Safari stores cookies by default, but you may need to check your settings if websites say they're blocked

Safari accepts cookies automatically when you first install it. If a website tells you that cookies are turned off, or if you previously disabled them, you can turn them back on in Safari's settings in about 30 seconds. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're using Safari on a Mac, iPhone, or iPad.

Cookies are small files that websites store on your device to remember things about you — your login status, items in a shopping cart, language preference, or that you've visited before. Without cookies, you'd have to log in to every website fresh each time, and many sites wouldn't work properly. The trade-off is that cookies can also be used to track your browsing across multiple sites, which is why some people disable them.

Key Takeaways

  • Safari accepts cookies by default, so you only need to change settings if a website says cookies are blocked or you turned them off yourself.
  • On a Mac, go to Safari menu > Settings > Privacy, then check the box next to "Block all cookies" — if it's unchecked, cookies are already on.
  • On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Safari > Block All Cookies and make sure the toggle is off (white, not green).
  • If you want to accept cookies from websites you visit but block tracking cookies from advertisers, Safari's "Intelligent Tracking Prevention" does this automatically without you changing any settings.

Turning cookies on in Safari on a Mac

Open Safari and click the word "Safari" in the top menu bar. Select "Settings" from the dropdown menu. Click the "Privacy" tab at the top of the window that opens.

Look for the checkbox that says "Block all cookies." If the box is empty (unchecked), cookies are already turned on and you're done. If the box has a checkmark in it, click it once to uncheck it. Close the Settings window.

Turning cookies on in Safari on iPhone or iPad

Open the Settings app on your device — this is not Safari's settings, but your phone or tablet's main settings. Scroll down and tap "Safari." Scroll down again until you see "Block All Cookies" with a toggle switch next to it.

If the toggle is green (on), tap it once to turn it off (it will turn white). If the toggle is already white, cookies are on. You can close Settings now.

What "Intelligent Tracking Prevention" does for you automatically

Safari includes a built-in feature called Intelligent Tracking Prevention that runs whether or not you change any settings. This feature lets websites you visit store cookies so they work properly, but it blocks cookies from advertisers and data brokers that follow you across the internet.

You don't need to do anything to use this feature — it's on by default. If you want to see what it's doing, you can check Safari's Privacy Report. Click the shield icon in the address bar (on Mac) or tap the shield icon at the bottom right of Safari (on iPhone or iPad). This shows you which trackers Safari blocked on that page.

When a website says cookies are blocked but you turned them on

Sometimes a website will still say cookies are blocked even after you've turned them on in Safari settings. This usually means the website is checking for a specific type of cookie that Safari's Intelligent Tracking Prevention is intentionally blocking — typically a third-party tracking cookie from an advertiser.

If the website is one you trust and want to use fully, you can turn off Intelligent Tracking Prevention just for that site. On Mac, click the shield icon in the address bar and select "Turn off Intelligent Tracking Prevention for this website." On iPhone or iPad, tap the shield icon and toggle off "Block Trackers." This setting applies only to that one website and resets if you close Safari completely.

The difference between cookies and tracking

A cookie is just a small text file. What matters is what the cookie is used for. A cookie that remembers your login is different from a cookie that an ad network uses to follow you across 500 websites. Safari's default settings accept the first kind and block the second kind, which is why most websites work fine without you doing anything.

If you turn off all cookies completely, many websites will break — you won't be able to stay logged in, shopping carts won't work, and sites won't remember your preferences. This is why Safari's approach of blocking only tracking cookies is usually better than blocking all cookies.

Clearing old cookies from Safari

If you want to delete cookies that Safari has already stored, you can do that separately from turning cookies on or off. On Mac, click Safari > Settings > Privacy, then click "Manage Website Data." You'll see a list of websites that have stored cookies on your device. You can select individual sites and click "Remove" or click "Remove All" to clear everything at once.

On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data. Choose how far back you want to clear (last hour, today, last week, or all time), then tap "Clear History." This removes cookies, browsing history, and cached files all at once.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to turn cookies on to use Safari?

No. Safari works fine with cookies off, but many websites won't work properly. You won't be able to stay logged in, shopping carts won't save items, and sites won't remember your preferences. Most people leave cookies on and rely on Safari's built-in tracking prevention instead.

Will turning on cookies make me less private?

Turning on cookies alone doesn't make you less private because Safari's Intelligent Tracking Prevention blocks the cookies that advertisers use to follow you across sites. You're mainly allowing websites you visit to store cookies they need to function, not allowing tracking.

What if a website still doesn't work after I turn cookies on?

The website may require you to turn off Intelligent Tracking Prevention for that specific site. Click the shield icon in Safari's address bar (Mac) or tap the shield at the bottom (iPhone/iPad) and toggle off tracking prevention for that site only. This doesn't affect other websites.

Can I turn cookies on for some websites and off for others?

Safari doesn't let you set different cookie rules for different websites — it's all or nothing in the main settings. However, you can turn off Intelligent Tracking Prevention for individual sites that need it, which effectively allows more cookies just for those sites.

If I clear cookies, will I have to log in to everything again?

Yes. Clearing cookies removes the files that websites use to keep you logged in. You'll need to log back into email, social media, banking, and other accounts. This is why most people only clear cookies occasionally, not every time they close Safari.