How to View Google Chrome History File in SQLite Format

If you want to access your Google Chrome history file in SQLite format, you need to locate the file and use a suitable tool to view its content. This article will show you how to do that in simple steps, as well as some tips and FAQs on managing your Chrome history.

What is Google Chrome History File?

Google Chrome history file is a database file that stores the information about the webpages and files that you have visited or downloaded using the Chrome browser. The history file is located in the following path on your Windows computer:

C:\Users[username]\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default

The history file is named History and has no file extension. It is a SQLite file, which means that it uses a relational database format to store the data in tables and columns.

Why View Google Chrome History File in SQLite Format?

There are several reasons why you may want to view your Google Chrome history file in SQLite format, such as:

• To recover deleted or lost browsing history from Chrome.
• To analyze your browsing behavior or habits.
• To export or backup your Chrome history to another device or location.
• To troubleshoot or fix Chrome issues related to history.

Read more: Solved: How to view Google Chrome History file

How to View Google Chrome History File in SQLite Format?

To view your Google Chrome history file in SQLite format, you need to use a tool that can read and display SQLite databases. There are many free and paid tools available for this purpose, such as:

• SQLiteStudio: A generic GUI tool that allows you to browse, edit, and query SQLite databases
• HeidiSQL: A lightweight and user-friendly tool that supports SQLite, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and other databases
• DB Browser for SQLite: A simple and easy-to-use tool that lets you view and edit SQLite databases
• SQLite Expert: A powerful and professional tool that offers advanced features and functions for SQLite databases

To use any of these tools, you need to follow these steps:

1. Close Chrome if it is running, or make sure that you are not browsing any webpages or files in Chrome.
2. Copy the History file from the path mentioned above and paste it to another location, such as your desktop or a USB drive. This is to avoid corrupting or damaging the original file.
3. Open the tool of your choice and select the History file that you copied. You may need to change the file type to All Files (.) to see the file.
4. Once the file is opened, you can view the content of the SQLite database in different tabs or windows, such as Tables, Data, SQL, etc.
5. To view the Chrome history data, you need to select the urls table, which contains the information about the webpages that you have visited, such as the URL, title, visit count, last visit time, etc.
6. To convert the Chrome time stamps to a more meaningful date and time format, you can use the following SQL command:

select datetime(Last_visit_time / 1000000 + (strftime('%s', '1601-01-01')), 'unixepoch', 'localtime') LastVisitTime, * from urls;

This will display the last visit time in the format of YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.

7. You can also use other SQL commands or functions to filter, sort, group, or manipulate the data as per your needs.

FAQs on Google Chrome History File

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers on Google Chrome history file.

Question: How long does Google Chrome keep history?

Answer: Google Chrome keeps history for 90 days by default. However, you can change this setting by going to chrome://settings/privacy and clicking on Clear browsing data. Then, under the Advanced tab, you can choose the time range that you want to keep history for, such as the last hour, the last 24 hours, the last 7 days, the last 4 weeks, or all time.

Question: How to view Google Chrome history online?

Answer: Google lets you view your Chrome history online if you are signed in to your Google account and have sync enabled. To do this, you can visit [history.google.com/history] and see your Chrome history across all your devices. You can also search, delete, or pause your history from this page.

Question: How to delete Google Chrome history file?

Answer: To delete your Google Chrome history file, you can follow these steps:

1. Close Chrome if it is running, or make sure that you are not browsing any webpages or files in Chrome.
2. Go to the path where the History file is located, as mentioned above.
3. Delete the History file and the History-journal file, which is a temporary file that stores the changes made to the History file.
4. Restart Chrome and check if the history is cleared.

Alternatively, you can also delete your Chrome history from within the browser by going to chrome://settings/privacy and clicking on Clear browsing data. Then, under the Basic or Advanced tab, you can select the time range and the data types that you want to delete, such as browsing history, download history, cookies, cache, etc. Then, click on Clear data and wait for the process to complete.

Summary

In this article, we have explained what is Google Chrome history file, why view it in SQLite format, and how to do that using different tools. We have also answered some FAQs on Google Chrome history file. We hope that this article has helped you to access and view your Chrome history file in SQLite format.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. The tools and methods mentioned in this article are not endorsed or affiliated with Google or Chrome. Use them at your own risk and discretion. We are not responsible for any loss or damage caused by the use of these tools or methods.