Where cookies live and why you might want to remove them
Cookies are small files your browser stores on your computer when you visit websites. They remember your login information, shopping cart contents, and preferences — which is useful. But they also let websites and advertisers track where you go online, which is why many people delete them regularly.
Deleting cookies clears out this stored data. Your browser will forget your passwords on sites you visit frequently, so you'll have to log in again. You'll lose saved items in shopping carts. But you'll also remove tracking files that follow you across the web, and you'll free up a small amount of disk space.
The process is different depending on which browser you use — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge each have their own menu path. The steps take about two minutes.
Key Takeaways
- Cookies are stored files that websites use to remember you and track your activity, and deleting them removes this data from your computer.
- After you delete cookies, you will need to log back into websites you visit regularly because your browser will no longer remember your passwords.
- Each browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge — has a different menu location for clearing cookies, but all of them are in the browser settings.
- You can set your browser to delete cookies automatically when you close it, so you do not have to do this manually each time.
How to delete cookies in Google Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the dropdown menu. On the left side, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data.
A window will pop up. At the top, make sure the time range is set to All time if you want to delete every cookie on your computer. If you only want to remove cookies from the last day or week, choose that option instead. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. Make sure the boxes for "Browsing history" and "Cached images and files" are unchecked unless you also want to delete those. Click Clear data.
Chrome will delete the cookies when ready. You may notice you're logged out of websites you visit often.
How to delete cookies in Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (called a hamburger menu) in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left side, click Privacy & Security. Under the "Cookies and Site Data" section, click Clear Data.
A window will appear. Make sure both "Cookies and Site Data" and "Cached Web Content" are checked if you want to remove cookies. If you only want to delete cookies and not cached files, uncheck "Cached Web Content". Click Clear.
Firefox will remove the cookies right away. Like Chrome, you'll need to log back into most websites.
How to delete cookies in Safari
Open Safari. Click Safari in the menu bar at the top of your screen (not inside the browser window — on your Mac's main menu bar). Select Settings or Preferences depending on your macOS version. Click the Privacy tab.
Click Manage Website Data. You'll see a list of websites that have stored cookies on your computer. To delete all of them at once, click Remove All. To delete cookies from specific websites, select them from the list and click Remove. Click Done when finished.
If you don't see the Privacy tab, you may be in the General settings instead. Look for a Privacy or Security option in the settings window.
How to delete cookies in Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left side, click Privacy, search, and services. Under "Clear browsing data," click Choose what to clear.
A window will open. At the top, select All time to delete every cookie, or choose a shorter time period. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. Uncheck "Browsing history" and "Cached images and files" unless you want to delete those too. Click Clear now.
Edge will delete the cookies when ready, and you'll be logged out of most websites.
Set your browser to delete cookies automatically
Instead of deleting cookies manually each time, you can tell your browser to clear them automatically when you close it. This happens in the background without any action from you.
In Chrome: Go to Settings, click Privacy and security, then turn on "Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome." In Firefox: Go to Settings, click Privacy & Security, scroll to "Cookies and Site Data," and check "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed." In Safari: Go to Preferences, click Privacy, and select "Remove all website data" from the dropdown menu. In Edge: Go to Settings, click Privacy, search, and services, then turn on "Clear browsing data every time you close the browser."
Once you enable this setting, your browser will delete cookies every time you fully close it — not just when you close a tab. You'll stay logged out of websites between sessions, but you won't accumulate tracking data over time.
What happens after you delete cookies
Websites will stop recognizing you. You'll need to log in again to email, social media, banking sites, and shopping sites. Websites won't remember your preferences — font sizes, language choices, or theme settings will reset to defaults. Your shopping cart will empty. Ads may become less targeted to your interests because advertisers won't have as much data about your browsing habits.
None of this is permanent. As soon as you visit a website again, it will start storing new cookies on your computer. If you log in, the site will remember you for the next visit. The only lasting effect is that you've removed the old tracking data that was already stored.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting cookies slow down my computer?
No. Cookies take up very little space — usually just a few megabytes total. Deleting them won't noticeably speed up your computer or free up meaningful storage. The main reason to delete them is privacy, not performance.
Can I delete cookies from just one website instead of all of them?
Yes. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, you can click the lock icon next to the website address in your address bar and manage cookies for that specific site. In Safari, use the "Manage Website Data" option to select individual websites from the list and delete only those.
If I delete cookies, will websites know I deleted them?
No. Websites cannot tell whether you deleted cookies or if you're straightforward visiting for the first time. They'll just treat you as a new visitor and start collecting data again.
What's the difference between cookies and cache?
Cookies are small data files that store login information and tracking data. Cache is a collection of images, videos, and other files that websites read to your computer to load faster next time. You can delete them separately, though most browsers let you delete both at once.
Do I need to delete cookies on my phone too?
Yes, if you want to remove tracking data from your phone's browser. The process is similar — go to your browser's settings and look for "Clear browsing data" or "Clear cookies." Phone browsers work the same way as desktop browsers.