Where to find and delete cookies on a Samsung tablet

Deleting cookies on a Samsung tablet depends on which browser you use. The two most common are Samsung Internet (the default browser that comes with your tablet) and Google Chrome. Both store cookies in their settings, and both let you delete them in roughly the same way — but the exact menu path is different for each one.

Cookies are small files that websites store on your tablet to remember your login information, preferences, and browsing history. Deleting them clears that stored data, which can speed up your tablet if you have accumulated a lot of them, or help protect your privacy if you share your device with others.

Key Takeaways

  • Samsung Internet and Google Chrome both have a "Clear browsing data" or "Clear cache" option in their settings menu.
  • You can delete all cookies at once or set your browser to delete them automatically every time you close it.
  • Deleting cookies will log you out of most websites, so you will need to sign back in the next time you visit them.
  • If you use multiple browsers on your tablet, you will need to delete cookies in each one separately.

How to delete cookies in Samsung Internet

Open Samsung Internet and tap the three-line menu icon (called a hamburger menu) in the bottom right corner of the screen. Scroll down and tap Settings.

In the Settings menu, tap Privacy. You will see an option called Delete browsing data. Tap it, and a popup will appear with several checkboxes. Make sure the box next to Cookies and site data is checked. You can also check Cached images and files if you want to free up storage space. Then tap Delete at the bottom of the popup.

All cookies stored by Samsung Internet will be deleted when ready. You will be logged out of any websites where you were signed in.

How to delete cookies in Google Chrome

Open Google Chrome and tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner. Tap Settings.

Tap Privacy and security, then tap Clear browsing data. A popup will appear. At the top, make sure the time range is set to what you want — All time will delete everything, while Last hour or Last 24 hours will delete only recent cookies. Check the box next to Cookies and site data, then tap Clear data.

Set your browser to delete cookies automatically

If you want your tablet to delete cookies every time you close your browser, you can turn on this setting instead of deleting them manually.

In Samsung Internet, go to Settings > Privacy and toggle on Delete browsing data on exit. In Google Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security and toggle on Clear cookies and site data when you close all tabs. Once this is on, cookies will be removed automatically without you having to do anything.

What happens when you delete cookies

When you delete cookies, websites will no longer remember you. The next time you visit a site where you were logged in, you will need to enter your username and password again. Websites may also forget your preferences — for example, if a news site remembered that you wanted to see articles in dark mode, it will go back to light mode until you change it again.

Deleting cookies does not delete your browsing history or passwords (those are stored separately). If you want to delete your browsing history as well, that option is in the same menu — just check the Browsing history box when you delete browsing data.

Cookies versus cache and browsing history

Cookies, cache, and browsing history are three different things, and your browser lets you delete them separately or together. Cookies are small files that store login information and website preferences. Cache is a collection of images, videos, and other files that websites have stored on your tablet so they load faster the next time you visit. Browsing history is the list of websites you have visited.

If you are trying to free up storage space on your tablet, deleting cache usually helps more than deleting cookies, because cached files take up much more room. If you are concerned about privacy, deleting all three is the most thorough approach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting cookies delete my passwords?

No. Passwords are stored separately from cookies. If you want to delete saved passwords, that is a different option in your browser settings. Deleting cookies will log you out of websites, but your saved passwords will still be there the next time you sign in.

Can I delete cookies from just one website?

Samsung Internet and Chrome do not have a built-in way to delete cookies from a single website. You can only delete all cookies at once. If you want to stay logged into most sites but log out of one specific site, the easiest way is to visit that site and use its "Sign out" or "Log out" button instead.

What if I delete cookies by accident?

There is no way to recover deleted cookies. However, you can sign back into websites using your username and password, and the sites will create new cookies. If you are worried about deleting cookies by accident, you can turn off the automatic delete-on-exit setting and only delete them manually when you choose to.

Do I need to restart my tablet after deleting cookies?

No. Cookies are deleted when ready, and your tablet does not need to be restarted. You can continue using your browser right away.