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, what you put in a shopping cart, your preferences. They make websites faster and more convenient. But they also let companies track which sites you visit, and they take up storage space on your device.
Deleting cookies clears out this stored data. You might do this to free up space, to stop websites from tracking your browsing, or to force a website to forget your login so someone else cannot access your account. The process is different depending on which browser you use — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge — but the steps are straightforward and take less than a minute.
Key Takeaways
- Cookies are small files websites store on your computer to remember your login, preferences, and browsing activity.
- You can delete all cookies at once or set your browser to delete them automatically when you close it.
- The steps differ by browser: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge each have their own menu location and naming.
- Deleting cookies will log you out of most websites and may slow down sites you visit often because they will have to reload your preferences.
- You can delete cookies from a single website without clearing all of them if you want to keep your login on other sites.
How to delete all 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 every cookie. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. Leave the other boxes unchecked unless you also want to delete your browsing history or cached images. Click Clear data. Chrome will delete the cookies in a few seconds.
How to delete all cookies in Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (called a hamburger menu) in the top right corner. Click Settings. On the left, click Privacy & Security. Under the section labeled Cookies and Site Data, click the button that says Clear Data.
A small window appears. Make sure Cookies and Site Data is checked. Click Clear. Firefox removes the cookies when ready. If you want Firefox to delete cookies automatically every time you close the browser, scroll up in the same Privacy & Security page and find Cookies and Site Data again. Check the box that says Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed.
How to delete all cookies in Safari
Open Safari. At the top of the screen, click Safari in the menu bar (not the Safari icon — the word "Safari"). Click Settings. Click the Privacy tab. Click the button labeled Manage Website Data.
A list of websites appears. To delete all cookies at once, click Remove All at the bottom right. To delete cookies from only one website, find it in the list, click it once to select it, and click Remove. Click Done when finished.
How to delete all cookies in Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Click Settings. On the left side, click Privacy, search, and services. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
A window opens. At the top, set the time range to All time. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. Click Clear now. Edge deletes the cookies within seconds. If you want Edge to clear cookies automatically when you close the browser, go back to the same Privacy page and toggle on Clear browsing data under the heading Clear browsing data.
How to delete cookies from a single website
If you want to keep your login on most sites but remove cookies from one specific website, you can do that in any browser. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, click the lock icon or info icon next to the website address in the address bar. Look for a section labeled Cookies or Site data. Click the trash icon or Remove button next to the website name.
In Safari, go to Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data. Find the website in the list, click it, and click Remove. This method is useful if a website is acting slow or not loading your preferences correctly — deleting just that site's cookies often fixes the problem without logging you out everywhere else.
What happens after you delete cookies
After you delete cookies, websites will no longer remember you. You will be logged out of your email, social media, and any other accounts. The next time you visit those sites, you will need to log in again. Websites will also forget your preferences — if you had set a dark theme or language preference, it will reset to the default.
Some websites may load slightly slower the first time you visit them after deleting cookies, because they have to reload your settings from scratch. This is temporary and usually unnoticeable. If you regularly delete cookies, consider setting your browser to delete them automatically when you close it instead — this way you do not have to remember to do it manually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting cookies delete my passwords?
No. Passwords are stored separately from cookies. Deleting cookies will log you out of websites, but your saved passwords remain in your browser's password manager. When you log back in, your browser can fill in your password automatically.
Do I need to delete cookies regularly?
No, but many people do for privacy reasons. Cookies do not harm your computer or slow it down noticeably. Deleting them is optional — you might do it weekly, monthly, or never. If you are concerned about tracking, deleting cookies monthly or setting your browser to delete them on exit is a reasonable middle ground.
What is the difference between deleting cookies and clearing browsing history?
Browsing history is a list of websites you visited. Cookies are files websites store on your computer. Deleting history removes the list; deleting cookies removes the stored files. You can delete one without deleting the other — most browsers let you choose which data to clear.
Can I delete cookies without deleting cached images and files?
Yes. When you open the "Clear browsing data" window in your browser, you will see checkboxes for different types of data. Uncheck everything except "Cookies and site data" before you click Clear. This removes only cookies and leaves your cached files intact.
Why does a website keep asking me to accept cookies after I delete them?
Websites show cookie notices because of privacy laws in many countries. Deleting cookies does not stop the notice from appearing — it just removes the stored files. The website will ask again the next time you visit because it no longer has a record of your choice.