Delete cookies from Chrome in three steps
Open Chrome and press Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows, or Command+Shift+Delete on Mac. This opens the Clear Browsing Data window. Select the time range at the top — choose All time if you want to remove every cookie Chrome has stored. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data, then click Clear data. Chrome will delete all cookies matching your time selection within seconds.
If you want to delete cookies from only certain websites instead of all of them, you can do that too. Go to Settings in the Chrome menu, select Privacy and security on the left, then click Cookies and other site data. Search for the website name and click the trash icon next to it. Chrome removes only that site's cookies.
After you delete cookies, websites will no longer recognize your device the next time you visit them. You may need to log back into accounts, and some sites may reset their preferences — like language choice or saved items in a shopping cart.
Key Takeaways
- The fastest way to delete all cookies is pressing Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac), then selecting All time and clicking Clear data.
- You can delete cookies from specific websites by going to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data and searching for the site name.
- Deleting cookies removes stored login information and site preferences, so you will need to log back into accounts afterward.
- Clearing cookies does not delete your browsing history or cached images — those are separate and require their own checkboxes in the Clear Browsing Data window.
What cookies are and why they matter for privacy
A cookie is a small file that a website stores on your device. It contains information like your login status, items you viewed, or your location. When you return to that site, it reads the cookie to remember you without asking you to log in again.
Cookies also let websites track your behavior across the internet. A cookie from an ad network, for example, can follow you from one site to another and build a profile of your interests. This is why deleting cookies is one step in reducing the information websites collect about you — though it does not stop data brokers who have already purchased information about you from other sources.
Chrome stores cookies in a database on your computer. Deleting them removes that database entry, but it does not affect information that websites or data brokers have already saved on their own servers.
The difference between clearing all cookies and clearing cookies from one site
Clearing all cookies at once removes every cookie Chrome has stored, from every website you have ever visited. This is the most thorough option but also the most disruptive — you will be logged out of every account and will need to log back in to services you use regularly.
Clearing cookies from a single website removes only that site's stored data. Use this approach if you want to remove cookies from a data broker or tracking site but keep yourself logged into email, banking, or other services you use daily. You can delete cookies from multiple sites one at a time without clearing everything.
If you are trying to reduce tracking from data brokers specifically, deleting their cookies is useful but limited. Data brokers collect information from many sources — public records, purchase history, online behavior — not just from cookies on your device. Deleting cookies removes one tracking method but does not erase data they have already compiled.
How to stop Chrome from storing cookies in the future
You can set Chrome to delete cookies automatically when you close the browser. Go to Settings, select Privacy and security, then click Cookies and other site data. Turn on Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. From that point forward, every cookie will be deleted the moment you close the browser completely.
This setting does not affect cookies while you are browsing — websites can still store them and track you during your session. It only clears them when you exit Chrome entirely. If you have multiple Chrome windows open, the cookies are not deleted until you close the last one.
You can also block third-party cookies, which are cookies from ad networks and tracking companies rather than the website you are visiting. In the same Cookies and other site data section, select Block third-party cookies. This stops many tracking networks from following you across websites, though some sites may not work correctly with this setting on.
What happens when you delete cookies
After you delete cookies, websites will not recognize your device. You will be logged out of accounts, and sites will not remember your preferences. The next time you visit a site, it will treat you as a new visitor and may ask you to log in again or accept cookies again.
Some websites store information in other ways besides cookies — in your browser's cache, in local storage, or on their own servers. Deleting cookies does not remove these. If you want to clear cached images and files as well, go back to the Clear Browsing Data window and check Cached images and files before clicking Clear data.
Deleting cookies does not affect your browsing history, saved passwords, or autofill information unless you specifically check those boxes in the Clear Browsing Data window. Chrome keeps these separate so you can delete one without losing the others.
Cookies versus other tracking methods
Cookies are one way websites track you, but they are not the only way. Fingerprinting is a technique where a website collects information about your device — your browser version, screen size, installed fonts, timezone — and uses that combination to identify you without a cookie. Deleting cookies does not stop fingerprinting.
Pixels are invisible images embedded in websites and emails that send information back to a server when you view them. They do not require cookies and are not removed by deleting cookies. Local storage is similar to cookies but stores more data and persists even after you delete cookies — you have to clear it separately in the same Clear Browsing Data window.
If you are concerned about tracking from data brokers, deleting cookies is a useful step but not a complete solution. Data brokers obtain information from public records, purchase history, voter registration, and other sources that have nothing to do with your browser. Clearing your browser does not remove information they have already collected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting cookies log me out of everything?
Yes, if you clear all cookies at once. You will be logged out of every account and will need to log back in. If you only delete cookies from specific sites, you stay logged into everything else. Choose All time only if you want a complete wipe.
Can I delete cookies without deleting my browsing history?
Yes. The Clear Browsing Data window has separate checkboxes for cookies, history, cached files, and other data. Check only Cookies and other site data and leave the others unchecked. Your history will remain.
Do I need to delete cookies regularly?
Not unless you want to. Deleting cookies does not speed up Chrome or improve performance. Delete them if you want to reduce tracking or if you share a device with other people and want to remove your login information.
What is the difference between clearing cookies and using Incognito mode?
Incognito mode prevents Chrome from storing cookies, history, and other data while you browse, but it does not delete cookies that already exist. When you close an Incognito window, nothing from that session is saved. Clearing cookies removes data that was already stored.
If I delete cookies, will websites know I deleted them?
No. Websites cannot detect whether you deleted cookies. They only know that the cookie is no longer present when you visit next time, which they treat the same as a first-time visitor.