What cookies are and why you might delete them
A cookie is a small file that a website stores on your computer. When you visit a site, it can write a cookie to your device that remembers things about you — your login information, items in your shopping cart, your language preference, or what you clicked on. The next time you visit that site, your browser sends the cookie back, and the site recognizes you.
Cookies themselves are not dangerous. They are how websites remember you between visits. But they also let websites and advertisers track where you go online, what you buy, and what you search for. Deleting cookies removes that record and stops some of that tracking. It also frees up a small amount of storage space on your device, though the amount is usually negligible.
The trade-off is real: after you delete cookies, you will have to log back into websites, your shopping carts will empty, and sites will not remember your preferences until you visit them again. Whether that trade-off is worth it depends on your own comfort with being tracked.
Key Takeaways
- Deleting cookies removes the record of where you have been online and stops some tracking by advertisers and websites.
- After you delete cookies, you will need to log back into websites and your saved preferences will disappear until you visit those sites again.
- The steps to delete cookies differ by browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge each have their own menu path.
- You can set your browser to delete cookies automatically when you close it, or to block third-party cookies without deleting all of them.
- Clearing your browsing history does not automatically delete cookies; you must choose to delete them separately.
How to delete cookies in Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu. On the left side, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data.
A window will open. At the top, make sure the time range is set to what you want — All time will delete all your cookies, while Last hour, Last 24 hours, or Last 7 days will delete only recent ones. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. Uncheck any other boxes if you want to keep your browsing history or cached images. Click Clear data.
How to delete cookies in Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left, click Privacy & Security. Under the Cookies and Site Data section, click Clear Data.
A window will appear. Make sure Cookies and Site Data is checked. You can also check Cached Web Content if you want to clear that too. Click Clear. If you want to delete only cookies from a specific time period, use the menu at the top of the Privacy & Security page and select Clear Recent History instead, where you can choose the time range.
How to delete cookies in Safari
Open Safari. Click Safari in the menu bar at the top of your screen, then select Settings (or Preferences on older versions). Click the Privacy tab. Click Manage Website Data.
A list of websites that have stored data on your device will appear. You can click on individual sites and click Remove to delete cookies from just that site, or click Remove All to delete all of them. Click Done when finished.
How to delete cookies in Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left, click Privacy, search, and services. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
A window will open. Set the time range at the top to All time or your preferred period. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. Uncheck other items if you want to keep them. Click Clear now.
Setting your browser to delete cookies automatically
Instead of manually deleting cookies each time, you can tell your browser to delete them automatically when you close it. In Chrome, go to Settings, click Privacy and security, then toggle on Delete cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. In Firefox, go to Settings, click Privacy & Security, and under Cookies and Site Data, check Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed.
In Safari, click Safari in the menu bar, select Settings, click Privacy, and check Remove all website data when quitting Safari. In Edge, go to Settings, click Privacy, search, and services, and toggle on Clear browsing data under Clear browsing data. When this is on, your cookies will be gone every time you fully close the browser, but you will also be logged out of websites each time.
Blocking third-party cookies without deleting all cookies
Not all cookies are the same. First-party cookies come from the website you are visiting and help it remember you. Third-party cookies come from advertisers and tracking companies and follow you across the web. You can block third-party cookies while keeping first-party ones, so you stay logged into sites but reduce tracking.
In Chrome, go to Settings, click Privacy and security, then Cookies and other site data. Select Block third-party cookies. In Firefox, go to Settings, click Privacy & Security, and under Enhanced Tracking Protection, select Strict. In Safari, click Safari in the menu bar, select Settings, click Privacy, and check Prevent cross-site tracking. In Edge, go to Settings, click Privacy, search, and services, and under Tracking prevention, select Strict.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting cookies log me out of everything?
Yes. Cookies store your login information, so deleting them will log you out of any website where you were signed in. You will need to sign back in the next time you visit. If you want to stay logged into certain sites, you can delete cookies from only specific websites instead of all of them.
Is it safe to delete all my cookies at once?
Yes, it is completely safe. Deleting cookies will not harm your device or your browser. The only inconvenience is that you will lose your saved logins and preferences until you visit those sites again. Some people delete cookies weekly or monthly; others do it only when they want to reduce tracking.
What is the difference between deleting cookies and clearing browsing history?
Browsing history is the list of websites you have visited. Cookies are files websites store on your device. Clearing your history removes the list of sites you went to, but does not delete the cookies those sites left behind. You must delete cookies separately if you want to remove them.
Do I need to delete cookies if I use private or incognito mode?
No. Private browsing mode (called Incognito in Chrome, Private in Firefox and Safari, and InPrivate in Edge) does not store cookies or history after you close the window. Cookies created during a private session are deleted automatically when you close that window, so you do not need to delete them manually.
Can I delete cookies from just one website instead of all of them?
Yes. In most browsers, you can go to Settings, find the section for cookies or site data, and see a list of websites. You can click on individual sites and delete only their cookies. This is useful if you want to clear data from one site but stay logged into others.