Do you know what History Wipe Clean is?
History Wipe Clean is a Google Chrome-compatible extension that is promoted in a strange way. Its official website is historywipe.org, but when we visited it during our analysis, it claimed that the extension was “coming soon.” Well, it could already be downloaded for free from the Chrome Web Store at chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/history-wipe-clean/lkoaihgjiponcajbckpapelngngiiopf, and over 9,000 users had done it already. The extension had a 2-star rating, and the single review left in the Reviews section informed that it was only pretending to enhance security. We assume that most people reading this article already have their reasons to remove History Wipe Clean. In any case, even if you are only looking for more information, we suggest that you continue reading. If you do that, you will learn why the extension is identified as a PUP (potentially unwanted program) and why deleting it is the right move.
According to the description that you can find on the Chrome Web Store – which is where the ‘INSTALL’ button on the official website routes to – History Wipe Clean can remove your browsing history from Google Chrome and help you save “time and effort.” If you know how your browser works at least a little bit, you must know that clearing browsing history is not a hassle. All you have to do is open the ‘Clear browsing data’ menu – which you can do by tapping Ctrl, Shift, and Delete keys at the same time – select the data you want to clear and then click the right button. This takes absolutely no time, and so we are surprised that some people might find an extension like History Wipe Clean to be desirable. Perhaps you installed it by accident or because it came attached to a more desirable app? That could have happened if you used a bundled downloader. If that is what happened, we advise scanning your system ASAP.
History Wipe Clean screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions
If you installed History Wipe Clean from the Chrome Web Store, you must have been informed that this extension can “read and change all your data on the websites you visit” and also “manage your downloads.” Considering that this extension has to remove browsing data, it kind of does not make sense for it to read your data or manage downloads. This is the first reason it is identified as a PUP. Another reason for that is that the extension does not seem to work. According to our research team, it does not wipe history as it claims to be capable of. We have also learned after analyzing the Privacy Policy that the creator of the PUP can collect some information about you, your devices, and also how you interact with the services provided by the PUP and “third-party partners.” Are these partners disclosed? Of course, they are not. The Privacy Policy has also revealed that cookies are used to gather information. So, do you want to trust an alleged browsing history wiper that collects data and works with unknown parties, or do you want to remove it?
Deleting History Wipe Clean is not a complicated task, and we are hoping that even the less experienced users can eliminate it from their Google Chrome browser using the guide below. As you will see, the guide also shows how to clear browsing data. This will teach you how to remove browsing history without having to employ extensions or programs, and you will be able to clear the cookies that the PUP and the associated parties could have employed. Of course, there is another option you should consider, and that is employing trusted anti-malware software. It would automatically remove History Wipe Clean and other threats that might exist. Moreover, it would keep you safe in the future.
Remove History Wipe Clean from Google Chrome
- Open the browser and tap keys Alt+F together.
- Click More tools, go to Extensions, and Remove the unwanted one.
- Tap keys Ctrl+Shift+Delete together to access the Clear browsing data menu.
- Go to the Advanced menu, pick a time range, select boxes, and click Clear data.
In non-techie terms:
History Wipe Clean does not seem to work, and it can collect information about you. Also, it works with undisclosed parties, whose intentions are not clear at this point. All things considered, deleting this PUP is the only logical step. To delete History Wipe Clean, you can follow the manual removal guide below, or you can employ a trusted anti-malware program that will clean your system automatically. We strongly advise choosing the second option if other suspicious programs or extensions exist on your system, or you simply want to have the PUP eliminated and your system protected automatically.