What cookies are and why you might delete them
A cookie is a small file that a website stores on your computer to remember information about you — your login details, what you put in a shopping cart, your preferences, or what you've visited. Cookies are not programs and cannot harm your computer by themselves, but they do track your activity across websites.
You might delete cookies to clear out old login information, stop websites from tracking your browsing, free up a small amount of storage space, or troubleshoot a website that is not working correctly. Deleting cookies will log you out of most websites, so you will need to sign back in afterward.
The steps to delete cookies differ slightly depending on which browser you use — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge — but the process is similar in all of them and takes less than a minute.
Key Takeaways
- Cookies are small files websites store on your computer to remember your login and preferences, and deleting them logs you out of most sites.
- You can delete all cookies at once or choose a date range — for example, cookies from the last week or the last month.
- The delete option is in your browser's settings under History, Privacy, or Browsing Data, depending on which browser you use.
- Deleting cookies frees almost no storage space on modern computers, so the main reason to delete them is privacy or troubleshooting.
How to delete cookies in Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu that appears. On the left side, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data.
A window will open with several options. Make sure Cookies and other site data is checked. At the top, you can choose a time range: All time deletes every cookie, while Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, and Last 4 weeks let you delete only recent cookies. Select the range you want, then click Clear data.
How to delete cookies in Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy & Security on the left side. Scroll down to the Cookies and Site Data section and click Clear Data.
A small window will appear. Make sure Cookies and Site Data is checked. You can also check Cached Web Content if you want to clear temporary files websites store. Click Clear to remove all cookies, or use the time range menu at the top of the Privacy & Security page to delete only recent ones.
How to delete cookies in Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Select Settings (or Preferences on older versions), then click the Privacy tab. Click Manage Website Data to see a list of all websites that have stored cookies on your computer.
To delete all cookies at once, click Remove All. To delete cookies from specific websites, select the ones you want to remove and click Remove. If you want to delete cookies from a certain time period instead, go back to the Safari menu and select Clear History, choose your time range, and make sure all history is selected.
How to delete cookies in Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy, search, and services on the left side. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
A window will open. Check Cookies and other site data. At the top, select your time range — All time removes every cookie, while other options let you delete only cookies from the last hour, day, week, or month. Click Clear now to finish.
Deleting cookies from a single website
If you only want to delete cookies from one website instead of all of them, most browsers let you do this without clearing everything. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, click the lock icon or information icon next to the website address in the address bar, then look for a Cookies or Site data option and click the delete or trash icon next to it.
In Safari, go to Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data, find the website in the list, select it, and click Remove. This approach is useful if a website is not working correctly and you want to clear only that site's data without logging out of everywhere else.
What happens after you delete cookies
After you delete cookies, websites will no longer remember you. The next time you visit a site where you had an account, you will need to sign in again. Websites may also forget your preferences — for example, if a news site remembered that you wanted to see articles in dark mode, it will go back to light mode until you change it again.
Some websites may load slightly slower the first time you visit after deleting cookies, because they have to read information they previously stored locally. This slowdown is temporary and usually not noticeable. Your browser will start collecting new cookies when ready as you browse, so the cookies will build up again over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting cookies make my computer faster?
No. Cookies are tiny files — usually just a few kilobytes each — and even thousands of them take up almost no storage space on a modern computer. Deleting cookies will not noticeably speed up your computer or free up meaningful space. The main reasons to delete cookies are privacy and troubleshooting website problems.
Can I delete cookies without logging out of everything?
Yes, if you delete cookies from only one website at a time using the method described in the "Deleting cookies from a single website" section. You can also set your browser to delete cookies automatically when you close it, which keeps you logged in while you are browsing but clears everything when you shut down.
Is it safe to delete all my cookies at once?
Yes, it is completely safe. Cookies are not programs and cannot damage your computer. The only inconvenience is that you will need to sign back into websites and reset your preferences. If you are concerned about losing important login information, write down your passwords before deleting cookies, or use a password manager to store them.
Why do websites use cookies if people want to delete them?
Cookies serve legitimate purposes — they let you stay logged in, remember items in your shopping cart, and save your preferences so you do not have to set them up every time you visit. Some websites also use cookies to track your browsing across different sites for advertising purposes. You can delete cookies whenever you want, and many browsers now let you block certain types of cookies automatically.
Do I need to delete cookies regularly?
No. Deleting cookies is optional and only necessary if you want to clear your browsing history for privacy reasons, troubleshoot a website problem, or remove old login information. There is no technical reason to delete cookies on a schedule.