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. When you visit a site, it may save a cookie that tracks what you looked at, keeps you logged in, or remembers your preferences. Most cookies are harmless, but some track your browsing across many sites, and you may want to delete them for privacy reasons or to free up space.

Deleting cookies won't break your computer or most websites. You may have to log back into some accounts, and sites won't remember your preferences until you visit them again, but that's the only effect. The steps differ slightly depending on which browser you use — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge — but the process is straightforward in all of them.

Key Takeaways

  • Cookies are stored files that websites use to remember you; deleting them won't harm your computer but may log you out of accounts.
  • In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Clear Browsing Data and check "Cookies and other site data."
  • In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data and click "Clear Data."
  • In Safari, go to Develop > Empty Web Storage or use History > Clear History and select "all history."
  • You can delete all cookies at once or set your browser to delete them automatically when you close it.

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 time range at the top is set to what you want — All time will delete all your cookies, while Last hour, Last 24 hours, or Last 7 days will delete only recent ones. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. You can leave the other boxes unchecked unless you also want to delete your browsing history or cached images. Click Clear Data at the bottom right.

Deleting cookies in Mozilla Firefox

Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (hamburger menu) in the top right corner. Click Settings. On the left, select Privacy & Security. Scroll down to the Cookies and Site Data section.

You'll see a button that says Clear Data. Click it. A box will appear asking what you want to clear. Make sure Cookies and Site Data is checked. You can also choose the time range — Everything clears all cookies, or you can pick a specific period. Click Clear to finish.

Deleting cookies in Safari

Safari handles cookies differently than Chrome or Firefox. Open Safari and click Develop in the top menu bar. If you don't see Develop, go to Safari > Preferences, click the Advanced tab, and check the box that says "Show Develop menu in menu bar."

Once Develop is visible, click it and select Empty Web Storage. This removes cookies and other stored site data. Alternatively, you can go to History in the top menu, click Clear History, and choose how far back you want to go — all history will remove all cookies.

Deleting cookies in Microsoft Edge

Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left side, click Privacy, search, and services. Under Clear Browsing Data, click Choose what to clear.

A window will open. Set the time range to All time to delete all cookies, or pick a shorter period. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. Click Clear now at the bottom right. If you want Edge to clear cookies automatically every time you close the browser, toggle on Clear browsing data under the "Clear browsing data" section.

Setting your browser to delete cookies automatically

If you want your browser to delete cookies without you having to do it manually, you can set it to clear them every time you close the browser. In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and Security, scroll to Clear Browsing Data, and toggle on Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll to Cookies and Site Data, and check Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed.

Safari doesn't have a built-in automatic clearing option, but you can manually clear cookies each time you close it by going to Safari > Preferences > Privacy and selecting Remove all website data. In Edge, go to Settings > Privacy > Clear Browsing Data and toggle on Choose what to clear every time you close the browser, then make sure Cookies and other site data is checked.

What happens after you delete cookies

After you delete cookies, websites won't remember you the next time you visit. You'll be logged out of accounts like email, social media, and online banking, so you'll need to log back in. Websites also won't remember your preferences — things like your language choice, dark mode settings, or items in your shopping cart may reset.

None of this damages your computer or the websites themselves. Cookies are rebuilt as you browse, so sites will start storing new ones when ready. If you find that deleting all cookies is too disruptive, you can delete them selectively — most browsers let you delete cookies from specific sites while keeping others, though the steps vary by browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting cookies slow down my computer?

No. Cookies take up very little space, and deleting them won't noticeably speed up your computer. If you're looking to improve performance, clearing your browser cache or restarting your computer is more effective. Deleting cookies is mainly a privacy choice, not a performance one.

Can I delete cookies from just one website instead of all of them?

Yes. In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Site Settings > Cookies. You'll see a list of sites that have stored cookies; click the trash icon next to any site to delete only its cookies. Firefox and Edge have similar options in their privacy settings, though the exact steps differ slightly.

What's the difference between cookies and cache?

Cookies are small files that store login information and preferences. Cache stores larger files like images and videos to make websites load faster. Deleting one doesn't delete the other. Most browsers let you clear them separately, so you can choose which to remove.

If I delete cookies, will websites know I deleted them?

No. Websites can't tell whether you've deleted cookies. They only know if a cookie is present when you visit. After you delete cookies, the website straightforward won't recognize you until it creates a new cookie on your next visit.

Do I need to delete cookies regularly?

Not necessarily. If privacy is your concern, deleting cookies monthly or quarterly is reasonable. If you're not worried about tracking, you can leave them alone. The choice depends on your comfort level with websites remembering your activity.