Delete cookies through your browser settings

The fastest way to delete cookies is through your browser's built-in settings. Every major browser—Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge—stores cookies in the same place: your browsing history and cache. You do not need a separate tool or app. Open your browser, go to Settings or Preferences, find the Privacy or History section, and select the option to clear browsing data. When you do, make sure the "Cookies" or "Cookies and site data" checkbox is marked.

The exact steps differ slightly by browser, but the result is the same: all cookies from your computer are removed. This takes less than a minute. Your browser will ask you what time range to clear—you can choose the last hour, last day, all time, or a custom range. Selecting "All time" removes every cookie your browser has stored.

Key Takeaways

  • Cookies are small files websites store on your computer to remember your login information, preferences, and browsing history.
  • You can delete all cookies at once through your browser's Settings menu under Privacy or History, usually in under one minute.
  • Deleting cookies will log you out of most websites and remove saved passwords unless you choose to keep them.
  • You can set your browser to delete cookies automatically every time you close it, or block third-party cookies while keeping site cookies.

Delete cookies in Google Chrome

In Chrome, click the three vertical dots in the top right corner, then select Settings. On the left side, click Privacy and security, then Clear browsing data. A window will pop up. Make sure the time range at the top is set to All time, check the box next to Cookies and other site data, and click Clear data.

If you want Chrome to delete cookies automatically, go back to Privacy and security and scroll down to Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. Toggle this on. Now every time you close Chrome completely, all cookies will be removed.

Delete cookies in Mozilla Firefox

In Firefox, click the three horizontal lines (hamburger menu) in the top right, then select Settings. Click Privacy & Security on the left. Under Cookies and Site Data, click Clear Data. A box will appear. Make sure both Cookies and Site Data and Cached Web Content are checked, then click Clear.

To delete cookies automatically in Firefox, stay in the Privacy & Security section and look for Cookies and Site Data. Check the box that says Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed. Firefox will now remove all cookies each time you shut down the browser.

Delete cookies in Safari

In Safari on a Mac, click Safari in the top menu bar, then select Settings. Click the Privacy tab. Click Manage Website Data. A list of websites and their stored data will appear. Click Remove All to delete all cookies at once, or select individual websites and click Remove.

On an iPad or iPhone, go to Settings (the system settings, not Safari settings), scroll down and tap Safari, then tap Clear History and Website Data. Choose the time range and confirm. Safari does not have an automatic cookie-deletion option on mobile devices, so you will need to do this manually.

Delete cookies in Microsoft Edge

In Edge, click the three dots in the top right corner and select Settings. Click Privacy, search, and services on the left. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear. Set the time range to All time, check Cookies and other site data, and click Clear now.

To make Edge delete cookies automatically, go back to Privacy, search, and services and turn on Clear browsing data under the Clear browsing data section. You can choose whether to clear data when you close the browser or on a schedule you set.

What happens when you delete cookies

When you delete cookies, you will be logged out of most websites. The next time you visit a site that required a login, you will need to enter your username and password again. Websites will also forget your preferences—things like your language choice, dark mode settings, or items in your shopping cart may reset to defaults.

Deleting cookies does not remove your browsing history, saved passwords, or autofill information unless you specifically checked those boxes when clearing data. If you want to keep your passwords but remove cookies, uncheck the password box before you clear. Some browsers let you choose to keep cookies from sites you visit often while removing the rest.

Block cookies instead of deleting them

If you want to prevent cookies from being stored in the first place, you can block them in your browser settings. Most browsers let you block third-party cookies—these are cookies placed by advertisers and tracking companies, not by the website you are visiting. Blocking third-party cookies reduces tracking while still letting websites you visit store their own cookies so you stay logged in.

In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data and select Block third-party cookies. In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security and under Enhanced Tracking Protection, select Strict. In Safari, go to Settings > Privacy and check Prevent cross-site tracking. In Edge, go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services and set Tracking prevention to Strict.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting cookies slow down my computer?

No. Cookies are tiny files—usually just a few kilobytes each. Even with thousands of cookies stored, they take up almost no space. Deleting them will not speed up your computer noticeably. The main reason to delete cookies is privacy, not performance.

Can I delete cookies from just one website?

Yes. In most browsers, you can right-click on a website and select an option like "View site information" or "Manage cookies for this site," then delete only that site's cookies. You can also go to your browser's cookie settings and search for the website name to remove just that one.

What is the difference between deleting cookies and clearing cache?

Cookies are small text files that store login information and preferences. Cache is a larger collection of images, videos, and other files that websites store to load faster next time. Deleting cache frees up more disk space, but deleting cookies protects more of your privacy. Most browsers let you clear both at the same time.

Do I need to delete cookies regularly?

Not unless you want to. Deleting cookies regularly improves privacy by removing tracking data, but it is not necessary for your computer to run well. If you log into sensitive accounts like banking or email on a shared computer, deleting cookies afterward is a good idea for security.

Will deleting cookies remove my saved passwords?

No, unless you specifically check the "Passwords" or "Autofill" box when clearing data. Passwords are stored separately from cookies. You can delete all cookies while keeping your passwords, or delete both—it is your choice in the clear data window.