What clearing cookies does
Clearing cookies in Chrome removes the small files websites store on your computer to remember you. When you clear them, websites forget your login information, your shopping cart empties, and your browsing history on those sites disappears from their records. Chrome also removes cached images and files — the copies of web pages it saves to load faster next time.
You might clear cookies to log out of accounts on a shared computer, to free up storage space, or to reset how a website behaves. Some people clear them regularly for privacy; others only when a website stops working correctly.
Key Takeaways
- Clearing cookies removes stored login information, so you will need to sign back into websites afterward.
- You can clear all cookies at once or choose a specific time range — last hour, last day, all time, or a custom date.
- The fastest method is keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows or Command+Shift+Delete on Mac, which opens the clear browsing data window directly.
- Clearing cookies does not delete your saved passwords unless you specifically check that box during the process.
- You can set Chrome to clear cookies automatically every time you close the browser.
Clear cookies one time using the menu
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the dropdown menu. On the left side, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data.
A window will open with three tabs: Basic, Advanced, and On exit. Stay on the Basic tab. At the top, you will see a dropdown that says All time — click it to choose how far back to clear. Your options are Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, All time, or Custom if you want to pick specific dates.
Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. You can also check Cached images and files if you want to free up storage. Do not check Passwords and other sign-in data unless you want to forget your saved passwords too. Click the blue Clear data button at the bottom right.
Use the keyboard shortcut for faster clearing
If you clear cookies often, the keyboard shortcut is faster than the menu. On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete all at once. On Mac, press Command+Shift+Delete. This opens the clear browsing data window directly, skipping the menu steps.
The window that opens is the same one you reach through Settings, so follow the same steps: choose your time range, check Cookies and other site data, and click Clear data.
Set Chrome to clear cookies automatically
You can tell Chrome to clear cookies every time you close the browser. Open Chrome, click the three dots, and go to Settings. Click Privacy and security on the left, then click Clear browsing data.
Click the On exit tab at the top of the window. Toggle the switch next to Cookies and other site data to turn it on — it will turn blue. Now Chrome will clear those files every time you fully close the browser. You can also toggle Cached images and files if you want those cleared too.
This setting does not affect your saved passwords or browsing history unless you toggle those boxes as well. You can turn this setting off anytime by clicking the toggle again.
Clear cookies for one website only
If a single website is misbehaving and you only want to clear its cookies, you do not need to clear everything. Go to that website. Click the lock icon or info icon to the left of the web address at the top of the page. Click Cookies and site data or Cookies depending on your Chrome version.
You will see a list of cookies stored for that site. Click the trash icon next to each one to delete it individually, or click Remove all to delete them all at once. Close the popup and refresh the page.
What happens after you clear cookies
After clearing, you will be logged out of most websites. The next time you visit them, you will need to sign in again. Websites may also load slightly slower the first time because Chrome no longer has cached copies of their images and files — it has to read them fresh.
Your browsing history in Chrome itself is not affected unless you specifically checked that box during clearing. Your saved passwords remain unless you checked that box too. Bookmarks and autofill information stay in place.
When you might not want to clear cookies
Clearing cookies can be inconvenient if you use the same computer alone and do not mind websites remembering you. Some people prefer to keep cookies so they do not have to log in repeatedly. If that is your situation, you can skip clearing altogether or only clear them when you notice a problem.
If you share a computer with others, clearing cookies before you leave is a good habit — it prevents the next person from accessing your accounts. On a shared device, using Chrome's Guest mode instead is often easier: it opens a temporary browser window that automatically clears everything when you close it, without affecting the main account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing cookies delete my saved passwords?
No. Passwords are stored separately from cookies. During the clear process, you will see a checkbox for Passwords and other sign-in data — it is unchecked by default. Your passwords stay unless you check that box yourself.
Can I clear cookies for just one website without clearing all of them?
Yes. Click the lock or info icon next to the web address, find Cookies and site data, and delete that site's cookies individually. This is useful when one website is broken but you want to stay logged into others.
What is the difference between clearing cookies and clearing browsing history?
Browsing history is the list of websites you visited — Chrome shows it when you press Ctrl+H. Cookies are files websites store on your computer. Clearing one does not clear the other unless you check both boxes in the clear data window.
If I set Chrome to clear cookies on exit, will I have to log in every time?
Yes. Every time you fully close Chrome, cookies are deleted, so websites will not remember you. You will need to log in again the next time you open Chrome and visit those sites. This is useful for privacy on a shared computer but inconvenient if you use Chrome alone.
Does clearing cookies free up storage space on my computer?
A small amount. Cookies are tiny files, so clearing them alone will not noticeably free up space. Clearing Cached images and files at the same time frees up more, since cached web pages can add up to several hundred megabytes over time.