Cleaning up your tracks

 


Your computer saves a record of every website you visit. If you are being abused, you should delete these records so that your abuser does not know that you have visited this site. Read below for detailed instructions.

First, you need to determine which web browser you are using. A web browser is the program you are using right now to look at this page. Look at the top of this window to find out. It should say:

"Cleaning up your tracks - <name of browser>"

For example, if you are using Internet Explorer, it would say:

"Cleaning up your tracks - Microsoft Internet Explorer"

If you are using Internet Explorer, it may be that the company who provided this copy of the browser has altered the title. To be sure, go to the Help menu then click on

About <name of browser> (ie. About Internet Explorer)

Once you have determined which browser you are using, click the link below that corresponds to your browser to learn how to remove your history trail.

Internet Explorer*
Netscape**
AOL (America Online)**
Macintosh***
Opera****
Mozilla*****


Internet Explorer

  1. Click on the Tools menu, then on Internet Options.
  2. Click on the Delete Cookies button (if it's not there, that's ok, skip this step)
  3. Click on the Delete Files button (click ok when it asks you again)
  4. Click on the Settings button
  5. Click on the View Files button
  6. Click on the Edit menu then click Select All
  7. Hold down SHIFT and push the DELETE  key (not backspace, the delete key is under the insert key). (Holding down shift and pushing delete permanently deletes the files without using the recycle bin)
  8. Close that window, then click ok 
  9. Click on the Clear History button (click ok when it asks you again)
  10. Hold down the CTRL (control) key and push H (this brings up the history window)
  11. If you see a heading called Today, right-click on it and click Delete
  12. Hold down CTRL and push H again (this closes the history window)
  13. Close Internet Explorer, re-open it
  14. (If you need more help, this page has pictures to help you)

 

Netscape

  1. Click on the Edit menu
  2. Click on Preferences
  3. In the new window that opens, double click on Navigator
  4. Click on History
  5. Click the Clear History button
  6. Click the Clear Location Bar button
  7. Now, on the left side of the window, double-click Advanced
  8. Click Cache
  9. Click the Clear Memory Cache button
  10. Click the Clear Disk Cache button
  11. Click OK
  12. (If you need more help, this page has pictures to help you)

 

AOL

  1. Click on My AOL on the top of the screen
  2. Click on Preferences
  3. Click on the WWW button
  4. Click on the Delete Cookies button (if it's not there, that's ok, skip this step)
  5. Click on the Delete Files button (click ok when it asks you again)
  6. Click on the Settings button
  7. Click on the View Files button
  8. Click on the Edit menu then click Select All
  9. Hold down SHIFT and push the DELETE  key (not backspace, the delete key is under the insert key). (Holding down shift and pushing delete permanently deletes the files without using the recycle bin)
  10. Close that window, then click ok 
  11. Click on the Clear History button (click ok when it asks you again)
  12. Click OK 
  13. Sign out, close AOL, then sign in again
  14. (If you need more help, this page has pictures to help you)

Macintosh

  1. Click on the Edit menu
  2. Click on Preferences
  3. Double click on Navigator on the left
  4. Click on the Expire Now button
  5. Click OK
  6. Click OK again to save the changes
  7. (if you need more help, this page has pictures to help you)

Opera

  1. Click on File, then on Delete Private Data
  2. Depending on which version of Opera you have, you may have some checkboxes. 
  3. If you have checkboxes, check them all then click OK
  4. If you do not, just click Yes

Mozilla

  1. Click on the Edit menu
  2. Click on Preferences
  3. In the new window that opens, double click on Navigator
  4. Click on History
  5. Click the Clear History button
  6. Click the Clear Location Bar button
  7. Now, on the left side of the window, double-click Advanced
  8. Click Cache
  9. Click the Clear Memory Cache button
  10. Click the Clear Disk Cache button
  11. Click OK
  12. (If you need more help, this page has pictures to help you)















This page is intended as a reference guide for the safety of our visitors. There is no warranty made as to its accuracy. If you feel some of the information here is not correct, please e-mail us and tell us what is wrong and how to fix it.

*Internet Explorer is a trademark of Microsoft Corp.
**Netscape and AOL are trademarks of AOL Time Warner, Inc.
***Macintosh is a trademark of Apple Computer Inc.
****Opera is a trademark of Opera Software ASA
****Mozilla is a trademark of The Mozilla Organization