Where cookies live 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. Your browser keeps them in a dedicated folder so websites can find them the next time you visit.
You might want to delete cookies to free up a small amount of storage space, to clear out login information before selling or giving away your computer, or to reset how a website behaves toward you. Removing cookies is safe and won't break your computer — the worst that happens is a website won't remember you the next time you visit, and you may have to log in again.
The steps differ depending on which browser you use. The three most common are Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Each one stores cookies in the same way but accesses them through different menus.
Key Takeaways
- Cookies are small files websites store on your computer to remember your login and preferences, and deleting them is safe and won't damage your system.
- You can delete all cookies at once or remove cookies from a specific website, depending on how much you want to clear out.
- Chrome, Firefox, and Safari each have a different menu path to reach the cookie deletion tool, but the process takes less than a minute in any browser.
- After you delete cookies, you will need to log back into websites you use regularly, since the browser can no longer remember your login information.
How to delete cookies in Google Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu that appears. 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 will delete every cookie, 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. Uncheck any other boxes if you don't want to delete those items. Click Clear data and you're done.
If you want to delete cookies from only one website instead of all of them, go back to Privacy and security and click Cookies and other site data. Type the website name in the search box, click it when it appears, and click the trash icon next to it.
How to delete cookies in Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (called a hamburger menu) in the top right corner. Click Settings, then click Privacy & Security on the left side. Scroll down to the Cookies and Site Data section.
To delete all cookies, click Clear Data. A window will appear — make sure Cookies and Site Data is checked, then click Clear. To delete cookies from only one website, click Manage Data instead, type the website name in the search box, click it, and click Remove Selected.
How to delete cookies in Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar at the very top of your screen (not inside the browser window). Click Settings, then click the Privacy tab. Click Manage Website Data.
A list of websites will appear. To delete all cookies, click Remove All at the bottom right. To delete cookies from one website, find it in the list, click it, and click Remove. Click Done when you finish.
What happens after you delete cookies
Once cookies are gone, websites will no longer remember you. The next time you visit a site where you had an account, you will need to log in again. Shopping carts will be empty. Websites won't remember your language preference or dark mode setting.
This is temporary — as soon as you log back in or visit the site again, it will start storing new cookies. You haven't permanently changed anything about your account or the website itself, only what your browser remembers locally.
Deleting cookies versus clearing your entire browsing history
Cookies are just one type of data your browser stores. When you clear browsing data, you can also delete your search history, cached images and files, and saved passwords. Deleting cookies alone leaves your history and cached files in place — it's a more targeted approach if you only want to remove what websites remember about you.
If you want to delete your entire browsing history along with cookies, the process is similar: go to the same menu where you'd clear cookies, but check multiple boxes before clicking the final delete button. The exact boxes available depend on your browser.
Automatically deleting cookies when you close your browser
If you want your browser to delete cookies every time you close it, you can turn on that setting instead of doing it manually. In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security 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. In Safari, go to Settings > Privacy and select Remove all website data when quitting Safari.
This means you'll have to log in to websites every time you open your browser, but your computer won't accumulate old cookies over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting cookies slow down my computer?
No. Cookies are tiny files — typically a few kilobytes each — so they take up almost no storage space. Deleting them won't noticeably speed up your computer or free up meaningful storage. The main reason to delete them is privacy or to reset how a website behaves toward you.
Can I delete cookies from just one website without deleting all of them?
Yes. All three major browsers let you search for a specific website and delete only its cookies. In Chrome and Firefox, look for a "Manage Data" or similar option in the Privacy settings. In Safari, use the "Manage Website Data" button. This is useful if you want to log out of one account without affecting others.
What's the difference between cookies and cache?
Cookies are small text files that store login information and preferences. Cache is larger files — images, scripts, and web pages — that your browser saves to load websites faster next time. Deleting cookies won't clear your cache, and vice versa. Both can be deleted separately or together from the same menu.
Do I need to restart my browser after deleting cookies?
No. The deletion takes effect when ready. You can keep browsing without closing and reopening your browser. However, if you're logged into a website in another tab, you may need to refresh that tab or log in again for the change to take effect.
Will deleting cookies log me out of my accounts?
Yes. Cookies store your login session, so deleting them will log you out of most websites. The next time you visit, you'll need to enter your username and password again. Your actual account information on the website's servers is not affected — only what your browser remembers locally.