What cookies are and why you might want to delete them
Cookies are small files that websites store on your computer to remember things about you — your login information, what you put in a shopping cart, your preferences for dark mode or language. They make websites work faster and smoother because the site doesn't have to ask you the same questions twice.
You might want to clear them out if a website is behaving strangely, if you're selling a computer and want to remove your personal data, or if you're concerned about tracking. Clearing cookies won't break anything — the next time you visit a website, it will straightforward ask you those questions again and create new cookies.
Key Takeaways
- Cookies are files websites store on your computer to remember your preferences and login information, and clearing them is safe and reversible.
- The steps to clear cookies differ depending on whether you use Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge, but all browsers have this option in their settings.
- You can clear all cookies at once or choose a date range — for example, cookies from just the last week — depending on what you need.
- After clearing cookies, you may need to log back into websites and reset preferences like dark mode or language, but this takes only a few seconds per site.
Clearing cookies in Google Chrome
Open Chrome and look at the top right corner of the window. Click the three vertical dots (called the menu button) and select Settings. On the left side, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data.
A window will pop up. Make sure the box next to Cookies and other site data is checked. At the top of that window, you'll see a dropdown that says All time — you can change this to Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, or Last 90 days if you only want to clear recent cookies. Then click the blue Clear data button.
Clearing cookies in Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (the menu button) in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy & Security on the left side. Scroll down to the section labeled Cookies and Site Data.
Click the button that says Clear Data. A small window appears. Make sure Cookies and Site Data is checked, then click Clear. If you want to clear only cookies from a specific time period, click the dropdown next to Time range to clear before you click the button.
Clearing cookies in Safari
Open Safari. At the top of your screen, click Safari in the menu bar (not inside the browser window, but at the very top of your Mac). From the dropdown, select Clear History.
A window will appear asking how far back you want to clear. Choose All history if you want to remove all cookies, or pick a specific time period. Make sure the checkbox next to Cookies and cache is selected, then click Clear History. Note that this also clears your browsing history — Safari doesn't offer a way to clear only cookies without also clearing history.
Clearing cookies in Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy, search, and services on the left side. Under the section Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
A window opens. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. Use the dropdown at the top to select your time range — All time, Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, or Last 90 days. Click the blue Clear now button.
What happens after you clear cookies
Once you clear cookies, websites you visit regularly will no longer remember you. The next time you go to Gmail, Facebook, or your bank's website, you'll need to log in again. Websites will also forget preferences you set — if you had dark mode turned on for a news site, it will go back to light mode the next time you visit.
This is temporary. As soon as you log back in or adjust your preferences again, the website will create new cookies to remember those choices. Nothing is permanently lost, and your passwords are stored separately from cookies, so you'll still be able to log in normally.
When to clear cookies and when not to
Clear cookies if a website is loading incorrectly, if you're troubleshooting a login problem, or if you're preparing to sell or give away your computer. You might also clear them if you're concerned about websites tracking your activity across the internet, though cookies are only one way sites do this.
You don't need to clear cookies regularly just for maintenance — browsers are designed to handle them efficiently. If you clear them too often, you'll spend more time logging back into sites. Some people clear cookies only when they notice a problem or when they're done using a shared computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing cookies delete my passwords?
No. Passwords are stored separately from cookies in a password manager or encrypted storage. Clearing cookies will not affect your saved passwords, and you'll still be able to log into websites normally — you just might need to type your password once instead of being logged in automatically.
Can I clear cookies from just one website?
Yes, though the process varies by browser. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, you can right-click on a website's name in your history or bookmarks and select an option to clear data for that site only. In Safari, this option is less straightforward — you may need to clear all cookies and then log back into the sites you want to keep.
What's the difference between clearing cookies and clearing browsing history?
Browsing history is the list of websites you've visited. Cookies are the files those websites stored on your computer. You can clear one without clearing the other in most browsers, though Safari clears both together. Clearing history doesn't remove cookies, and clearing cookies doesn't remove history.
Do I need to restart my browser after clearing cookies?
No. The cookies are deleted when ready, and you can keep using your browser. However, if a website was behaving strangely because of a corrupted cookie, you may want to close the tab and open the website fresh to see if the problem is fixed.