Why you might want to delete cookies
Cookies are small files that websites store on your iPad to remember things about you — your login information, items in your shopping cart, your preferences. They make browsing faster and more convenient. But they also mean websites can track which pages you visit and build a profile of your interests.
Deleting cookies clears out this stored data. You might do this to free up space, to stop websites from tracking you, or to force a website to forget your login so someone else cannot access your account. On an iPad, you delete cookies through the Safari browser settings or through your iPad's general settings, depending on which browser you use and how thorough you want to be.
Key Takeaways
- Safari stores cookies in the iPad settings under Privacy, where you can delete them without losing your passwords or browsing history.
- Deleting cookies will log you out of most websites, so you will need to sign back in the next time you visit.
- If you use Chrome, Firefox, or another browser app, you delete cookies inside that app's own settings, not in iPad settings.
- You can set Safari to delete cookies automatically every time you close the browser, or to block them entirely.
Delete cookies in Safari through iPad settings
Open the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Safari. Scroll down again until you see Clear History and Website Data. Tap it once.
A popup will appear asking what you want to delete. By default, it shows all history selected. If you want to delete only cookies and not your browsing history, tap the dropdown at the top that says all history and change it to the last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all time — whichever period you want. Then tap Clear History and Data. Your cookies are now deleted.
This method deletes cookies from Safari only. If you use other browsers, you will need to delete cookies separately in each one.
Delete cookies in Chrome, Firefox, or other browser apps
Open the browser app you use. In Chrome, tap the three horizontal lines in the bottom right corner, then tap Settings. In Firefox, tap the three horizontal lines in the bottom right, then tap Settings. In other browsers, look for a menu icon or a Settings option.
Look for an option called Clear Browsing Data, Privacy, Clear Cache, or Clear Cookies. The exact name varies by browser. Tap it, make sure Cookies is checked, and tap the button to confirm. The cookies stored by that browser are now deleted.
Set Safari to delete cookies automatically
If you want Safari to delete cookies every time you close the browser, you can turn this on in settings. Open Settings, tap Safari, and scroll down to Privacy. Toggle on Block All Cookies if you want to block cookies entirely, or look for an option like Clear History and Data on Exit if your iPad offers it.
Blocking all cookies will prevent some websites from working properly — shopping carts may not save, login pages may not remember you, and some sites may not load at all. Clearing cookies on exit is gentler: websites can still use cookies while you browse, but they are deleted when you close Safari completely.
What happens after you delete cookies
You will be logged out of most websites. The next time you visit a site where you had an account, you will see the login page instead of your account. You will need to sign in again. Websites may also forget your preferences — if a site remembered that you prefer dark mode, it will go back to light mode until you change it again.
Some websites may load more slowly the first time you visit after deleting cookies, because they no longer have stored information about your preferences and settings. This slowdown is temporary and usually not noticeable.
The difference between deleting cookies and clearing browsing history
Browsing history is the list of websites you have visited. Cookies are files those websites stored on your device. When you clear history, Safari forgets which sites you went to, but the cookies those sites left behind may still be there. When you delete cookies, the sites are still in your history, but the stored data is gone.
In the Clear History and Website Data menu, you can choose to delete one without the other. If you want to delete only cookies and keep your history, select a time period and tap the button. If you want to delete both, make sure both options are checked before you confirm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting cookies delete my passwords?
No. Passwords are stored separately from cookies. When you delete cookies, you will be logged out of websites, but your saved passwords remain in Safari's password manager. You can sign back in using your saved password without typing it again.
Can I delete cookies from just one website?
Not easily on iPad. Safari deletes all cookies at once or none at all. If you want to remove data from a specific site, open that site in Safari, tap the address bar, tap the information icon next to the website name, and look for a Manage Website Data or Clear option. Not all websites offer this.
What if a website stops working after I delete cookies?
Some websites need cookies to function. If a site is broken after you delete cookies, try closing Safari completely and opening it again. If the problem continues, the website may require cookies to be enabled. Go back to Settings, tap Safari, and make sure Block All Cookies is toggled off.
Do I need to delete cookies regularly?
Not unless you want to. Cookies take up very little space on your iPad. You might delete them if you are concerned about tracking, if you share your iPad with others, or if a website is not working properly. Otherwise, there is no technical reason to delete them often.