Where cookies are stored on your Samsung tablet

Cookies are small files that websites save on your tablet to remember your login information, preferences, and browsing history. On a Samsung tablet, they live inside your web browser — most commonly Samsung Internet (the default browser) or Google Chrome if you've installed it. Removing them means going into your browser's settings, not your tablet's main settings.

The exact location depends on which browser you use. Samsung Internet stores cookies in its own cache and data folder. Chrome does the same in its own space. If you use both browsers, you'll need to clear cookies from each one separately — clearing cookies from Samsung Internet won't touch Chrome's cookies, and vice versa.

Key Takeaways

  • Cookies live inside your web browser, not in your tablet's main settings, so you clear them from Samsung Internet or Chrome directly.
  • The fastest method is to open your browser, tap the menu button (three vertical dots), go to Settings, then find the option to clear browsing data or cache.
  • You can choose to clear only cookies, or clear cookies along with browsing history, cached images, and saved passwords at the same time.
  • Clearing cookies will log you out of most websites, so have your passwords ready or use a password manager before you start.

Clearing cookies from Samsung Internet

Open Samsung Internet on your tablet. Tap the three vertical dots (the menu button) in the bottom right corner of the screen. Scroll down and tap Settings.

Inside Settings, look for Privacy or Delete browsing data — the exact wording varies by tablet model and software version. Tap it. You'll see a list of checkboxes for different types of data: cookies, browsing history, cached images and files, and saved passwords. Check the box next to Cookies and site data. You can leave the other boxes unchecked if you only want to remove cookies, or check multiple boxes if you want to clear everything at once.

At the top of the screen, you may see a dropdown that says All time or Last hour. If you want to delete all cookies ever stored, leave it on All time. If you only want to clear recent cookies, select a shorter timeframe. Tap Delete or Clear (the button name depends on your model). The process usually takes a few seconds.

Clearing cookies from Google Chrome

Open Chrome on your tablet. Tap the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Tap Settings.

Tap Privacy and security, then tap Clear browsing data. A popup window will appear with checkboxes. Make sure Cookies and site data is checked. At the top, select the time range — All time will clear every cookie Chrome has stored, while Last hour, Last 24 hours, or Last 7 days will clear only recent ones. Tap Clear data. Chrome will remove the cookies and close the popup.

What happens after you clear cookies

Once cookies are gone, websites won't remember you. The next time you visit a site where you were logged in, you'll be logged out. You'll need to sign in again with your username and password. Some websites may also forget your preferences — for example, a news site might reset to showing you the default homepage instead of your customized version.

Your bookmarks, saved passwords (unless you specifically checked that box), and your browsing history (unless you cleared that too) will remain untouched. Only the cookies themselves are removed.

Clearing cookies automatically on exit

If you want your tablet to clear cookies every time you close the browser, you can set that up in Samsung Internet or Chrome. In Samsung Internet, go to Settings, tap Privacy, and look for an option like Delete cookies on exit or Clear data on exit. Toggle it on. In Chrome, go to Settings, tap Privacy and security, and toggle on Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome.

This is useful if you share your tablet with others or if you want to keep your browsing private. The downside is that you'll be logged out of websites every time you close the browser, even if you didn't intend to.

Clearing cookies without clearing other data

Both Samsung Internet and Chrome let you choose exactly what to delete. When you open the clear browsing data screen, you'll see several checkboxes. Uncheck everything except Cookies and site data, then tap Delete. This removes only cookies and leaves your browsing history, cached images, and saved passwords in place.

If you're trying to fix a website that isn't loading properly or acting strangely, clearing only cookies is often enough. If you're concerned about privacy or freeing up storage space, you might clear cookies along with cached images and browsing history.

Troubleshooting: cookies won't clear or keep coming back

If you clear cookies but they seem to reappear, check whether you have Clear data on exit or Clear cookies on exit turned on. If it's on, the browser will only clear cookies when you fully close the app — not when you switch to another app. Make sure you're closing the browser completely, not just switching away from it.

Some websites use a type of tracking called local storage or site data, which is slightly different from cookies. When you clear browsing data, make sure the box for Cookies and site data is checked, as this removes both. If a website is still remembering you after you've cleared cookies, it may be using local storage instead, and checking that box should handle it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing cookies delete my saved passwords?

No, unless you specifically check the box for Passwords or Saved passwords when clearing data. Cookies and passwords are stored separately. You can clear cookies alone and keep your passwords intact.

Do I need to clear cookies regularly?

Not necessarily. Clearing cookies won't speed up your tablet or improve performance. Most people clear cookies for privacy reasons or to fix a website that's misbehaving. If neither applies to you, there's no technical reason to clear them regularly.

What's the difference between clearing cookies and clearing cache?

Cookies are small files that store login information and preferences. Cache is a larger collection of images, videos, and other files that websites store to load faster next time. Clearing cache frees up more storage space, but clearing cookies is what logs you out of websites.

Can I clear cookies from just one website?

Samsung Internet and Chrome don't have a built-in option to clear cookies from a single site. You can only clear all cookies at once or clear cookies from a specific time period. If you need to stay logged into some sites while clearing others, you'll have to use a private or incognito browsing window for sites you want to keep separate.

Why does a website keep logging me out after I clear cookies?

If you turned on Clear cookies on exit or Clear data on exit, the browser will remove cookies every time you close it, which logs you out. Check your browser settings and toggle that option off if you want to stay logged in between sessions.