What tracking cookies are and why they matter
Tracking cookies are small files that websites and advertisers place in your browser to follow what you do online. When you visit a website, it may drop a cookie that records which pages you looked at, how long you stayed, and what you clicked. That data gets sent back to the website owner or to advertising networks, which use it to build a profile of your interests and habits.
Unlike session cookies (which disappear when you close your browser), tracking cookies stick around for months or years. They survive across different websites — so a cookie from an ad network can follow you from a news site to a shopping site to a health forum. This is how you end up seeing ads for something you looked at once, weeks later, on a completely different website.
Clearing tracking cookies regularly breaks some of those chains. It does not stop tracking entirely — websites can still see what you do while you are visiting them — but it prevents advertisers from building a long-term profile of your behavior across the web. It also removes the data that data brokers sometimes buy from ad networks and resell.
Key Takeaways
- Tracking cookies are files placed by advertisers and websites to follow your browsing across multiple sites, and clearing them regularly disrupts that tracking.
- You can clear cookies manually through your browser settings in two to three minutes, or set your browser to clear them automatically when you close it.
- Clearing cookies will log you out of most websites, so you will need to sign back in to email, social media, and other accounts.
- Blocking third-party cookies in your browser settings prevents many tracking cookies from being placed in the first place, which is more effective than clearing them later.
- Clearing cookies alone does not stop all tracking — websites can still use other methods like fingerprinting — but it is a straightforward step that removes one common data source.
How to clear cookies in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge
The steps are nearly identical across all major browsers. Open your browser settings, find the privacy or history section, and select the option to clear browsing data. You will see a checkbox for cookies — make sure it is checked — and then choose the time range. Select "All time" to clear everything, or "Last 24 hours" or "Last week" if you want to keep some older cookies.
In Chrome: Click the three-dot menu in the top right, select Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Clear Browsing Data. A window will pop up. Make sure "Cookies and other site data" is checked, set the time range to "All time", and click Clear Data.
In Firefox: Click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top right, select Settings, then Privacy & Security. Under Cookies and Site Data, click Clear Data. Check both boxes — "Cookies and Site Data" and "Cached Web Content" — and click Clear.
In Safari: Click Safari in the menu bar at the top of the screen, then select Clear History. Choose how far back you want to clear (select "All history" to remove everything), and click Clear History. Safari clears cookies along with history.
In Edge: Click the three-dot menu in the top right, select Settings, then Privacy, Search, and Services. Under Clear Browsing Data, click Choose What to Clear. Check "Cookies and other site data", set the time range to "All time", and click Clear Now.
Setting your browser to clear cookies automatically
Rather than clearing cookies manually every few weeks, you can tell your browser to delete them automatically when you close it. This means you will never accumulate tracking cookies, but you will also be logged out of websites each time you restart your browser.
In Chrome: Go to Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Cookies and Other Site Data. Toggle on "Clear Cookies and Site Data When You Quit Chrome". You can also click "Add" under "Sites That Can Always Use Cookies" to keep yourself logged into specific websites you trust.
In Firefox: Go to Settings, then Privacy & Security. Under Cookies and Site Data, check the box that says "Delete Cookies and Site Data When Firefox Is Closed". You can add exceptions for sites where you want to stay logged in.
In Safari: Click Safari in the menu bar, then Preferences. Go to the Privacy tab and check "Remove All Website Data When Quitting Safari".
In Edge: Go to Settings, then Privacy, Search, and Services. Under Clear Browsing Data, toggle on "Choose What to Clear Every Time You Close the Browser". Then click "Select What to Clear Every Time You Close the browser" and check "Cookies and Other Site Data".
Blocking third-party cookies before they are placed
Blocking third-party cookies is more effective than clearing them after the fact, because it prevents the tracking from happening in the first place. Third-party cookies are placed by ad networks and analytics companies, not by the website you are visiting. Most modern browsers now offer a setting to block them.
In Chrome: Go to Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Cookies and Other Site Data. Select "Block Third-Party Cookies". This is the default in newer versions of Chrome.
In Firefox: Go to Settings, then Privacy & Security. Under Enhanced Tracking Protection, select "Strict". This blocks third-party tracking cookies and other trackers.
In Safari: Click Safari in the menu bar, then Preferences. Go to the Privacy tab and check "Prevent Cross-Site Tracking". This blocks third-party cookies by default.
In Edge: Go to Settings, then Privacy, Search, and Services. Under Tracking Prevention, select "Strict". This blocks third-party cookies and other tracking methods.
What happens when you clear cookies
When you clear cookies, you will be logged out of most websites. The next time you visit Gmail, Facebook, your bank, or any other site where you have an account, you will need to sign in again. This is because login information is often stored in a cookie, and clearing cookies removes it.
You may also notice that websites load slightly differently. Some sites use cookies to remember your preferences — like whether you prefer dark mode, or what language you want to see. Clearing cookies resets those preferences to the default.
Saved passwords are not affected by clearing cookies. If you use your browser's password manager, you will still be able to sign back in quickly because the browser will offer to fill in your username and password automatically.
Other tracking methods that cookies do not cover
Clearing cookies removes one source of tracking data, but it is not a complete solution. Websites can track you through other methods that cookies do not address.
Browser fingerprinting is a technique where a website collects information about your browser — like your screen resolution, installed fonts, browser version, and operating system — and uses that combination to identify you across visits. Clearing cookies does nothing to stop this. Some browsers offer fingerprinting protection (Firefox has it built in under Enhanced Tracking Protection), but it is not available in all browsers.
Local storage is similar to cookies but harder to clear. Websites can store data in your browser's local storage, which persists even after you clear cookies. Most browsers let you clear local storage through the same menu where you clear cookies, but you have to check the box separately.
Server-side tracking happens when a website logs your activity directly on its own servers, using information like your IP address and login account. Clearing cookies does not affect this because the data is stored on the website's servers, not in your browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing cookies slow down my browser?
No. Clearing cookies might actually make your browser slightly faster because it removes files that take up storage space. The performance difference is usually too small to notice, but there is no downside to clearing them regularly.
Do I need to clear cookies if I use private or incognito mode?
Private and incognito mode automatically delete cookies when you close the window, so you do not need to clear them manually. However, websites can still track you while you are in that window — private mode just prevents the tracking data from being saved to your computer afterward.
Will clearing cookies remove my saved passwords?
No. Passwords stored in your browser's password manager are separate from cookies and will not be deleted. You will need to sign back in, but your browser will usually offer to fill in your username and password automatically.
Can I clear cookies from just one website instead of all of them?
Yes. In most browsers, you can click the lock icon or info icon next to the website address in the address bar, then find the option to clear cookies for that specific site. This is useful if you want to log out of one account without affecting others.
Does clearing cookies stop data brokers from having my information?
Clearing cookies removes one source of data that brokers might buy, but it does not remove information they already have. If a data broker has already purchased your browsing history from an ad network, clearing cookies now will not erase that old data. You would need to contact the broker directly to request removal, which is a separate process.