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. When you visit a website, it can place a cookie on your device that tracks what you looked at, what you bought, or that you were logged in. The next time you visit, the website reads that cookie and knows who you are without asking you to log in again.
Some cookies are useful — they let you stay logged into your email or keep items in a shopping cart. Others track you across many websites to build a profile of your interests, which advertisers then buy. Deleting cookies removes this stored information and can reduce how much websites know about your browsing habits. It also frees up a small amount of storage space on your computer, though the amount is usually negligible.
If you arrived here from reading about data brokers, deleting cookies won't remove your information from data broker databases — those companies collect data through many other channels. But deleting cookies does stop websites from feeding new information about you into those systems going forward.
Key Takeaways
- Cookies are files websites store on your computer to remember information about you, and deleting them removes that stored data from your device.
- The steps to delete cookies differ depending on which web browser you use — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge each have their own process.
- You can delete all cookies at once or set your browser to delete them automatically every time you close it.
- Deleting cookies will log you out of most websites, so you may need to log back in the next time you visit.
- Deleting cookies from your computer does not remove your information from data broker websites or stop those companies from collecting data about you through other means.
How to delete cookies in Google Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of the window. Select "Settings" from the menu that appears. On the left side, click "Privacy and security," then click "Clear browsing data."
A window will pop up with several options. Make sure the time range at the top is set to "All time" if you want to delete every cookie your computer has stored. If you only want to delete cookies from the last day or week, you can select a shorter timeframe. Check the box next to "Cookies and other site data" — you can leave the other boxes unchecked unless you also want to delete your browsing history or cached images. Click "Clear data" and the cookies are gone.
How to delete cookies in Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (called a hamburger menu) in the top right corner. Select "Settings" and then click "Privacy & Security" on the left side. Under the "Cookies and Site Data" section, click the "Clear Data" button.
A small window appears. Make sure "Cookies and Site Data" is checked. You can choose to clear data from "All websites" or just from a specific site if you want to be selective. Click "Clear" and Firefox removes the cookies. If you want Firefox to delete cookies automatically every time you close the browser, scroll down in the same Privacy & Security section and check the box that says "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed."
How to delete cookies in Safari
Open Safari and click "Safari" in the menu bar at the very top of your screen. Select "Settings" (or "Preferences" on older versions of macOS). Click the "Privacy" tab. On the right side, click "Manage Website Data."
A list of websites and the data they have stored appears. If you want to delete all cookies, click "Remove All" at the bottom right. If you want to delete cookies from specific websites only, click on a website name in the list and then click "Remove." When you are done, click "Done" to close the window.
How to delete cookies in Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select "Settings" and then click "Privacy, search, and services" on the left side. Under "Clear browsing data," click "Choose what to clear."
A window opens with a time range dropdown at the top — select "All time" to delete every cookie, or choose a shorter period. Check the box next to "Cookies and other site data." Click "Clear now" and Edge removes the cookies. If you want Edge to delete cookies automatically when you close the browser, go back to the Privacy settings page and toggle on "Clear browsing data" under the "Clear browsing data" section, then check "Cookies and other site data."
What happens after you delete cookies
After you delete cookies, you will be logged out of most websites. The next time you visit Gmail, Facebook, your bank, or any other site where you were logged in, you will need to enter your username and password again. Websites will also stop remembering your preferences — if a site had saved your language choice or your preferred view, it will reset to the default.
Websites may also seem slower to load the first time you visit them after deleting cookies, because they no longer have stored information about what you like and have to load more content to show you options. This slowdown is temporary and usually not noticeable.
Deleting cookies does not affect your browsing history, bookmarks, or saved passwords — those are stored separately. If you want to delete those as well, you can do so through the same "Clear browsing data" or "Clear data" menu in your browser, but you will need to check different boxes.
Setting your browser to delete cookies automatically
Instead of manually deleting cookies each time, you can set your browser to delete them automatically. In Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, you can turn on a setting that erases cookies every time you close the browser. This means you start fresh each session and websites cannot track you across multiple visits — though you will also be logged out of everything when you close the browser.
Another option is to use private browsing mode (called "Incognito" in Chrome, "Private Window" in Firefox, "Private" in Safari, and "InPrivate" in Edge). When you use private browsing, your browser does not store cookies, history, or other data from that session. Once you close the private window, everything is deleted automatically. This is useful if you are using a shared computer or if you want to browse without being tracked during a single session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting cookies remove my information from data broker websites?
No. Data brokers collect information about you through many sources — public records, purchase history, online forms you fill out, and data they buy from other companies. Deleting cookies from your computer only removes the files that websites have stored on your device. It does not contact data brokers or remove your information from their databases. To reduce what data brokers know about you, you would need to contact those companies separately and request removal.
If I delete cookies, will websites still be able to track me?
Websites have other ways to track you besides cookies — they can use fingerprinting (collecting information about your device and browser), pixel tags, or login information. Deleting cookies reduces tracking but does not stop it completely. Using private browsing mode or a privacy-focused browser extension can provide more protection, though no method blocks all tracking.
Do I need to delete cookies regularly?
There is no set schedule. Deleting cookies once a month or once every few months is enough for most people. If you are concerned about tracking or want to reduce the data websites collect about you, deleting cookies more frequently or using private browsing mode is more effective than deleting them occasionally.
What is the difference between deleting cookies and clearing my browsing history?
Cookies are files websites store on your computer to remember information about you. Browsing history is a list of websites you have visited. Deleting cookies removes the stored data but not the list of sites you went to. Deleting browsing history removes the list of sites but not the cookies they left behind. You can delete one without deleting the other by unchecking boxes in your browser's clear data menu.
Can I delete cookies from just one website instead of all of them?
Yes. In Safari, you can select specific websites in the "Manage Website Data" menu and click "Remove." In Firefox, you can search for a specific site in the "Manage Data" window and delete just that one. Chrome and Edge do not have a straightforward way to delete cookies from a single site through the settings menu, but you can use private browsing mode to prevent that site from storing cookies in the first place.