We all rely on our search history to go along track of our twisted internet trail. Without it, many of us would be hard-pressed to call back the sites we found in our rambling search. But if this history gets accidentally deleted, how can you get it dorsum?

In this guide, we volition explore all methods for recovering deleted history on Google Chrome. Continue reading to find out more than.

Can you recover deleted history on Google Chrome?

In some cases, yes. Google Chrome stores browsing data in a defended database file on your figurer. Even when this file is deleted, it might be possible to recover information technology, using the same methods used to restore deleted photographs or documents. There are other means to view your browser history likewise, like the sync characteristic or the Google Activity dashboard.

How to Recover Deleted Chrome History on PC or Laptop

From direct methods like data recovery software to indirect methods similar the DNS cache, in that location are multiple means of recovering your deleted Chrome history. Let's explore them 1 by one.

Method #ane: Check Your Google Business relationship Activity

The History file stored on your reckoner is not the only place Google stores a record of your browsing activity. Your Google account itself contains a log of your online action, including the websites yous have visited and the search terms you have used.

To access your Google account activeness, follow these steps:

  1. Head to My Activity.
  2. If yous are non signed in to your Google business relationship, you lot will see something like this.Google Activity Sign in
  3. Sign in with the account you wish to run across the search history for. Chances are that yous are already signed in. Then the My Activity dashboard is displayed.Google Activity
  4. Scroll downwards to see all of your activity across devices listed out. It includes Google searches likewise as general activeness on Android too.Google Activity List
  5. You can search for specific terms or even filter the results based on the engagement or the type of activity. This can assist you narrow down the list to merely your Chrome history.Google Activity Filter

Method #2: Use Data Recovery Software

When the History file storing Chrome'southward browser history is deleted, the best mode to go information technology back is by using data recovery software. Software similar that scans through the whole deejay for deleted files, giving you the opportunity to restore your Google History to the way it was.

While you tin can employ any data recovery tool for this, we are going to get with Disk Drill. It is a fully-featured information recovery application for both Windows and Mac that tin recover files lost due to whatsoever reason. The all-time thing is that you can recover 500 MB of information for free, then restoring your deleted Chrome History wouldn't cost you a penny.

  1. Download Disk Drill : To brainstorm, you are obviously going to need the application itself. Caput to the official site and download Disk Drill. Cleverfiles Disk Drill
  2. Launch the installer : The setup file is modest and should download in minutes. Employ information technology to install Disk Drill on your computer. Disk Drill Setup
  3. Install Disk Drill : Now run Deejay Drill. You will be presented with a license understanding. Agree and continue. Disk Drill License Agreement
  4. Scan your drive : After a couple of welcome screens, you will become to the master window. Here you tin run into all the drives connected to your reckoner. Select your hard drive and striking the Search for lost data button. Disk Drill Main Screen
  5. View browse results in real-fourth dimension : Disk Drill will now outset scanning. Yous volition exist able to see how many files of each blazon are constitute past glancing at the sorted icons on the screen. Normally we would wait for the whole scan to finish, but since we are looking for one specific file we will click on Review establish items. Disk Drill Scanning
  6. Wait for the history file : The scanning volition continue even as the current results are displayed on a new screen. You can change the file category from the left, and search for a file (or folder) from the right. Type 'History' in the search box and striking enter. Disk Drill Review Found Items
  7. Select the history file : The results will exist filtered based on your search results. Since the files are shown with their folder structure, it is piece of cake to check if the correct file has been found. Chrome's history file is stored in C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default. This is what it would look like. Select the file. Disk Drill Search File
  8. Recover your browser history : Click on the Recover push to restore the selected file. Y'all can choose the destination to save the recovered file to. While it is preferable to save on somewhere other than the main drive, in this instance you tin can ignore it. Since nosotros only need i file, there is nothing else to overwrite. Disk Drill Recovery Destination
  9. Overwrite your current history file with the restored one : But just recovering the History file is not enough. You need to navigate to C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default (supersede Username with your user name) and copy-paste the recovered file into it. This allows Google Chrome to load up the browsing history stored in the file. Chrome History File

Method #3: Use the "Restore Previous Versions" Option for Your Google Folder

If you take deleted the history from Google Chrome, recovering information technology can be a chip more tricky. This is considering Chrome does not really delete the History file, but empties the contents of its database. This lost data cannot be recovered by a data recovery tool.

The solution? Restoring a previous version of the History file. If yous have File History set up on your Windows computer and have the Google folder backed up, it is possible to obtain an older version of the History file.

Here are the steps for doing then:

  1. Open File Explorer and enter the following path in the Address bar at the acme: C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Information\Default, where Username is the name of the user in question.
  2. While in that location are a agglomeration of files and folders in here, we are only interested in the History file.Chrome History File
  3. Right-click on the History file and open up Backdrop.Chrome History Properties
  4. Click on the Previous Versions tab. When File History has been ready, it shows older versions of the file. Merely click on the version you want to return to and hit Restore.Chrome History Previous Versions

Addendum: Setting up File History

Nosotros take seen how to restore the History file to a previous version if File History is gear up. But how exactly do yous practise that? Here are the steps:

  1. Open the Offset menu and click on Settings.Open Windows Settings
  2. In the Settings window, open up Update & Security.Windows Settings
  3. In the Update & Security window, navigate to the Fill-in tab from the left.Windows Settings Backup
  4. To start backing up your data, you need an external HDD. Connect the bulldoze and click on Add together a drive to enable it.File History Toggle
  5. To customize which folders are included in the backup, click on More options. Apply the Add together a folder push button to add together the Google folder to this listing.File History Backup Options

Method #iv: Use DNS Enshroud

DNS or Domain Proper name Organisation is the mechanism past which the URL you lot type in the address bar gets converted into actual addresses on the web. Since this conversion can take some type – particularly when visiting a website for the get-go time – the Bone maintains a enshroud of the DNS addresses of recently opened sites.

