diff --git a/scripts/reboot.sh b/scripts/reboot.sh
index 82c60a1f..60020ce8 100755
--- a/scripts/reboot.sh
+++ b/scripts/reboot.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-if [ -f "$HOME/.zsh_history " ] ; then
-    rm "$HOME/.zsh_history"
-fi
-
 if [ -d "$HOME/.recycle-bin" ] ; then
     doas rm -r "$HOME/.recycle-bin/" && doas reboot
 else
diff --git a/scripts/shutdown.sh b/scripts/shutdown.sh
index b9adad56..338d3dc8 100755
--- a/scripts/shutdown.sh
+++ b/scripts/shutdown.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-if [ -f "$HOME/.zsh_history " ] ; then
-    rm "$HOME/.zsh_history"
-fi
-
 if [ -d "$HOME/.recycle-bin" ] ; then
     doas rm -r "$HOME/.recycle-bin/" && doas shutdown -h now
 else
diff --git a/zshrc.txt b/zshrc.txt
index 2c341360..286065e6 100644
--- a/zshrc.txt
+++ b/zshrc.txt
@@ -1,12 +1,9 @@
 # ~/.zshrc
-#
+
 # to change default shell, use chsh -s $(which zsh)
 
-# creates a zsh_history file on startup
-touch $HOME/.zsh_history
-#
 # create custom env variables:
-export cproj="/home/brian/Documents/Code/source_code_to_study/sandbox/msh"
+export cproj="$HOME/Documents/Code/source_code_to_study/sandbox/msh"
 # custom BROWSER env for ddgr:
 export BROWSER=links
 export TUIR_BROWSER=librewolf
@@ -24,11 +21,26 @@ export LESS_TERMCAP_us=$'\e[1;4;33m'
 # Formats history command with dates/times
 export HISTTIMEFORMAT="%d/%m/%y %T "
 # Sets default for history command
-export HISTSIZE=2000
+export HISTSIZE=10000000
 export HISTFILESIZE=100000
 export HISTFILE="$HOME/.zsh_history"
-export SAVEHIST=$HISTSIZE
-setopt hist_ignore_all_dups
+SAVEHIST=10000000
+
+# setopt EXTENDED_HISTORY          # Write the history file in the ":start:elapsed;command" format.
+setopt INC_APPEND_HISTORY        # Write to the history file immediately, not when the shell exits.
+setopt SHARE_HISTORY             # Share history between all sessions.
+setopt HIST_EXPIRE_DUPS_FIRST    # Expire duplicate entries first when trimming history.
+setopt HIST_IGNORE_DUPS          # Don't record an entry that was just recorded again.
+setopt HIST_IGNORE_ALL_DUPS      # Delete old recorded entry if new entry is a duplicate.
+setopt HIST_FIND_NO_DUPS         # Do not display a line previously found.
+setopt HIST_IGNORE_SPACE         # Don't record an entry starting with a space.
+setopt HIST_SAVE_NO_DUPS         # Don't write duplicate entries in the history file.
+setopt HIST_REDUCE_BLANKS        # Remove superfluous blanks before recording entry.
+setopt HIST_VERIFY               # Don't execute immediately upon history expansion.
+# setopt HIST_BEEP                 # Beep when accessing nonexistent history.
+
+# creates a .zsh_history file on startup, and clears the history
+touch $HISTFILE && cat /dev/null > $HISTFILE && history -p
 
 # Configure thefuck
 eval "$(thefuck --alias)"