Delete cookies from a single website in Chrome
Open Chrome and go to the website whose cookies you want to remove. Click the lock icon or information icon to the left of the address bar, then click Cookies and site data. You will see a list of all cookies, cache files, and other data that website has stored on your computer. Click the trash icon next to each cookie you want to delete, or click Remove all to delete everything that site has stored.
This method works best when you want to clear data from one or two websites without touching your other browsing history. The cookies disappear when ready, and the next time you visit that site, it will not remember your login, preferences, or shopping cart contents.
Key Takeaways
- Click the lock or information icon next to the address bar, then select Cookies and site data to see what one website has stored.
- You can delete individual cookies one at a time or remove all data from a single site without affecting other websites.
- Chrome's settings menu lets you delete cookies from a date range or from all websites at once if you prefer.
- Deleting cookies from a site will log you out and erase saved passwords, payment methods, and preferences the next time you visit.
- Cookies deleted this way are gone permanently — Chrome does not keep a backup.
Delete cookies from multiple websites at once
If you want to delete cookies from several sites but not all of them, use Chrome's settings menu. Click the three-line menu icon in the top right corner, then click Settings. On the left side, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data.
A window will open with three tabs: Basic, Advanced, and On exit. Stay on the Basic tab. At the top, choose your time range — All time will delete all cookies you have ever stored, while Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, and Last 3 months let you delete only recent cookies. Make sure Cookies and other site data is checked, then click Clear data.
This approach deletes cookies from every website you visited during that time period. If you want to keep cookies from some sites but delete from others, you will need to use the single-site method instead.
Delete all cookies and site data at once
To remove every cookie Chrome has stored, open Settings from the three-line menu, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data. Choose All time from the time range dropdown. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data and uncheck anything else you want to keep, then click Clear data.
Clearing all cookies at once will log you out of every website and erase all saved passwords, payment information, and site preferences. You will need to log back in to websites you use regularly. This is useful if you are selling your computer, sharing it with someone else, or want a completely fresh start with your browsing data.
Automatically delete cookies when you close Chrome
You can set Chrome to delete all cookies automatically every time you close the browser. Click the three-line menu, go to Settings, then click Privacy and security. Under Clear browsing data, toggle on Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome.
With this setting enabled, every cookie will disappear when you fully close Chrome — not just when you close a tab or window. You will stay logged into websites during your browsing session, but the next time you open Chrome, you will be logged out. This is a good option if you use a shared computer or want privacy without manually deleting cookies each time.
Keep cookies from specific websites while deleting others
If you want to delete most cookies but keep yourself logged into a few important sites, use the On exit tab in the clear browsing data window. Click the three-line menu, go to Settings, then Privacy and security, then Clear browsing data. Click the On exit tab at the top.
Toggle on Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. Then click Add next to Sites that can always use cookies and type in the websites you want to keep logged into — for example, gmail.com or amazon.com. When you close Chrome, cookies from those sites will stay, but cookies from every other website will be deleted.
Understand what happens when you delete cookies
Cookies are small files that websites use to remember information about you. When you delete a cookie, that website loses its memory of your login, your shopping cart, your language preference, and any other data it stored. The next time you visit, the site will treat you as a new visitor.
Deleting cookies does not delete your account or your data on the website itself — it only removes the file on your computer that proves you are logged in. Your account, purchase history, and saved information stay on the website's servers. You can log back in anytime and everything will still be there.
Cookies are different from browsing history, cached images, and autofill data. Deleting cookies will not clear your browsing history or remove saved passwords unless you specifically check those boxes in the clear browsing data window.
Find cookies for a specific website in Chrome settings
If you want to see all the cookies Chrome has stored for a particular site without visiting it, go to Settings, click Privacy and security, then click Cookies and other site data. Type the website name into the search box — for example, facebook.com — and Chrome will show you every cookie and piece of data that site has stored.
From this view, you can click the trash icon next to individual cookies to delete them one at a time, or click Remove all to delete everything from that site. This method is useful if you want to see exactly what data a website is storing before you decide whether to delete it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting cookies log me out of websites?
Yes. Cookies are how websites remember that you are logged in. Deleting them will log you out, and you will need to enter your username and password the next time you visit. Your account itself is not deleted — only the file on your computer that proves you are logged in.
Can I delete cookies from one website without affecting others?
Yes. Click the lock icon next to the address bar on any website, select Cookies and site data, and delete only that site's cookies. Or use the On exit tab in settings to keep specific sites logged in while deleting cookies from everything else.
What is the difference between deleting cookies and clearing browsing history?
Cookies are files websites use to remember you. Browsing history is the list of websites you visited. Deleting cookies logs you out and erases saved preferences, but your browsing history stays. Deleting history removes the list of sites you visited, but cookies remain unless you specifically delete them.
Do I need to delete cookies regularly?
No. Cookies are not harmful and do not slow down your computer. Delete them only if you want to log out of a site, erase saved information, or improve privacy. Many people never manually delete cookies and have no problems.
What happens to cookies after I delete them?
They are permanently removed from your computer. Chrome does not keep a backup. The next time you visit that website, it will create new cookies to remember your activity during that session.