Visited Pages Work — Remove Most

Here’s a short, clear guide on removing or hiding the “Most Visited” pages from common browsers.

For Mozilla Firefox (Desktop)

Firefox doesn’t have a built-in “Most Visited” section on new tabs by default – it shows “Top Sites” instead. To clear/remove those:

1. Open a new tab.
2. Click the gear icon in the top right corner of the new tab page.
3. Uncheck “Top Sites”.
4. (Optional) You can also uncheck “Recommended by Pocket” and “Highlights” for a completely blank new tab.

Abstract (1 paragraph)

Summarize problem, contributions: threat model, user study on expectations, evaluation of existing browser behaviors, technical methods for removing/obscuring entries, and design guidelines. remove most visited pages

The "Nuance": Incognito Mode

If you do not want to change your settings permanently but need a quick fix for privacy, the simplest solution is to use Incognito Mode (Chrome), Private Browsing (Firefox/Safari), or InPrivate (Edge).

Browsers specifically designed these modes so that history is not recorded. Consequently, if you visit a site in Incognito Mode, it will never appear on your "Most Visited" grid in your standard window. This is the best strategy for one-off visits to sites you don't want stored. Here’s a short, clear guide on removing or

Mozilla Firefox

Firefox offers a "Sponsored Shortcuts" toggle, but for true Most Visited control, you use the "Customize" menu.

To remove a specific site:

1. Open a new tab.
2. Click the three dots (⋯) on the shortcut tile.
3. Select Dismiss.

To disable the section:

1. Open a new tab.
2. Click the gear icon (Personalize) in the top right corner.
3. Toggle off Shortcuts. This will clear the grid entirely, leaving you with a clean background and the search bar.