Delete all cookies at once in Chrome settings
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings, then Privacy and security on the left sidebar. Click Clear browsing data. A window will pop up with a time range dropdown at the top — change it from "All time" if you want to delete only recent cookies, or leave it as is to remove everything. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data, make sure Cached images and files is unchecked unless you also want to delete those, then click Clear data.
Chrome will delete the cookies when ready. You will be signed out of most websites automatically, and sites you visit next will start building a new set of cookies from scratch. This is the fastest way if you want a clean slate across all your browsing.
Key Takeaways
- The quickest method is Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data, where you can delete all cookies in one click.
- You can choose to delete cookies from just the last hour, day, week, or month instead of everything.
- Deleting cookies will sign you out of most websites, so have your passwords ready if you need to log back in.
- You can also delete cookies from a single website by clicking the lock icon next to the web address and removing that site's data.
Delete cookies from one website only
If you only want to remove cookies from a specific site, click the lock icon or info icon to the left of the web address in the address bar. Click Cookies and site data or Manage. You will see a list of cookies stored for that site. Click the trash icon next to each one, or click the X next to the site name to delete all of them at once.
This approach is useful when a website is misbehaving or you want to log out without signing out everywhere else. The site will forget your login, preferences, and any tracking data it stored, but your other websites will keep working normally.
Set Chrome to delete cookies automatically when you close it
Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data. Scroll down and toggle on Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. From that point forward, every time you fully close Chrome (not just a tab), all cookies will be deleted automatically.
This setting is helpful if you use a shared computer or want to prevent websites from tracking you across sessions. Keep in mind that you will be logged out of everything each time you close the browser, so you will need to sign back in the next time you open it. Websites you visit will still store cookies during your session — they just will not persist after you quit.
Understand what cookies actually do
A cookie is a small file that a website stores on your computer to remember information about you. When you log into Gmail, Facebook, or your bank, a cookie remembers that you are logged in so you do not have to enter your password on every page. When you add items to a shopping cart, a cookie keeps track of what you chose. Cookies also let websites remember your preferences, like your language or dark mode setting.
Some cookies are set by the website you are visiting. Others are set by advertising companies or analytics services that track you across multiple websites to build a profile of your interests. Deleting cookies removes all of this stored information, which is why you get logged out and why sites no longer remember your choices.
Delete cookies without clearing your browsing history
The Clear browsing data window lets you choose exactly what to delete. By default, Cookies and other site data is checked, but Browsing history and read history are also checked. Uncheck the boxes for history and downloads if you only want to remove cookies. This way, Chrome will forget the cookies but keep your list of visited websites and downloaded files.
This is useful if you want to clean up tracking data without losing your browsing record. You can also use the time range dropdown to delete only cookies from the last day while keeping older history intact.
Manage which sites can store cookies
Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data. Under General settings, you can choose to block all cookies, allow all cookies, or block third-party cookies only. You can also scroll down to Sites that can always use cookies and add specific websites that you want to remember your login and preferences even if you delete cookies elsewhere.
Blocking all cookies will break many websites, so most people leave this set to allow cookies. Blocking third-party cookies is a middle ground — it stops advertisers and analytics services from tracking you across sites, but lets the websites you visit remember who you are.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting cookies delete my passwords?
No. Passwords are stored separately from cookies. Deleting cookies will log you out of websites, but Chrome will still remember your saved passwords. When you visit a site, Chrome can fill in your username and password automatically even after you delete cookies.
Why am I still logged into a website after deleting cookies?
Some websites use other methods besides cookies to keep you logged in, such as tokens stored in your browser's local storage. Clearing cookies alone will not remove those. Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data and check both Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files to remove more types of stored data.
Do I need to delete cookies regularly?
Not necessarily. Deleting cookies occasionally can reduce tracking and free up a small amount of storage space, but it is not required for Chrome to work properly. If a website is acting strangely or you want to reduce tracking, deleting cookies is a good troubleshooting step.
What is the difference between deleting cookies and clearing browsing history?
Browsing history is the list of websites you have visited. Cookies are data that websites store on your computer. Deleting history removes the list of sites, while deleting cookies removes the stored data. You can delete one without deleting the other.