What cookies are and why you might want to delete 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. When you visit a website again, it reads that cookie and recognizes you.

Most cookies are harmless and make browsing easier. But some track your activity across multiple websites to build a profile of your interests, and others can slow down your browser if they accumulate. Deleting them regularly is a straightforward way to clear out data you no longer need and remove tracking cookies that follow you around the internet.

The steps differ slightly depending on which browser you use — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge — but the principle is the same in all of them.

Key Takeaways

  • Cookies are stored files that websites use to remember you; deleting them removes login information, shopping carts, and tracking data.
  • In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data, check "Cookies and other site data", and choose your time range.
  • In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data, then click "Clear Data".
  • In Safari, go to Safari menu > Settings > Privacy, click "Manage Website Data", select the sites you want to remove, and click "Remove".
  • You can set your browser to delete cookies automatically when you close it, or to ask before accepting them.

Deleting cookies in Google 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 the box next to Cookies and other site data is checked. You can also check Cached images and files if you want to free up storage space.

At the top of the window, choose your time range. Select All time to delete every cookie on your computer, or pick a specific period like Last hour, Last 24 hours, or Last 7 days. Then click Clear data. The cookies are now gone.

Deleting cookies in Mozilla Firefox

Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (the menu button) in the top right corner. Select Settings.

On the left, click Privacy & Security. Scroll down to the Cookies and Site Data section. Click the Clear Data button. A window will appear with two checkboxes: make sure Cookies and Site Data is checked. Click Clear.

If you want to delete cookies from only certain websites instead of all of them, you can do that in the same section. Under Cookies and Site Data, click Manage Data, find the website in the list, select it, and click Remove Selected.

Deleting cookies in Apple Safari

Open Safari. Click the Safari menu at the top of the screen, then select Settings (or Preferences on older versions).

Click the Privacy tab. Click the Manage Website Data button. You will see a list of all websites that have stored data on your computer. You can select individual sites and click Remove, or click Remove All to delete everything at once.

Deleting cookies in Microsoft Edge

Open Edge and click the three horizontal 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. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. Choose your time range at the top — All time will delete everything, or pick a shorter period. Click Clear now.

Setting your browser to delete cookies automatically

Instead of manually deleting cookies every time, you can tell your browser to do it for you. In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data, then select Delete cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data and choose Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed.

Safari does not have a built-in automatic deletion option, but you can use the Privacy settings to limit which websites can track you. Edge offers the same feature as Chrome: go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services and toggle on Clear browsing data.

You can also set your browser to ask you before accepting cookies. In Chrome, go to Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data and select Block all cookies or Block third-party cookies in Incognito. In Firefox, go to Privacy & Security > Enhanced Tracking Protection and choose Strict. These settings give you more control over what gets stored in the first place.

What happens after you delete cookies

After you delete cookies, websites will no longer remember you when you visit them. You may need to log back into email, social media, or shopping sites. Your saved passwords are stored separately from cookies, so deleting cookies will not log you out of most services — but some sites do use cookies to keep you logged in, and you may need to sign in again.

Websites may also forget your preferences, like your language choice or whether you had items in a shopping cart. This is temporary; as soon as you visit the site again, it will start storing new cookies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting cookies slow down my computer?

No. Deleting cookies will not slow down your computer. In fact, removing a large buildup of old cookies might make your browser run slightly faster because it has less data to load. Cookies are very small files, so they do not take up much storage space.

Can I delete cookies from just one website?

Yes. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, you can go to your browsing history or site data settings, find the specific website, and delete only its cookies. In Safari, use the Manage Website Data button to select individual sites. This is useful if you want to log out of one account without clearing everything.

What is the difference between cookies and cache?

Cookies are files that store login information and preferences. Cache is a collection of images, scripts, and other files that websites use, stored so they load faster the next time you visit. Both can be deleted separately in your browser settings, usually in the same "Clear browsing data" menu.

Do I need to delete cookies regularly?

Not necessarily. Deleting cookies is optional and depends on your privacy preferences. If you are concerned about tracking or want to free up storage space, deleting them monthly or quarterly is reasonable. If you prefer to stay logged into your accounts, you may want to delete them less often or only clear third-party tracking cookies.