Delete cookies through your browser settings in under two minutes

Cookies are small files your browser stores when you visit websites. They remember your login information, shopping cart contents, and browsing preferences. Deleting them clears this stored data from your computer. The exact steps depend on which browser you use — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge — but all of them let you delete cookies from the settings menu without needing any special tools.

You can delete all cookies at once or remove them from specific websites. Most people delete all cookies when they want a fresh start, though this will log you out of websites you visit regularly and reset any saved preferences.

Key Takeaways

  • Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge all store the delete-cookies option in their settings or preferences menu under "Privacy" or "History".
  • You can delete all cookies at once or choose a date range — for example, cookies from the last hour, day, or week.
  • Deleting cookies will log you out of most websites and remove saved passwords unless you specifically choose to keep them.
  • You can also set your browser to delete cookies automatically every time you close it, without doing it manually each time.

Delete cookies in Google Chrome

Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the dropdown menu. On the left side, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data.

A window will pop up. At the top, make sure the time range is set to what you want — All time deletes everything, while Last hour, Last 24 hours, or Last 7 days delete only recent cookies. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. Uncheck any other boxes if you want to keep that data. Click Clear data and you are done.

Delete cookies in Firefox

Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left, click Privacy & Security. Scroll down to the Cookies and Site Data section and click Clear Data.

A small window appears. Make sure Cookies and Site Data is checked. You can also check Cached Web Content if you want to free up disk space. Click Clear. Firefox will delete the cookies when ready. If you want to delete cookies from only a specific time period, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Delete (or Cmd+Shift+Delete on Mac) to open the full history clearing tool, where you can choose a date range.

Delete cookies in Safari

Open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar at the top of your screen. Select Settings (or Preferences on older versions). Click the Privacy tab. Click Manage Website Data to see all stored cookies and site data.

You can select individual websites and click Remove to delete cookies from just those sites, or click Remove All to delete everything at once. If you want to clear cookies without seeing the list first, go back to the Privacy tab and click Remove All Website Data. A confirmation window will appear — click Remove Now.

Delete 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. Use the dropdown at the top to select your time range — All time, Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, or Last cleaning. Check the box for Cookies and other site data. Uncheck anything else you want to keep. Click Clear now.

Set your browser to delete cookies automatically

Instead of deleting cookies manually each time, you can tell your browser to delete them when you close it. In Chrome, go to Settings, click Privacy and security, and toggle on Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. In Firefox, go to Settings, click Privacy & Security, scroll to Cookies and Site Data, and check Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed.

In Safari, click Safari in the menu bar, select Settings, click the Privacy tab, and check Remove all website data when quitting Safari. In Edge, go to Settings, click Privacy, search, and services, and toggle on Clear browsing data under Clear browsing data. Once you turn this on, your browser will automatically delete cookies every time you fully close it.

What happens when you delete cookies

Deleting cookies will log you out of most websites. The next time you visit a site where you were logged in, you will need to enter your username and password again. Websites will also forget your preferences — for example, if a site remembered that you prefer dark mode, it will go back to light mode until you change it again.

Deleting cookies does not delete your saved passwords unless you specifically choose to delete those too. Your browser keeps passwords in a separate storage area. If you want to delete passwords as well, look for a Passwords or Saved passwords checkbox in the same clearing window and check it before clicking clear.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting cookies slow down my computer?

No. Cookies are very small files and take up minimal space. Deleting them will not speed up your computer noticeably. However, if you have thousands of cookies stored, clearing them might free up a tiny amount of disk space.

Can I delete cookies from just one website?

Yes. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, you can visit a website, click the lock icon or information icon in the address bar, and look for a Cookies or Site data option where you can delete cookies for just that site. In Safari, use Manage Website Data to select specific sites before clicking Remove.

Do I need to delete cookies regularly?

No. Cookies are not harmful and do not need regular deletion unless you want to clear your browsing history or log out of websites. If privacy is a concern, deleting cookies periodically can reduce the amount of tracking data stored on your computer.

What is the difference between cookies and cache?

Cookies store login information and preferences. Cache stores images, scripts, and other files from websites to make them load faster next time. Both can be deleted from the same clearing window in your browser, but they serve different purposes.

Will deleting cookies affect my saved passwords?

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