# Accessing and Managing Your Search History

### Summary

Review your past activity in vLex Library by accessing your **History**. This feature allows you to quickly find previously viewed documents and re-run past searches, ensuring you never lose track of important research.

### Why This is Important

Your search history is a critical time-saving tool. It allows you to instantly return to a key document without having to reconstruct a complex search query, ensuring a seamless and efficient **legal research workflow**.

### How to Use Your History

#### Viewing Your Recent History

1. Click the **History** (clock) icon located to the right of the Smart Searchbar at the top of the page.
2. A dropdown menu will appear showing your most recently viewed documents and executed searches.
3. Click on any item to navigate directly to it.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="English Interface" %}

<figure><img src="/files/vCKGjN5jtQ9etObKA9jP" alt=""><figcaption><p>Access your most recent activity directly from the History icon.</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Interfaz en Español" %}

<figure><img src="/files/u17f81i8BX1ZGVNoYSVs" alt=""><figcaption><p>Acceda a su actividad más reciente directamente desde el ícono de Historial.</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

#### Viewing Your Full History

For a complete record of your activity, click **View all history** at the bottom of the dropdown menu. This will take you to a dedicated page with your complete, dated history.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="English Interface" %}

<figure><img src="/files/1I9ScFpRk65wfnhfDYOo" alt=""><figcaption><p>Click View all history for a complete record of your past activity.</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Interfaz en Español" %}

<figure><img src="/files/1FHDanwGT56WjeEm7wlo" alt=""><figcaption><p>Haga clic en Ver todo el historial para obtener un registro completo de su actividad pasada.</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

#### Pausing History Tracking

If you need to conduct research without recording it to your history for a specific session:

1. Click the **person icon** in the top-right corner of the screen.
2. Select **Stop history tracking for this session** from the menu.
3. You can re-enable it at any time by selecting **Resume history tracking** from the same menu.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="English Interface" %}

<figure><img src="/files/Cg4arZk70b2yac4jGNy3" alt=""><figcaption><p>Pause history tracking for a session directly from your profile menu.</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Interfaz en Español" %}

<figure><img src="/files/eVQCTTmPfBut70LSfMnJ" alt=""><figcaption><p>Pausa el seguimiento del historial para una sesión directamente desde el menú de su perfil.</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Personal Account Required**
: The History feature is only available for personal accounts. If you are accessing vLex Library through a generic institutional account (e.g., a university-wide IP login), your history will not be saved.
{% endhint %}

### Best Practices & Pro Tips

* **Re-run, Don't Re-type:** Instead of typing a complex search again, find it in your history and click it to get the most up-to-date results for that query.

### Related Articles

* [Personalizing Your vLex Library Experience](/vlex-library/vlex-library-home/getting-started/personalizing-your-vlex-library-experience.md)
* [How to Start Your Research in vLex Library](/vlex-library/vlex-library-home/getting-started/how-to-start-your-research-in-vlex-library.md)
* [How to Sign In to vLex Library](/vlex-library/vlex-library-home/getting-started/how-to-sign-in-to-vlex-library.md)

**What's Your Next Step?**

| **New to** vLex Library **?**                                                                                                                                                                                   | **Already a** vLex Library **Customer?**                                                                                                                   |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [See how vLex Library can transform your practice. **Request a personalized demo**.](https://vlex.com/book-a-demo?utm_source=website\&utm_medium=organic\&utm_campaign=web_trial_homepage\&campaign_id=4270741) | [If you still have questions or need help with a specific feature, our team is here to assist. **Contact our Support team**.](https://vlex.com/contact-us) |


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```
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```

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