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. Most cookies are harmless and make websites work better. But they also let advertisers track which sites you visit, and over time they can slow down your browser or take up disk space.

Deleting cookies clears out this stored data. You lose saved passwords and login information on sites you visit often, but you also remove tracking data and free up a small amount of storage. Most people delete cookies once every few months as routine maintenance, or when a website stops working properly.

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 settings, or delete cookies from specific websites only.
  • Clearing cookies will log you out of most websites, so you will need to sign back in afterward.
  • If a website is acting broken or loading slowly, clearing its cookies often fixes the problem without affecting other sites.
  • You can set your browser to delete cookies automatically when you close it, so you do not have to do it manually.

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 All time if you want to delete everything, or pick a specific range like Last 24 hours or Last 7 days. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. Uncheck anything else you want to keep, like browsing history or cached images. Click Clear data and you are done.

To delete cookies from just one website, go to that site in Chrome. Click the lock icon or info icon to the left of the web address. Click Cookies and site data, find the cookie you want to remove, and click the trash icon next to it.

Deleting cookies in Mozilla Firefox

Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner. Select Settings. Click Privacy & Security on the left. Under Cookies and Site Data, click Clear Data.

A window appears. Make sure Cookies and Site Data is checked. You can also check Cached Web Content if you want to free up more space. Click Clear and the cookies are gone.

To remove cookies from a single site, go to that website. Click the three horizontal lines, then Settings, then Privacy & Security. Scroll to Cookies and Site Data and 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. Click Settings (or Preferences on older versions). Go to the Privacy tab. Click Manage Website Data.

A list of websites appears. You can click on individual sites and click Remove to delete their cookies one at a time, or click Remove All to delete everything at once. Click Done when finished.

Deleting cookies in Microsoft Edge

Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Settings. Click Privacy, search, and services on the left. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.

A window opens. Set the time range to All time or pick a specific period. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. Uncheck anything else you want to keep. Click Clear now.

Setting your browser to delete cookies automatically

If you want cookies deleted every time you close your browser, you can turn on this 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, click Safari > Settings > Privacy and check Remove all website data when quitting Safari. In Edge, go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services and toggle on Clear browsing data under Clear browsing data. Once this is on, you will be logged out of websites each time you close the browser, but you will not have to remember to delete cookies yourself.

What to do if deleting cookies causes problems

After you delete cookies, you will be logged out of most websites. When you visit a site you use often, you will need to sign in again. This is normal and expected. If a website asks you to log in but your password is not working, try resetting your password on that site — sometimes old stored passwords become invalid.

If you deleted cookies and a website now looks broken or loads very slowly, the problem may have been caused by a corrupted cookie file. Reload the page a few times. If it still does not work, try clearing cookies from just that one site instead of all sites, then visit it again. If the site still does not work, the problem is likely on the website's end, not yours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting cookies slow down my computer?

No. Deleting cookies frees up a tiny amount of storage and may actually make your browser slightly faster. Cookies take up very little space — usually just a few megabytes total, even after months of browsing.

Do I need to delete cookies from every browser I use?

Yes. Each browser stores cookies separately. If you use Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, you will need to delete cookies from each one individually. Deleting them in Chrome does not affect Firefox or Safari.

What happens to my saved passwords when I delete cookies?

Saved passwords are stored separately from cookies, so deleting cookies does not erase your passwords. You will still be able to sign in to websites, though you may need to type your password in manually the first time after clearing cookies.

Can I delete cookies without deleting my browsing history?

Yes. When you open the clear browsing data window in any browser, you can uncheck Browsing history and check only Cookies and site data. This removes cookies but keeps your history intact.

How often should I delete cookies?

There is no set schedule. Most people delete cookies once a month or once every few months as routine maintenance. If a website is acting broken, try clearing just that site's cookies first before clearing everything.