A Guide to Checking the History on Your Computer: Internet and File History

You probably know that you can view your Internet browsing history, but your browsing history isn't the only activity that's logged on your computer—depending on what type of computer you have, you can also see a list of recently opened files, as well as a log of the activity on your account. We'll show you how to see which websites, files, and account options have been accessed on your Windows PC or Mac computer.

Tips to Check Your Computer History

Open your web browser and click the menu icon, then click History to view your browsing history.
Open Run and run the command "Recent" to view recently opened files on your Windows computer.
Go to Settings > Privacy > Activity history (Windows 10 only) to view an activity log for your account.
On a Mac, you can track app usage with Screen Time.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Checking Your Browser History

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1
Open your web browser and press Ctrl+H (Windows)/⌘ Cmd+Y (Mac). This is the keyboard shortcut to open the History page or side panel in all major browsers. If you're on a Mac, use ⌘ Cmd+Y.
- If the keyboard shortcut doesn't work, the option to view your browsing history can usually be found in the main menu of your browser as well. For example, in Firefox or Chrome, click the History tab in the menu bar at the top of the screen, or go to ☰ or ⋮ at the top right corner of your browser and select History.
The pages visited and the searches initiated should be separated by date.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Checking Your Download History

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Open your web browser and press Ctrl+J (Windows) or open the appropriate menu (Mac). For most browsers on Windows, the Ctrl + J keyboard shortcut will open your list of recently downloaded files. The right way to access your download history varies on Mac.
- If you're on a Mac using Safari, you'll need to click the Downloads button in the upper-right corner of the window (it looks like a circle with a down arrow in the middle–you’ll only see this icon if you’ve used Safari to download something).
- The Cmd + Y shortcut on Mac will open your general browser history in Firefox. Click the Downloads tab in the left menu bar.
- In Chrome for Mac, click ⋮ at the top right corner of the browser and select Downloads, or use the keyboard shortcut Option + Cmd + L.
- If the keyboard shortcut doesn't work, most browsers have a button in the top-right portion of the window that will open your downloads history. It's usually on the right side of the address bar, and it has an icon of a downwards arrow.
- You can also usually find the option to view your download history in the main menu of your browser.
The list will be sorted chronologically with the most recent downloads at the top. Depending on your browser, you may be able to sort your download history by file type.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Seeing Recently Used Files (Windows)

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Open the Run app. You can do this easily by pressing ⊞ Win+R, or you can type "Run" into the taskbar search bar and choose it from the menu that pops up.
A File Explorer window will open to show you a list of recent files that have been edited.^{[1]
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You'll see categories like the file's name, date modified, type, and size.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Checking Windows Activity History (Windows 10)

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Press ⊞ Win+I to open the Settings menu. You can also click the Windows icon in the taskbar and click Settings from the Start menu, or you can search for "Settings" in the taskbar search bar.
- If you use Windows 11, Activity History has been removed from the Settings menu, and you won't be able to check it. While Microsoft still has steps to view Activity History in Windows 11 on its support website, that option is missing from the Privacy & security menu, and it appears that a recent Windows update removed the Activity History feature from the OS entirely.^{[2]
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It's next to an icon of a padlock.
You'll find this in the panel on the left side of the window.^{[3]
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Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

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Click Manage my Microsoft account activity data. You may need to scroll down to find this at the very bottom of the window.
- Your Microsoft account activity history will open in a new browser window or tab. Enter your password to continue.
5
Click a menu to learn more about that history. There are menus for location, speech, browsing, and search histories.
- You can click Clear all history in each menu, but to quickly clear everything, go to Settings > Privacy > Activity History > Clear Activity History > Clear.^{[4]
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  Microsoft Support
  Technical support and product information from Microsoft.
  
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Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Tracking App Usage (Mac)

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Open your Mac's settings and click on Screen Time. The Screen Time option is in the sidebar, and you may have to scroll to find it.
- To open your settings, click the Apple icon in the upper-left corner and click System Settings.
If you're the parent or guardian in a Family Sharing group, you'll need to click on the Family Member pop-up menu and then choose the family member whose app usage you want to check.
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Click App & Website Activity. Here's everything you can do inside this menu:
- View app usage: To see your total app usage, view the chart on this page.
- Display statistics by device: Click Device to view usage by device. If you only see one device here and you want to view usage across all devices, go back out to the Screen Time menu and enable "Share across devices."
- Change the time period: Use the arrow buttons above the chart to change what date or time period you're viewing app usage for.
- Display statistics for apps: Click the menu below the chart and choose Show Apps, then choose a specific app to view its statistics.
- Display statistics for app categories: Click the menu below the chart and choose Show Categories, then choose a category you want to view the statistics for.^{[5]
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How do I reinstate the History button on my computer?

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In most browsers like Chrome, Firefox or Edge, the history button can be easily restored through settings. For Google Chrome, click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, go to "History," and ensure the History section is enabled. In Firefox, you can add the History button by customizing the toolbar via the settings menu. For Windows, check your system settings to ensure history-related features like File Explorer History are active. Restoring this button will help you quickly access your browsing or file history, enhancing productivity.

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Why did my school disable incognito mode?

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Many schools restrict the use of private-browsing features. This is done to maintain online safety, monitor student activity, and ensure appropriate internet usage. By disabling Incognito mode, schools aim to promote responsible browsing and protect students from inappropriate content.

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Tips

If the account on your Windows computer that you want to check is in your family group, open Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Manage family settings online. The Microsoft family page will open in a web browser, and you can navigate around the page to see the different aspects of your child's activity on your computer, like screen time and apps used. You won't see this information if they aren't part of your family group.

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