You lot can get some thought of what kind of websites y'all have visited past taking a look at this list. Notation that this includes internet activity from all browsers on your computer, not just Chrome. Here is how to view the DNS enshroud using Control Prompt:

  1. Open Command Prompt every bit an ambassador. You can observe information technology past typing cmd in the Windows search bar.Command Prompt
  2. Enter the control: ipconfig/displaydns. This brings up all the DNS records on your computer.ipconfig displaydns
  3. As you tin can see, the records are… technical. There isn't much relevant information, except for the Record Name field, which is actually the DNS name. Yous tin can look upwards these names to try to approximate which websites use them.

Method #5: Reinstall Google Chrome

If sync is enabled in your Google account, then your personal information is backed up to the deject. Bookmarks, search history, passwords – everything is stored. As presently as you sign in on a new device, Google syncs this data to information technology.

You can utilize this feature to recover deleted history on Google Chrome likewise. Merely reinstall Google Chrome on your reckoner and sign in over again. Your history should exist synced from your other devices.

Annotation that this will only work if it is the History file that is missing – clearing your history from Google chrome removes it for all devices.

Method #6: Cookies

Cookies are another method through which the browser (or rather, the websites) shop data on your computer. The problem is that cookies are website-specific, and only shop information related to that website. Your search history is not found in a cookie.

Instead, cookies give y'all an overview of what websites you accept interacted with in the past. Even when your browser history is beyond recovery, taking a await at all the cookies on your reckoner can give you like data. Do notation though that merely opening a website might not lead to a cookie being created. Commonly, you will be prompted to take the cookies.

Hither is how to view all the cookies on your browser:

  1. Open up Chrome and bring down the three-dot menu from the top right. Click on Settings.Chrome Menu
  2. Scroll down to the Privacy and security section and click on Cookies and other site information.Chrome Settings
  3. All options related to cookies testify upward here. You lot need to click on the See all cookies and site information option.Chrome see all Cookies
  4. All the cookies on your figurer will bear witness up in an alphabetical list of websites. Yous utilize this information to determine which websites you have interacted with in the past.Chrome All Cookies

How to Recover Deleted Chrome History on a Mobile

So far we take explored diverse methods for regaining your lost Chrome history on a PC. Only what almost a smartphone? Is there whatsoever fashion for doing so on Android or iPhone?

Certainly. While things like information recovery software or checking the DNS enshroud are harder on mobile, many of the other methods work merely the aforementioned. Here are two of them:

With Sync

If your mobile has sync enabled, your Chrome data is backed up beyond all of your devices. This ways that signing in on your telephone again should restore your search history. Here are the steps for doing then:

  1. Beginning, verify that sync is indeed enabled on your device. To do that, open Chrome and head to its settings. Yous will run across the Google Account beingness synced at the top.Chrome Settings
  2. Now you need to uninstall Chrome. If that'south non possible on your device, simply sign out of your business relationship. Open Chrome again to be greeted with a tab similar this.Chrome Signed Out
  3. Tap the Sign in button and enter your login details.Chrome Sign in

That'due south it. Upon signing in once again, your data volition be synced with your Google account, restoring any lost history using the backups from your other devices.

Using Google Account Activity

When your data isn't synced (or the method doesn't work), y'all tin can always check out your Google business relationship activity. The My Activity dashboard holds a record of every activeness on Chrome, including searches. To access this data, follow these steps:

  1. On your Android mobile, caput to Settings and tap on Google.Android Settings
  2. Now striking the Manage your Google Account option.Android Google Account
  3. All of your Google Business relationship related settings can be accessed from here. For now, switch to the Information & Personalization tab.Android Google Account Dashboard
  4. From hither, scroll downwardly to Activity and timeline and tap on My Activeness.Google Account Activity and Timeline
  5. Alternatively, on both Android and iPhone you tin open Chrome and navigate to My Activeness straight. This opens upwardly the My Activeness dashboard, containing a log of your online activities.My Google Activity
  6. Scroll downwards to view a listing of your search history ordered by date and fourth dimension. Tap on any of the items to view more details.Google Activity Search History
  7. If your action is chock-full up past actions performed on other Google apps, you can always use the Filter option to narrow things down. You lot can filter past the date and the type of activity you wish to come across, such as Chrome.Google Activity Filter

FAQ

Decision

Losing personal data like bookmarks and search history on Google Chrome tin can be frustrating. Fortunately, there are many methods for getting this data back.

Your search history is backed up in multiple sources, from a local database file on your computer to a log of activeness on Google'southward servers. Yous tin can use data recovery tools or File History to restore the local file, and sign in to your Google account to access your online information. On Windows 10, at that place are many other methods of file recovery as well.

And if these methods fail, you can e'er use indirect tricks like cookies or the DNS cache to obtain a rough idea of your search history. Recollect that this communication cuts both ways; another person with access to your computer can use these methods to run across your search history too.