What cookies are and why you might want to delete them
Cookies are small files that websites store on your computer to remember information about you — your login details, what you put in a shopping cart, your preferences, or sites you've visited. They're not inherently bad: they let you stay logged into email without typing your password every time, and they help websites show you relevant content.
You might want to clear them for privacy reasons, to free up storage space, or because a website isn't working properly and a fresh start helps. Clearing cookies also removes tracking data that advertisers use to follow you across the web. When you delete cookies, websites will no longer remember you until you log back in or visit again.
Key Takeaways
- Cookies are stored files that websites use to remember your login information, preferences, and browsing history.
- You can clear cookies through your browser's settings menu, and the exact steps depend on whether you use Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.
- Clearing cookies will log you out of most websites, so have your passwords ready or use a password manager before you start.
- You can set your browser to automatically delete cookies when you close it, or to ask permission before accepting new ones.
How to clear cookies in Google Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu, then click Privacy and security on the left side. Choose Clear browsing data.
A window will appear with options for what to delete. Make sure the Cookies and other site data checkbox is checked. At the top, select the time range — you can choose All time to delete everything, or pick a specific period like Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, or Last 3 months. Click Clear data and the cookies will be removed.
How to clear cookies in Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (hamburger menu) in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy & Security on the left. Under the Cookies and Site Data section, click Clear Data.
A dialog box will open. Check the box next to Cookies and Site Data, then click Clear. If you want to delete only cookies from a specific time period, click the menu next to Time range to clear and choose your preferred range before clicking Clear.
How to clear cookies in Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar at the top of your screen. Select Settings (or Preferences on older Macs), then click the Privacy tab. Click Manage Website Data to see all stored cookies and site data.
You can select individual websites and click Remove, or click Remove All to delete everything at once. If you want to clear cookies without seeing the list, go back to the Privacy tab and click Remove All Website Data. A confirmation window will appear — click Remove Now.
How to clear cookies in Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy, search, and services on the left. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. At the top, select your time range — All time will delete everything, or you can choose a shorter period. Click Clear now to remove the cookies.
Setting your browser to automatically delete cookies
If you want cookies deleted automatically every time you close your browser, you can change your browser settings. In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data, then toggle on Delete cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security, find Cookies and Site Data, and check Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed.
In Safari, go to Settings > Privacy and select Remove all website data when quitting Safari. In Edge, go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services, scroll to Clear browsing data, and toggle on Choose what to clear every time you close the browser. After you enable this, you'll see a menu each time you close the browser asking what data to delete.
What happens after you clear cookies
Once cookies are deleted, you'll be logged out of most websites. The next time you visit a site that requires a login, you'll need to enter your username and password again. Websites will also stop remembering your preferences — if a site had your language set to Spanish or your font size set to large, it will reset to the default.
Shopping sites will forget items in your cart, and sites that track your browsing history will start fresh. This is temporary: as soon as you visit websites again, they'll start storing new cookies on your computer. If you want to prevent this, you can use your browser's private or incognito mode, which doesn't store cookies after you close the window.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing cookies delete my passwords?
No. Cookies and saved passwords are stored separately. Clearing cookies will log you out of websites, but your saved passwords remain in your browser. If you want to delete saved passwords too, you'll need to do that through a different menu in your browser settings.
Is it safe to clear all cookies at once?
Yes, it's completely safe. Clearing cookies won't damage your computer or browser. The only inconvenience is that you'll need to log back into websites and they won't remember your preferences until you visit them again.
What's the difference between cookies and cache?
Cookies store information about you and your preferences. Cache stores copies of images, videos, and web pages so websites load faster next time. Both can be cleared separately through your browser settings, usually in the same menu.
Do I need to clear cookies regularly?
Not necessarily. Clearing cookies occasionally improves privacy and can fix website problems, but it's not required for your computer to work properly. If privacy is a concern, clearing them monthly or quarterly is reasonable.
Can I clear cookies from just one website?
Yes. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, you can visit a website, click the lock icon or site information icon in the address bar, and find an option to clear data for that specific site. In Safari, use Manage Website Data to select individual sites before clicking Remove.