What cookies are and why you might want to remove them
Cookies are small files that websites store on your computer to remember information about you — your login details, what you put in a shopping cart, your preferences. They make browsing faster and more convenient. But they also let websites and advertisers track where you go and what you do online, which is why many people delete them regularly.
Clearing cookies removes that stored data. Your passwords won't be saved anymore, you'll have to log back into websites, and ads will stop following you across the internet. The tradeoff is that some websites will load slightly slower the first time you visit them after clearing, because they have to rebuild your preferences from scratch.
Most people clear cookies every few weeks or months. You can also set your browser to delete them automatically when you close it, which is the easiest approach if privacy matters to you.
Key Takeaways
- Every major browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — has a built-in tool to delete cookies, usually found under Settings or Preferences.
- You can delete all cookies at once or choose a date range, and most browsers let you protect cookies from sites you want to stay logged into.
- Setting your browser to delete cookies automatically when you close it removes the need to do it manually.
- Clearing cookies is different from clearing your browsing history, though most browsers let you do both at the same time.
- Cookies stored on your computer are separate from tracking pixels and other methods websites use to follow you, so clearing cookies alone won't stop all tracking.
How to clear cookies in Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu. On the left side, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data.
A window will pop up. Make sure Cookies and other site data is checked. At the top, you can choose a time range — All time will delete everything, or you can pick Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, or Last 3 months. Click Clear data and you're done.
If you want Chrome to delete cookies automatically every time you close the browser, go back to Settings > Privacy and security and turn on Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome.
How to clear cookies in Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left, click Privacy & Security. Under Cookies and Site Data, click Clear Data.
A window appears. Make sure Cookies and Site Data is checked. You can delete everything or choose a time range. Click Clear. Firefox will show you how many cookies and how much data it removed.
To delete cookies automatically, stay in Privacy & Security and scroll down to History. Change the dropdown next to Firefox will to Use custom settings for history. Check the box for Clear history when Firefox closes, then click the Settings button next to it and make sure Cookies is checked.
How to clear cookies in Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the top menu bar. Select Settings (or Preferences on older Macs). Click the Privacy tab. Click Manage Website Data to see all stored cookies and data.
You can select individual websites and click Remove, or click Remove All to delete everything at once. Click Done when finished.
To delete cookies automatically, go back to the Privacy tab and look for Cookies and website data. Select Never to block all cookies, or From visited to allow only cookies from sites you actively visit. Safari doesn't have a "delete on close" option like other browsers, but you can manually clear data each time you finish browsing.
How to clear cookies in Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left, click Privacy, search, and services. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
A window opens. Check Cookies and other site data. Pick your time range at the top — All time or a specific period. Click Clear now.
To make Edge delete cookies automatically, go back to Privacy, search, and services and turn on Clear browsing data. Then toggle on Choose what to clear every time you close the browser. Edge will ask you each time you close it whether you want to delete cookies and data.
Protecting cookies from sites you want to stay logged into
If you clear cookies but want to stay logged into certain websites, most browsers let you protect those sites. In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data > Sites that can always use cookies. Add the websites you want to keep logged into.
In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Manage Exceptions. Type in the website address and click Allow. In Safari and Edge, you can't whitelist individual sites, but you can choose to keep cookies from visited sites only, which protects your most-used logins.
The difference between cookies and browsing history
Cookies are data files that websites store on your computer. Browsing history is the list of websites you visited, stored by your browser. Clearing one doesn't clear the other.
When you clear browsing data, you can usually choose to delete cookies, history, cached images and files, autofill data, and passwords all at once. Most browsers let you pick which types of data to remove. If you only want to delete cookies and leave your history intact, uncheck Browsing history before you click clear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing cookies log me out of all my accounts?
Yes, clearing cookies will log you out of most websites because the login information is stored in a cookie. You'll have to log back in the next time you visit. If you want to stay logged into certain sites, add them to your browser's whitelist before clearing cookies.
Do I need to clear cookies regularly?
No, but many people do it weekly or monthly for privacy reasons. Websites use cookies to track your behavior across the internet, so clearing them stops that tracking. If you don't care about that tracking, you don't have to clear them at all.
Will clearing cookies speed up my computer?
Probably not noticeably. Cookies are tiny files and don't take up much space. Clearing them might free up a few megabytes at most. If your computer is slow, the problem is usually something else — too many programs running, a full hard drive, or malware.
What's the difference between clearing cookies and using private browsing mode?
Private browsing mode (called Incognito in Chrome) doesn't store cookies, history, or autofill data while you're using it. When you close the private window, everything is deleted automatically. Clearing cookies manually does the same thing, but only once. Private mode is better if you want ongoing privacy; clearing cookies manually is better if you want to keep your history but remove tracking.
Can websites tell if I've cleared my cookies?
Websites can tell that your cookies are gone because you'll appear as a new visitor instead of a returning one. They can't tell that you deliberately cleared them versus your browser deleting them automatically. Some websites may ask you to log back in or reset your preferences.