Clear cookies for one site without clearing everything
You can delete cookies from a single website in Chrome without wiping out your login information and preferences for every other site you visit. Chrome stores cookies by domain, so you can target just the site you want to remove data from. This is useful when you want to stop a data broker or tracking company from recognizing you on repeat visits, without losing your saved passwords and settings everywhere else.
The process takes about one minute and works the same way on Windows, Mac, and Linux. You do not need to restart your browser or sign out of your accounts.
Key Takeaways
- Open Chrome settings, go to Privacy and Security, then Cookies and other site data, and search for the exact domain name of the site whose cookies you want to remove.
- Click the trash icon next to the domain to delete only that site's cookies, leaving all other sites untouched.
- If you are not sure of the exact domain name, visit the site first, then search for it in the cookies list by the name that appears in your address bar.
- Clearing cookies for a site does not delete your saved passwords for that site unless you separately remove them from your password manager.
- You can set Chrome to automatically delete cookies from specific sites when you close your browser.
Find and delete cookies for one website
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu. On the left side, click Privacy and Security, then click Cookies and other site data.
You will see a search box at the top of the cookies list. Type the domain name of the site whose cookies you want to remove. For example, if you want to clear cookies from a data broker site, type the main part of its web address — for example, "databroker.com" or "peoplesearch.net". Chrome will filter the list to show only that site's stored data.
Once you see the site listed, click the trash icon next to it. Chrome will delete all cookies, cached images, and other stored data from that domain when ready. You do not need to confirm or restart the browser.
What to do if you do not know the exact domain name
If you are not certain of the site's exact domain, visit it first in a new tab. Look at the address bar at the top of the browser — the domain name is the part between "https://" and the first forward slash. For example, if the address bar shows "https://www.example-databroker.com/search", the domain is "example-databroker.com".
Once you have the correct domain name, go back to your cookies list in Settings and search for it. You may need to try variations — for instance, searching for just "example" if the full name does not appear. Chrome will show you every cookie that site has stored on your computer.
Understand what gets deleted and what stays
When you delete cookies for a site, Chrome removes only the tracking data that site stored — things like your browsing history on that site, your session information, and any identifiers the site uses to recognize you on return visits. This is what you want if you are trying to prevent a data broker from tracking you.
Deleting cookies does not automatically delete your saved password for that site. If you also want to remove a stored password, you need to go to Settings > Autofill and passwords > Passwords, search for the site, and click the trash icon next to it. Passwords and cookies are stored separately in Chrome.
Clearing cookies also does not affect your browsing history. If you want to remove the site from your history, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Clear browsing data, set the time range, check Cookies and other site data and Browsing history, and click Clear data.
Set Chrome to automatically clear cookies from specific sites
If you visit a data broker site regularly and want Chrome to forget it each time you close the browser, you can set up automatic deletion. Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data and scroll down to Sites that can never use cookies.
Click Add and type the domain name of the site. Chrome will block that site from storing any cookies going forward. The next time you visit, the site will not recognize you, and you may need to log in again if you have an account there. This is the strongest option if you want to prevent ongoing tracking.
Alternatively, you can use Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome (found in the same Cookies and other site data section) to delete all cookies from all sites automatically when you close the browser. This is less precise but removes all tracking data at once.
Verify the cookies are actually gone
After you delete cookies for a site, you can confirm they are gone by going back to Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data and searching for the domain again. If the site no longer appears in the list, the cookies have been deleted.
The next time you visit that site, it will treat you as a new visitor. If you have an account there, you may need to log in again. The site will not have access to your previous browsing activity or any identifiers it stored before you cleared the cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing cookies for one site log me out of my account there?
Yes, in most cases. Cookies store your login session, so deleting them will log you out. When you visit the site next, you will need to enter your username and password again. If you have saved your password in Chrome, the browser will offer to fill it in for you automatically.
Can I clear cookies for a site on my phone?
Yes. On Android, open Chrome, tap the three dots, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data, search for the domain, and tap the trash icon. On iPhone, the process is similar: tap the three dots, Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data, then search and delete. The steps are the same as on desktop.
What is the difference between clearing cookies and blocking a site?
Clearing cookies removes data the site has already stored on your computer. Blocking a site prevents it from storing new cookies going forward. You can do both: clear existing cookies, then add the site to your blocked list so it cannot track you on future visits.
If I clear cookies for a site, will it affect my saved credit card information?
No. Credit card information is stored separately in Chrome's autofill data, not in cookies. Clearing cookies will not remove saved payment methods. If you want to delete a saved card, go to Settings > Autofill and passwords > Payment methods and click the trash icon next to the card.
Do I need to clear cookies for a site on every device I use?
Yes. Cookies are stored locally on each device, so clearing them on your laptop will not affect cookies on your phone or tablet. If you use Chrome on multiple devices and want to prevent tracking across all of them, you will need to clear cookies on each device separately.