Amazon is one of the most popular online retailers, offering a vast selection of products that are delivered quickly and conveniently. However, some shoppers may wish to erase their Amazon purchase history for privacy reasons. Here are several methods to remove orders from your Amazon account.
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Why You May Want to Erase Your Purchase History
There are a few reasons why you might want to delete previous Amazon orders:
- Hide purchases from family or friends – If you share an Amazon account with others, you may want to remove certain items from the order history so they don’t see them. This is especially useful around the holidays if you don’t want to spoil gift surprises.
- Protect sensitive purchases – Some shoppers buy private items on Amazon that they don’t want others who use their account to see, like personal care products or medications. Erasing these orders protects privacy.
- Remove browsing history – In addition to past purchases, Amazon tracks your browsing history. Clearing this removes personalized recommendations and hides your interests from those with account access.
- Prepare account for resale – If you plan to sell a used Amazon device tied to your account like a Kindle or Fire tablet, you’ll want to erase personal order information first.
Archiving Orders on Amazon
Amazon does not allow you to permanently delete orders from your account. However, you can archive orders to remove them from view in your default order history. Archived orders can still be accessed if searched for specifically, but they won’t show up in your order list.
To archive an order on desktop:
- Go to Amazon.com and log into your account
- Click “Returns & Orders”
- Identify the order you want to archive
- Select “Archive order” below the item
- Confirm by clicking “Archive order” again in pop-up
You can archive up to 500 orders total in your account history. If you’ve reached that limit, you’ll need to unarchive old orders first before archiving new ones.
To archive an order on mobile:
- Open the Amazon app and log in
- Tap the profile icon
- Select “Your Orders”
- Tap the order you want to remove
- Choose “Archive order”
Clearing Your Browsing History
In addition to your order history, Amazon also tracks products you view or search for. Clearing this browsing history adds another layer of privacy.
To erase Amazon browsing history on desktop:
- Hover over “Browsing History” on the Amazon homepage
- Click “View and Edit”
- Select “Remove” below each item or “Remove all”
You can also toggle browsing history tracking off entirely in the “Manage history” tab. This will prevent Amazon from saving your search and viewing history going forward.
To erase Amazon browsing history on mobile:
- Open the Amazon app and tap the profile icon
- Select “Browsing History”
- Tap “Remove” on each item or “Remove all”
- Toggle “Browsing History” off in “Manage” tab
Using Amazon Household Accounts
Amazon Household allows Prime members to share shipping benefits with one other adult and up to four teens/kids. With Household, adults keep private accounts and order histories. Teens and kids cannot view purchases made by adult members.
To set up Household:
- Go to Amazon Household and select “Add Adult”
- Enter the adult’s name and email address
- They’ll receive a Household invitation to accept
- Choose Prime benefits to share once established
This allows adults privacy while still accessing Prime perks like free shipping. You can also add up to four connected child accounts with purchase approvals.
Changing Your Amazon Account Password
If you share your login credentials with family, they may access your orders, Kindle books, Prime video watch history and more. Changing your Amazon password prevents this while still allowing account sharing.
To change password on desktop:
- Hover over “Account & Lists”
- Select “Your Account”
- Choose “Login & Security”
- Enter your current password
- Type a new, unique password
- Click “Change Password”
Be sure not to use the same password for multiple important accounts, in case one is compromised. Enable two-factor authentication for additional security.
Additional Privacy Tips
Here are some other things you can do to increase privacy on Amazon:
- Use an Amazon Locker for deliveries instead of home address
- Turn off Alexa Shopping notifications
- Clear your search and browsing history frequently
- Create a separate purchaser account not tied to your main login
- Buy sensitive items from another retailer when possible
What Happens When You Close an Amazon Account
If privacy is a major concern, you can close your Amazon account entirely. This permanently deletes all personal data associated with your account, including:
- Order history, reviews and recommendations
- Payment options and Prime membership
- Digital content like Kindle books or Amazon Video purchases
- Alexa voice recordings and device connections
You will lose access to these services after account closure. Amazon may retain some data for legal obligations, but all personal identifiers are removed.
To close an Amazon account:
- Go to Close Your Amazon Account
- Sign into the account you wish to close
- Select a closure reason and check the verification box
- Choose “Close My Account”
Once your account is closed, you cannot reopen or restore it. You’ll have to create a brand new account to shop on Amazon again in the future.
In Summary
Protecting your privacy is important. While Amazon makes it impossible to permanently erase orders, there are still ways to remove purchases from view, prevent tracking of your interests, and even close your account entirely if needed.
Using archived orders, browsing history deletion, Amazon Household accounts and unique passwords allows you to take control over your Amazon privacy. Consider which combination of these options meets your needs.
