What cookies and cache actually do
Cookies are small files your browser stores that remember information about you — your login details, what you put in a shopping cart, your language preference. Websites ask your browser to save them so you don't have to log in again or re-enter the same information.
Cache is a folder where your browser saves copies of images, videos, and web pages you've already visited. The next time you go to that page, your browser loads the saved copy instead of downloading it again. This makes websites load faster.
Both are useful, but they also take up storage space and can slow your browser down over time. Deleting them won't break anything — your browser will just rebuild them as you use it normally.
Key Takeaways
- Cookies store login information and preferences; cache stores copies of images and pages to make websites load faster.
- Deleting cookies will log you out of websites and remove saved passwords, so have your login details ready before you start.
- Deleting cache frees up storage space and can speed up your browser, but won't affect your logins or saved information.
- The steps are different in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, but all are found in Settings or Preferences under Privacy or History.
- You can set your browser to delete cookies and cache automatically every time you close it.
How to delete cookies and cache in Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy and security on the left side. Click Clear browsing data.
A window will open with checkboxes. Make sure Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files are both checked. At the top, choose the time range — All time will delete everything, or pick a specific range like Last 7 days. Click Clear data.
How to delete cookies and cache in Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy & Security on the left. Under Cookies and Site Data, click Clear Data.
A window will appear with two checkboxes. Check both Cookies and Site Data and Cached Web Content. Click Clear. If you want to clear only recent data, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Delete (or Cmd+Shift+Delete on Mac) instead, which opens the full history clearing window where you can pick a time range.
How to delete cookies and cache in Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar at the top. Select Clear History. A dropdown menu will appear asking how far back you want to clear — choose all history to delete everything, or pick a specific time range.
This clears both cookies and cache at once. Click Clear History to confirm. Safari doesn't have a separate option to delete only cookies or only cache; clearing history removes both.
How to delete cookies and cache 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. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
Check both Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. At the top, pick your time range — All time or a specific period. Click Clear now.
Set your browser to delete automatically
Instead of clearing manually, you can tell your browser to delete cookies and cache every time you close it. In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome, then toggle it on. In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data, then check Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed.
Safari doesn't have this option built in, but you can use the menu bar: Safari > Preferences > Privacy, then check Remove all website data when quitting Safari. In Edge, go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data, then toggle on Choose what to clear every time you close the browser.
What happens after you delete cookies and cache
You will be logged out of all websites. The next time you visit a site that required a login, you'll need to enter your username and password again. If you saved passwords in your browser, they're still there — your browser will offer to fill them in automatically.
Websites will load slightly slower the first time you visit them after clearing cache, because your browser has to read images and files again instead of using the saved copies. After that, it rebuilds the cache and speeds up again. This is normal and temporary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting cookies delete my saved passwords?
No. Passwords are stored separately from cookies. When you delete cookies, you'll be logged out, but your saved passwords stay in your browser's password manager. You can log back in and your browser will fill in your credentials automatically.
What's the difference between deleting cookies and clearing browsing history?
Browsing history is the list of websites you've visited. Deleting history removes that list, but doesn't delete cookies or cache. Clearing cookies removes login information and preferences. Clearing cache removes saved images and files. You can delete any of these separately.
Do I need to delete cache if I'm not running out of storage space?
Not necessarily. Cache helps websites load faster, so there's no harm in keeping it. Delete it if your browser feels slow, if you want to free up space, or if you're concerned about privacy. Otherwise, leaving it alone is fine.
Will deleting cookies log me out of everything?
Yes. Cookies store your login sessions, so deleting them logs you out of every website. You'll need to log back in. If you want to stay logged into certain sites, don't delete cookies — or use your browser's private browsing mode instead, which doesn't save cookies when you close it.
Can I delete cookies from just one website instead of all of them?
Yes. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, right-click on any website and select Inspect or Inspect Element, then go to the process or Storage tab and find that site's cookies. You can delete them individually. In Safari, there's no built-in way to delete cookies from a single site without clearing all cookies.