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, items in a shopping cart, or your preferences. When you visit a website again, it reads these files to recognize you and load your settings faster.
You might want to delete cookies to free up storage space, improve privacy by removing tracking data, or clear login information before selling or lending your computer. Deleting cookies won't break your computer or cause problems with most websites — you'll straightforward have to log back in next time you visit, and sites won't remember your preferences until you visit again.
Key Takeaways
- Cookies are stored in different locations depending on your browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge each keep them in separate folders.
- You can delete all cookies at once through your browser's settings, or delete cookies from specific websites only.
- Clearing cookies will log you out of most websites, so save any work before you start.
- You can set your browser to delete cookies automatically every time you close it, if you prefer not to do it manually.
- Deleting cookies is safe and will not harm your computer or remove important files.
Deleting cookies in Google Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy and security on the left side. Choose Clear browsing data.
A window will appear with several options. Make sure the time range at the top is set to All time if you want to delete everything, or choose a specific date range. 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.
If you want to delete cookies from only one website, go back to Settings and Privacy and security, then click Cookies and other site data. Scroll down to Sites that can always use cookies or Sites that cannot use cookies, find the website, and click the X next to it.
Deleting cookies in Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy & Security on the left. Under Cookies and Site Data, click Clear Data.
A window will pop up. Make sure Cookies and Site Data is checked. You can also check Cached Web Content if you want to clear temporary files. Click Clear. Firefox will delete all cookies when ready.
To delete cookies from a single website, go back to Settings and Privacy & Security. Under Cookies and Site Data, click Manage Data. Type the website name in the search box, select it, and click Remove Selected.
Deleting 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. You'll see a list of all websites that have stored cookies on your computer. To delete all of them, click Remove All. To delete cookies from specific websites, select them from the list and click Remove.
Deleting cookies in Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy, search, and services on the left. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
A window will appear. Set the time range to All time at the top if you want to delete everything. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. Click Clear now.
To delete cookies from one website only, go back to Settings and Privacy, search, and services. Under Clear browsing data, click Manage what's cleared. Find the website in the list and click the X next to it.
Setting your browser to delete cookies automatically
If you don't want to delete cookies manually each time, you can tell your browser to do it automatically when you close it. In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data. Turn on Delete cookies and site data when you quit Chrome.
In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security. Under Cookies and Site Data, check the box for Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed. In Safari, click Safari > Settings > Privacy, then check Remove all website data when quitting Safari. In Edge, go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services and turn on Clear browsing data > Choose what to clear every time you close the browser.
What happens after you delete cookies
After you delete cookies, you'll be logged out of most websites. The next time you visit a site where you had an account, you'll need to enter your username and password again. Websites won't remember your preferences — for example, if a news site had your language set to Spanish, it will reset to English.
Your computer will work normally. Deleting cookies does not remove programs, documents, photos, or any other important files. It only removes the small tracking and login files that websites stored. Your internet speed may even improve slightly because your browser has less data to load.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting cookies slow down my computer?
No. Deleting cookies will not slow down your computer. In fact, removing old cookies can free up a small amount of storage space. Your browser may run slightly faster because it has less data to manage.
Can I delete cookies from just one website without deleting all of them?
Yes. Every browser lets you delete cookies from specific websites. In Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, you can search for a website name in your cookie settings and remove only that one. The rest of your cookies will stay in place.
What's the difference between deleting cookies and clearing browsing history?
Cookies are small files websites store to remember you. Browsing history is a list of websites you've visited. Deleting cookies logs you out of sites and removes tracking data. Deleting history removes the list of pages you viewed, but doesn't log you out. You can delete one without deleting the other.
If I delete cookies, will websites know I was there before?
No. Once you delete cookies, websites have no record that you visited before — unless you log back in with your account. If you don't log in, the site will treat you as a new visitor.
Do I need to delete cookies regularly?
Not necessarily. Cookies take up very little space on modern computers. You only need to delete them if you're concerned about privacy, want to free up storage, or are preparing to sell or give away your computer. Many people delete cookies once or twice a year.