (three dots), selecting "Settings," then "Privacy." From there, look for "Clear browsing data" and select "Passwords" and "Autofill form data." This removes autofill data from Chrome but may not affect autofill in other apps.

Android's system-level autofill also stores information across apps. If you've allowed autofill permission to apps like your banking app or email app, these apps may have independent autofill storage. Unfortunately, Android doesn't provide a single location to clear all autofill data across all apps simultaneously. Instead, you may need to clear data for individual apps. Go to Settings, find "Apps," select an app, then choose "Storage" and "Clear cache" or "Clear data." Be aware that clearing data may log you out of the app.

Google Pixel phones and devices using Android 11 or newer have more integrated autofill management. These devices show autofill