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past searches being saved even while private browsing

  • 5 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by amygrams7

amygrams7
amygrams7
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Hello!

I always use private browsing so I thought that my history was totally not being saved, but discovered recently that when I started to type within the search field, that many of my past searches were listed in the search field with the type highlighted in purple. I had to manually go in and delete all of these past searches. I don't want any search history to be saved. Is there a setting in preferences that I'm somehow missing? Why is Firefox saving these past searches if I have it set to Always Use Private Browsing?

Thank you!

Hello! I always use private browsing so I thought that my history was totally not being saved, but discovered recently that when I started to type within the search field, that many of my past searches were listed in the search field with the type highlighted in purple. I had to manually go in and delete all of these past searches. I don't want any search history to be saved. Is there a setting in preferences that I'm somehow missing? Why is Firefox saving these past searches if I have it set to Always Use Private Browsing? Thank you!

Chosen solution

Thanks for the suggestion FredMcD. I finally figured out what the issue was, because I tried browsing in Safari and realized that it was doing the same thing in that browser, too. I use Yahoo as my homepage, and I do my searches through there, so I realized it had something to do with Yahoo. Sure enough, Yahoo was saving my history! I had to switch it off in their settings, and the problem went away!

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All Replies (5)

amygrams7
amygrams7 Question owner
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Hi Dropa,

Thank you for your reply. I have tried both "Never Remember History" and also the custom "Always use private browsing", and I always go to File/New Private Window before I do a search.

I just did a test- I opened a new private window, did a search for Squarespace, and then closed that window. When I opened another new private window, Squarespace was in the search field, remembered by Firefox. I have attached some screenshots of my settings and of the Squarespace example.

Thank you!

FredMcD
FredMcD
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That could be the form filler built into Firefox. Click in the field, enter a character or two and STOP ! Using the arrow keys, highlight an unwanted entry. Then press Shift + Delete

Repeat as needed.

amygrams7
amygrams7 Question owner
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Chosen Solution

Thanks for the suggestion FredMcD. I finally figured out what the issue was, because I tried browsing in Safari and realized that it was doing the same thing in that browser, too. I use Yahoo as my homepage, and I do my searches through there, so I realized it had something to do with Yahoo. Sure enough, Yahoo was saving my history! I had to switch it off in their settings, and the problem went away!

FredMcD
FredMcD
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That was very good work. Well Done. Please flag your last post as Solved Problem as this can help others with similar problems. Go to that post and click the 'Solved' button to its right.

amygrams7
amygrams7 Question owner
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Thanks, FredMcD! I just clicked the 'Solved' button for that post.