Where to find and delete your Chrome cookies
Open Chrome and press Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows or Command+Shift+Delete on Mac. This opens the "Clear browsing data" window directly. At the top, make sure the time range is set to what you want — "All time" deletes everything Chrome has stored, while "Last hour" or "Last 24 hours" removes only recent cookies.
Check the box next to "Cookies and other site data." You can leave the other boxes unchecked if you only want to remove cookies. Then click "Clear data." Chrome will delete the cookies when ready, and you'll see a confirmation that the data has been removed.
If you prefer using the menu instead of the keyboard shortcut, click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of Chrome, go to "Settings," then "Privacy and security," then "Clear browsing data." This opens the same window.
Key Takeaways
- The fastest way to delete cookies is pressing Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac) to open the clear browsing data window.
- Choose your time range before deleting — "All time" removes all cookies, while "Last 24 hours" removes only recent ones.
- Check only "Cookies and other site data" if you want to keep your browsing history, passwords, and cached images.
- Deleting cookies logs you out of most websites, so you'll need to sign in again the next time you visit them.
What happens when you delete cookies
When you delete cookies, websites you've visited will no longer recognize you automatically. You'll be logged out of Gmail, Facebook, your bank, shopping sites, and anywhere else that uses cookies to remember who you are. The next time you visit those sites, you'll need to sign in again.
Websites may also forget your preferences — things like your language choice, dark mode settings, or items in your shopping cart. Some sites store this information in cookies, so clearing them means starting fresh. However, if you've saved your password in Chrome, you can usually sign back in quickly without having to remember it.
Deleting cookies from specific websites only
If you want to remove cookies from just one or two websites instead of everything, Chrome lets you do that. Visit the website, click the lock icon or info icon next to the web address in the address bar, then click "Cookies and site data." You'll see a list of cookies that site has stored. Click the trash icon next to any cookie to delete it, or click "Clear all" to remove everything from that site.
This approach is useful if you want to log out of one account without affecting your other logins. For example, you could delete cookies from your work email site while keeping yourself logged into personal accounts elsewhere.
Automatically deleting cookies when you close Chrome
You can set Chrome to delete all cookies automatically every time you close the browser. Click the three dots, go to "Settings," then "Privacy and security," then "Cookies and other site data." Toggle on "Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome." From that point forward, Chrome will erase all cookies when you fully close the browser — not just when you close a tab.
This setting is helpful if you use a shared computer or want to start fresh each session. Keep in mind that you'll be logged out of everything when you reopen Chrome, so you'll need to sign in again each time. Your saved passwords will still work, so signing back in is usually quick.
The difference between clearing cookies and clearing cache
Cookies are small files that store information about you — your login status, preferences, and tracking data. Cache is a copy of images, scripts, and other files from websites that Chrome saves to load pages faster next time. They're separate things, and deleting one doesn't delete the other.
When you open the "Clear browsing data" window, you'll see checkboxes for both. "Cookies and other site data" removes cookies. "Cached images and files" removes the cache. You can delete either one alone, or both together. Clearing cache frees up storage space on your computer but doesn't log you out of websites — clearing cookies does the opposite.
Why websites ask you to clear cookies
If a website isn't working properly — pages won't load, you can't log in, or something looks broken — support staff often ask you to clear your cookies. Old or corrupted cookies can sometimes interfere with how a site functions. Clearing them forces the website to create fresh cookies the next time you visit, which often fixes the problem.
Before you clear cookies as a troubleshooting step, consider signing out of important accounts first, or at least making sure you know your passwords. You'll need to sign back in after clearing, and it's easier to do that if you're prepared.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting cookies delete my saved passwords?
No. Cookies and saved passwords are stored separately in Chrome. Deleting cookies logs you out of websites, but your saved passwords remain in Chrome. You can sign back in using the saved password without typing it manually.
Can I delete cookies from just one website without affecting others?
Yes. Visit the website, click the lock or info icon next to the address bar, select "Cookies and site data," and delete the specific cookies you want to remove. This won't affect cookies from other sites.
What's the difference between deleting cookies and using incognito mode?
Incognito mode prevents Chrome from storing cookies in the first place — nothing is saved when you close the window. Deleting cookies removes cookies that have already been stored. Incognito is useful for one-time browsing; deleting cookies is useful for cleaning up after regular browsing.
If I delete all my cookies, will websites load slower?
Possibly, but only slightly and only the first time you visit each site. Cookies help websites remember you and load faster, but they're not required. After you visit a site once, new cookies are created and things return to normal speed.
Do I need to restart Chrome after deleting cookies?
No. Cookies are deleted when ready, and Chrome continues running normally. You don't need to close and reopen the browser.