The most common reason is that you're clearing the wrong list. Searches made while signed in are saved to your Microsoft account and must be cleared from the Microsoft privacy dashboard. The Clear all button on the Bing page only clears the list stored in that browser when you're signed out.
You're clearing device history, but it's saved to your account
If you clear bing.com/profile/history while signed out, your account's history is untouched, and it reappears the next time you sign in. Sign in first, then clear it from the privacy dashboard:
- Go to account.microsoft.com/privacy and sign in.
- Open Search history.
- Select Clear all search history and confirm.
The Clear all button does nothing
- Allow cookies and JavaScript for bing.com and account.microsoft.com.
- Turn off ad blockers or privacy extensions for these two sites, then reload.
- Try another browser, or an InPrivate/Incognito window where you sign in fresh.
- Pop-up blockers can stop the confirmation from appearing; allow pop-ups for the page.
Searches keep coming back
- Another device is still signed in and searching. Check where your account is signed in and sign out of devices you don't use.
- Browser sync brings pages back into your address bar suggestions. That's your browser's history, not Bing's; clear it in the browser.
- You're seeing suggestions, not history. Popular searches appear in the drop-down for everyone. See remove Bing search suggestions.
You're using a work or school account
With a work or school account, clearing is done on the Bing history page itself (Clear all > Yes). Your organization may also keep records under its own policies, which you can't delete yourself.
Only some items won't go
Try deleting them from the privacy dashboard list, where every entry has its own trash icon. If a search still appears, it may have been made after you cleared, on another device.
Prevent the problem
Decide where you want history to live: signed in (one list for everything, cleared in one place) or signed out (a separate list on each browser). And if you don't want a list at all, turn history off.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for cleared Bing history to disappear?
It's normally removed from the history page right away. If it lingers, refresh, and check that you cleared it from the account you're signed in with.
Can I contact Microsoft if I still can't delete it?
Yes. Microsoft's privacy support can help with account data you can't remove through the dashboard.