How to turn off AutoFill and AutoComplete in your browser

AutoFill and AutoComplete are browser features that automatically populate forms with your saved data. The autofill function makes life easier by remembering things like your email address, billing or delivery information and then using that data to complete web forms, speeding up the process.

While this is all very useful, there are times when this is undesirable, and you might want to disable the function or clear the data.

This article gives step-by-step instructions that show you how to disable the AutoFill and AutoComplete data in the various popular web browsers, preventing this information from being accidentally saved or used in your browser.

Click on the browser name you use for step-by-step instructions on how to disable AutoFill and AutoComplete data:

In addition, you might also want to clear any data history already stored and we have included instructions.

 

Google Chrome

Google Chrome

Disable Auto-fill in Chrome

1: Click the Chrome menu icon (the 3 vertical dots in the top right of your screen)
2: Click on Settings
3: On the left-hand menu, click to open ‘Autofill’ and expand the area where you want to disable the autofill, for example, Passwords, Addresses, Payments

Auto fill in Google Chrome

4: Set the toggle control to the OFF position

Passwords in Google Chrome

Clear Auto-fill Data in Chrome

1: Click the Chrome menu icon (3 vertical dots in the top right of your screen)
2: On the left-hand menu, click to open ‘Privacy and Security’ then expand the section “Clear browsing data”
3: Select the “Advanced” tab and in the ‘Time range’ box set it to “All Time” to clear all the saved data
4: Next check the box for the “Autofill form data” option
5: Click “Clear Data”

 

Edge logo

Microsoft Edge

Disable Autofill in Microsoft Edge

1: In Edge, click on the “Settings ” icon (3 horizontal dots in the top right of your screen)
2: Click on Settings cog icon
3: In the “Your Profile” section, click on each of the following and be sure the option is toggled off: Personal info, Passwords, Payment info

Personal settings on Microsoft Edge

Clear Autofill Data in Edge

1: Click on the “Settings ” icon (3 horizontal dots in the top right of your screen)
2: Click on Settings
3: Click on “Privacy, search, and services”
4: In the “Clear Browsing Data” section, click the button “Choose What to Clear”
5: Select “All time” from the time range dropdown list
6: Check the box for “Autofill form data (includes forms and cards)” and any of the other options, for example “Passwords”
7: Click “Clear now”

Clear browsing data on Microsoft Edge

 

Firefox logo

Firefox

Turn off Autofill in Firefox

1: Click on the Firefox menu icon (3 horizontal lines in the top right of your screen)
2: Click on Options
3: Then select “Privacy & Security”
4: Scroll down to the “Logins and Passwords” section uncheck “Autofill logins and passwords” Note, you can set up exceptions for specific websites

Logins and passwords on firefox

5: Below this, go to the ‘History’ section
6: Next to “Firefox will” from the dropdown list select  “Use custom settings for history”
7: Uncheck the relevant options

History in Firefox

Clear Autofill Data in Firefox

1: Click on the Firefox menu icon (3 horizontal lines in the top right of your screen)
2: Click on Options
3: Choose “Privacy & Security”
4: In the “History” section, click on the “Clear History” button
5: At the top of the box use the drop down list to select the ‘Time range to clear’
6: Check the box or  “Form & Search History”

Clear recent history in Firefox

Safari logo

Safari

Turning off Autofill in Safari

1: Click on the Safari menu (The word “Safari” at the top left of your screen)
2: Click on “Preferences”

General settings in Safari

3: Choose AutoFill
4: Uncheck “Using info from my Contacts”, “Usernames and passwords”, “Credit cards” and “Other Forms”, as required.

Auto fill in Safari

Opera logo

Opera

Switch off Autofill in Opera

1: Click the red Opera menu button in the top left corner of your screen
2: From the dropdown list select “Settings”
3: Then select the Advanced menu, and click Privacy & security

Basic settings in Opera

4: Next scroll down to the “Autofill” section where you see three options: Passwords, Payment methods, and Addresses and more

Autofill settings in Opera

5: Expand each section and use the toggle switch to disable the autofill

Clear Autofill Data in Opera

1: Click the red Opera menu button in the top left corner of your screen
2: From the dropdown list select “Settings”
3: Then select the Advanced menu, and click “Privacy & security” and expand the option for “Clear browsing data”

Opera Privacy and Security Settings

2: In the Advanced option, select the Time range for “All time”
3: Then check the boxes for the data you wish to clear, for example “Autofill form data”

Clear browsing data in Opera

Please note that the terminology and user-interface of these browsers may change from time to time.