How Do You View Deleted Internet History?
Deleted Internet browsing history can be viewed in a computer’s DNS cache. To do so, search for “cmd” in the Start menu in Windows 7 to open a command prompt. At the prompt, type “ipconfig/displaydns,” and select Enter to pull up a list of all websites visited from the computer. The list includes sites accessed indirectly through other sites that a user may not intend to visit.
Pages that a visitor has viewed using private browsing mode appear in the DNS cache. An additional way to monitor Internet history is to set up an Internet router to keep logs of all activity by all computers on the network. Such logs require administrative access to the router to delete. OpenDNS and other services record website access and offer parental control features.
Savvy computer users can thwart most attempts to discover websites they visit. For instance, the Internet Explorer browser provides an InPrivate browsing mode that does not keep a record of website visits. The Google Chrome Incognito mode also does not keep a record of sites visited. Parents concerned that their children may visit inappropriate websites are advised to set rules about browsing at home. Parents also can keep the computer in a central location rather than in a child’s bedroom, teach children to protect their privacy and use content filters to control sites children may access.