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 — your login details, what you put in a shopping cart, your preferences, or sites you've visited. They're not harmful by default, but they do track your browsing, and many people delete them regularly for privacy reasons or to free up storage space.
When you delete cookies, websites will no longer remember you the next time you visit. You'll have to log back in to accounts, and personalized settings will reset. Some cookies are necessary for websites to work properly, while others exist mainly to track your behavior across the internet.
The process differs depending on which browser you use — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge all have slightly different menus and options. The steps below cover the most common browsers.
Key Takeaways
- Cookies are stored files that websites use to remember information about you, and deleting them logs you out of most sites.
- Each browser has its own cookie deletion menu, usually found under Settings or Preferences, then Privacy or History.
- You can delete all cookies at once or set your browser to delete them automatically when you close it.
- Clearing cookies also clears cached images and files, which frees up disk space but makes websites load slightly slower on first visit.
- You can block new cookies from being stored without deleting existing ones if you want to prevent tracking without logging out.
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. On the left side, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data.
A window will pop up with options 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. You can also check Cached images and files if you want to free up storage space. Click Clear data and the cookies are gone.
If you want Chrome to delete cookies automatically every time you close the browser, go back to Settings > Privacy and security and scroll down to Clear browsing data. Toggle on Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome.
How to delete cookies in Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (hamburger menu) in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left, click Privacy & Security. Under Cookies and Site Data, click Clear Data.
A window appears with two checkboxes. Make sure Cookies and Site Data is checked. You can also check Cached Web Content to clear temporary files. Click Clear and the cookies are removed.
To delete cookies automatically when you close Firefox, stay in Privacy & Security and look for the section labeled Cookies and Site Data. Check the box next to Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed. Firefox will then clear all cookies every time you shut down the browser.
How to delete cookies in Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Select Settings (or Preferences on older Macs). 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. Click Done when finished.
To have Safari delete cookies automatically, go back to the Privacy tab and look for the option Cookies and website data. Select Never to block all cookies, or From third parties and advertisers to allow cookies from sites you visit directly but block tracking cookies from other sources.
How to 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 with a time range dropdown at the top. Select All time to delete all cookies, or choose a shorter period. Check the box for Cookies and other site data and click Clear now.
If you want Edge to clear cookies automatically when you close the browser, go back to Privacy, search, and services and toggle on Clear browsing data under the section labeled Clear browsing data. You can then choose whether to clear data Every time you close the browser.
What happens when you delete cookies
After you delete cookies, you'll notice that websites no longer remember you. When you visit a site you were logged into, you'll be logged out and will need to enter your username and password again. Shopping carts will be empty. Websites won't remember your language preference or other customized settings.
The first time you visit a website after clearing cookies, it may load slightly slower because the browser has to read images and files again instead of pulling them from cache. This slowdown is usually not noticeable. After that first visit, the site will load normally again.
Deleting cookies does not delete your browsing history, bookmarks, or saved passwords — those are stored separately. If you want to delete those too, the same Clear browsing data menu lets you select which types of data to remove.
How to block new cookies without deleting existing ones
If you want to prevent websites from storing new cookies without logging out of your current accounts, you can change your cookie settings instead of clearing them. In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data. Select Block all cookies to prevent any new cookies, or Block third-party cookies to allow cookies from sites you visit but block tracking cookies from advertisers.
In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security and scroll to Enhanced Tracking Protection. Select Strict to block most tracking cookies while allowing necessary ones. In Safari, use the Privacy tab and select From third parties and advertisers under Cookies and website data. In Edge, go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services and choose your preferred tracking prevention level.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting cookies slow down my computer?
Deleting cookies frees up a small amount of storage space, but the effect on overall computer speed is negligible. Cookies are tiny files — typically just a few kilobytes each. You might notice websites load slightly slower the first time you visit them after clearing cookies because cached images have to be downloaded again, but this is temporary.
Can I delete cookies from just one website?
Yes. In Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, you can view all stored cookies and remove them by individual website. In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data > Manage all Site Data to see a list of websites and delete cookies from specific ones.
Do I need to delete cookies regularly?
There's no requirement to delete cookies regularly. Some people do it weekly or monthly for privacy reasons, while others delete them only when they notice a website behaving oddly. If privacy is a concern, setting your browser to delete cookies automatically when you close it is a simpler approach than manual deletion.
What's the difference between clearing cookies and clearing cache?
Cookies are small data files that store login information and preferences. Cache is a collection of images, scripts, and other files that websites use. Clearing cache frees up more storage space and can fix loading problems, but it makes websites load slower on first visit. You can clear one without clearing the other using the checkboxes in your browser's clear data menu.
Will deleting cookies log me out of everything?
Yes, deleting all cookies will log you out of most websites and services. Some sites use other methods to keep you logged in, but cookies are the most common. If you want to stay logged into certain accounts, you can delete cookies selectively by website instead of clearing all of them at once.