Where to find your cookies in Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy and security in the left sidebar. Choose Cookies and other site data. This page shows every cookie your browser has stored, organized by website.
You can also reach this faster by typing chrome://settings/cookies directly into your address bar and pressing Enter. Both routes take you to the same place.
The cookies page displays the total number of cookies and data stored, broken down by individual sites. Each entry shows the domain name, how much storage space it uses, and when it was last modified. You can search for a specific website using the search box at the top.
Key Takeaways
- Chrome stores cookies in Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data, or by typing chrome://settings/cookies in the address bar.
- You can see which websites have stored cookies on your device, how much space each one uses, and when the data was last updated.
- Deleting cookies from a specific site removes that site's stored data without affecting cookies from other websites.
- Clearing all cookies at once erases login information, saved preferences, and tracking data from every website you have visited.
- You can set Chrome to delete cookies automatically when you close the browser, or block cookies from certain sites entirely.
What different types of cookies do
First-party cookies are set by the website you are visiting. They remember your login information, shopping cart contents, language preferences, and other settings you choose on that site. Without them, you would have to log in again every time you visit.
Third-party cookies are set by other companies — usually advertisers or analytics services — embedded in the website you are on. They track your browsing across multiple sites to build a profile of your interests. Chrome's cookies page does not always clearly label which cookies are third-party, but you can often tell by the domain name. If you are on example.com and see a cookie from ads.google.com or facebook.com, that is a third-party cookie.
Chrome also stores site data beyond cookies — including cached images, local storage, and session storage. These work similarly to cookies but can hold larger amounts of information. The cookies page manages all of these together under "Cookies and other site data."
How to delete cookies from one website
Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data. Use the search box to find the website whose cookies you want to remove. Click on the site name to expand it and see all the cookies and data it has stored.
Click the trash icon next to the site name, or click the individual trash icon next to each cookie if you want to keep some and delete others. The data disappears when ready. You will stay logged in to that site until you close the tab or until the session expires naturally.
Deleting cookies from one site does not affect cookies from any other website. This is useful if you want to clear data from a site you no longer use while keeping your login information and preferences on sites you visit regularly.
How to clear all cookies at once
Click the three dots in the top right, then select Delete browsing data. A window opens with several options. Make sure the time range at the top is set to what you want — All time clears everything, while Last hour, Last 24 hours, or Last 7 days clear only recent cookies.
Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. You can also check Cached images and files if you want to free up storage space. Leave unchecked anything you want to keep, like browsing history or saved passwords. Click Delete data to finish.
Clearing all cookies logs you out of most websites and removes saved preferences like language settings or font sizes. You will need to log back in the next time you visit those sites. This is why many people prefer to delete cookies from specific sites rather than all at once.
Setting Chrome to delete cookies automatically
Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data. Scroll down to find Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome and toggle it on. Now every time you close Chrome completely, all cookies will be deleted automatically.
This setting does not affect cookies while Chrome is open — you will still stay logged in to websites during your browsing session. It only clears cookies when you fully close the browser, not when you close individual tabs or windows.
If you want more control, use the Sites that can always use cookies section to add websites where you want cookies to persist even after closing Chrome. This is useful for sites you log into frequently and trust.
Blocking cookies from specific websites
In Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data, scroll to Sites that cannot use cookies. Click Add and type the website domain you want to block — for example, ads.example.com or tracker.com. Chrome will prevent that site from storing any cookies on your device.
You can also block cookies more broadly by changing your overall cookie settings. In the same menu, look for General settings and choose Block all cookies to prevent any website from storing cookies. This breaks many websites — you will have trouble staying logged in or saving preferences — so most people use this only for specific sites they do not trust.
A middle ground is Block third-party cookies, which stops advertisers and trackers from following you across sites while still allowing websites to store their own cookies. This is Chrome's default setting and works well for most people.
Understanding what the cookies page shows you
Each cookie entry displays the domain (the website that stored it), the size (how much storage it uses), and the last modified date (when it was last updated). Most cookies are very small — usually less than 1 kilobyte. A few cookies might be larger if they store a lot of information, but even then they rarely exceed a few hundred kilobytes.
The storage size shown includes not just cookies but all site data — cached images, local storage, and session data. If a website shows a large storage amount, it is usually because of cached images or videos rather than cookies themselves.
Chrome does not show you the actual content of cookies in plain language. You cannot see what information a cookie contains without using developer tools. For most people, knowing which websites have stored data is enough to decide whether to keep or delete it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need cookies if they track me?
Cookies serve two different purposes. First-party cookies from websites you visit let you stay logged in and save your preferences — these are useful. Third-party cookies from advertisers track your behavior across sites — these are what many people want to block. You can keep the useful ones and delete or block the tracking ones.
Will deleting cookies make websites load faster?
Deleting cookies themselves will not noticeably speed up websites. However, deleting cached images and files (which you can do on the same page) might free up storage space on your device. The real benefit of deleting cookies is privacy, not speed.
Can I see what information is inside a cookie?
Chrome's settings page does not show cookie contents. To see what data a cookie actually holds, you would need to use Chrome's Developer Tools (press F12 or right-click and select Inspect). Most cookies contain only a session ID or user preference — nothing sensitive — but some may contain encrypted data you cannot read without the website's key.
If I block all cookies, will websites still work?
Most websites will break if you block all cookies. You will not be able to stay logged in, shopping carts will not work, and saved preferences will disappear. Blocking third-party cookies only (Chrome's default) is a better balance — it stops tracking while letting websites function normally.
Do I need to delete cookies regularly?
No. Cookies take up very little storage space and do not slow down your browser. Delete them if you want to remove tracking data or log out of websites, but there is no technical reason to delete them on a schedule. Some people delete cookies monthly for privacy reasons; others never delete them.