Safe Browsing

The quickest protection: a private window

Private browsing (called Incognito in Chrome, Private Browsing in Safari and Firefox, and InPrivate in Edge) does not save your history, cookies, or form entries after you close the window. It is the simplest way to read this site without leaving a record on your device.

• Chrome (desktop): Menu (⋮) → New Incognito window, or Ctrl+Shift+N (⌘+Shift+N on Mac)
• Chrome (Android): Tap ⋮ → New Incognito tab
• Safari (Mac): File → New Private Window, or ⌘+Shift+N
• Safari (iPhone/iPad): Tap the Tabs button → Tab Groups → Private
• Edge (desktop): Menu (⋯) → New InPrivate window, or Ctrl+Shift+N
• Firefox (desktop): Menu (≡) → New Private Window, or Ctrl+Shift+P
• Firefox (mobile): Tap the mask icon in the tab switcher

Close every private tab when you finish — history is only erased once the private window is fully closed. Private windows do not hide your activity from employers, schools, or internet providers, only from the device itself.

Deleting history you have already made

Google Chrome (desktop)

1. Press Ctrl+H (⌘+Y on Mac) or go to Menu → History → History.
2. To remove only this site: find the entries, tick them, and choose Delete.
3. To clear a period: Menu → Delete browsing data → choose a time range → tick Browsing history → Delete data.

Google Chrome (Android)

1. Tap ⋮ → History.
2. Swipe individual entries away, or tap Clear browsing data, choose a time range, and confirm.

Safari (Mac)

1. History menu → Show All History.
2. Search for the site, select entries, and press Delete.
3. To clear everything: History → Clear History → choose a time range.

Safari (iPhone/iPad)

1. Open Safari → tap the Bookmarks icon → History.
2. Swipe left on individual entries to delete them, or tap Clear and choose a time range.
3. Alternatively: Settings → Apps → Safari → Clear History and Website Data.

Microsoft Edge (desktop)

1. Press Ctrl+H or go to Menu (⋯) → History.
2. Hover over an entry and click ✕ to remove it, or choose Clear browsing data for a time range.

Mozilla Firefox (desktop)

1. Press Ctrl+H or Menu → History → Manage history.
2. Right-click individual entries → Delete Page, or Menu → History → Clear Recent History and choose a time range.

Mozilla Firefox (mobile)

1. Tap the menu → History.
2. Long-press an entry to delete it, or use Settings → Delete browsing data.

Shared devices and accounts

• History can sync between devices. If you are signed in to Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or an Apple ID, history deleted on one device may reappear — or a visit on this device may show up on another. Check your sync settings, or sign out before browsing.
• Use a device the other person cannot see where possible: a work computer, a library computer, or a trusted friend's phone.
• Search engines remember too. Clear recent searches in Google (My Activity) if you searched for help services.
• Email and SMS leave records. Consider which accounts others can open before contacting support services by email or text.
• Location sharing: check Find My (Apple), Google location sharing, and any family safety apps installed on your device.

About this site's Quick Exit button

Every page on this site has a Quick Exit button in the bottom-right corner. Pressing it — or pressing the Escape key twice quickly — immediately replaces this page with a neutral website (the Bureau of Meteorology) and removes this page from your Back button history for the current tab. It does not delete the rest of your browsing history; use the steps above for that.