Delete cookies from Chrome in three steps

Open Chrome and press Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows, or Command+Shift+Delete on Mac. This opens the Clear Browsing Data window. At the top, make sure the time range is set to "All time" if you want to remove every cookie, or pick a specific range like "Last 24 hours" or "Last 7 days". Check the box next to "Cookies and other site data", uncheck everything else if you only want cookies gone, then click "Clear data".

That's the fastest way. If you want more control — like deleting cookies from only certain websites instead of all of them — Chrome also lets you manage cookies one site at a time through Settings.

After you clear cookies, you'll be logged out of most websites. The next time you visit them, they'll feel like you're a new visitor, because the sites won't recognize your browser anymore.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac) to open the Clear Browsing Data window, then check "Cookies and other site data" and click "Clear data".
  • You can delete all cookies at once or pick a time range — "Last 24 hours", "Last 7 days", or "All time".
  • Deleting cookies logs you out of websites and removes tracking data that sites use to remember your activity.
  • You can also delete cookies from specific websites only by going to Chrome Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data.

Why websites ask you to delete cookies

When a website isn't working right — pages won't load, you can't log in, or buttons don't respond — the first thing support staff ask is whether you've cleared your cookies. Old or corrupted cookie data can interfere with how a site runs. Deleting them forces your browser to download fresh data the next time you visit, which often fixes the problem.

This is especially common with banking sites, email, and shopping carts. If you've been logged into the same account for months without clearing cookies, the stored data can get out of sync with what the server expects.

The difference between deleting all cookies and blocking them going forward

Deleting cookies removes the ones already on your computer. Blocking cookies prevents new ones from being stored in the future. Chrome gives you both options, and they work separately.

To block cookies going forward, go to Chrome Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data. You can choose "Block all cookies", "Block third-party cookies in Incognito", or "Allow all cookies". Most people leave this on "Allow all cookies" because many websites won't work without them — but blocking third-party cookies (the ones placed by advertisers and tracking companies, not the website itself) is a middle ground that keeps sites functional while reducing tracking.

If you block all cookies, you'll have to log in to every website every single time you visit, which is inconvenient but more private.

Delete cookies from specific websites only

Chrome lets you keep cookies from sites you trust while removing cookies from others. Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data > Manage all cookies and site data. You'll see a list of every website that has stored cookies on your computer. Type the website name into the search box, click it, then click "Remove".

This is useful if you want to stay logged into your email and banking sites but remove tracking cookies from news sites or social media. You can also add specific sites to an "Always clear cookies" list — go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data > Sites that can always use cookies, then switch to the "Clear on exit" tab and add the sites you want.

What happens to your passwords when you delete cookies

Deleting cookies does not delete your saved passwords. Chrome stores passwords separately from cookies, so clearing cookies won't log you out permanently — you can still use Chrome's password manager to log back in automatically.

If you want to delete saved passwords too, that's a different step. Go to Settings > Autofill and passwords > Passwords, find the site, click the three dots next to it, and select "Remove". Or use the Clear Browsing Data window and check "Passwords and other sign-in data" instead of (or in addition to) cookies.

Cookies versus cache and browsing history

Cookies, cache, and browsing history are three separate things that Chrome stores, and clearing one doesn't clear the others. Cookies are small files that websites use to remember you. Cache is copies of images, scripts, and other files that websites download, stored so they load faster next time. Browsing history is the list of websites you've visited.

When you open the Clear Browsing Data window, you can check or uncheck each one independently. Most people clear all three together, but if you only want to delete cookies and keep your browsing history private, uncheck "Browsing history" and check only "Cookies and other site data".

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting cookies slow down my browsing?

No. Cookies are tiny files, so deleting them won't make Chrome faster. You might notice websites load slightly slower the first time you visit them after clearing cookies, because Chrome has to download fresh data instead of using cached copies. But this is temporary and usually unnoticeable.

Do I need to delete cookies regularly?

Not unless a website isn't working or you want to reduce tracking. Cookies don't pile up and slow your computer down. If privacy is your concern, deleting cookies once a month or once a week is reasonable, but there's no technical reason to do it more often than that.

What if I delete cookies by accident?

You can't undo a cookie deletion. But you can log back into websites using your saved passwords, and the sites will create new cookies. If you're worried about losing cookies, you can set Chrome to ask before clearing data — go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Clear browsing data, and check "Ask when closing".

Do private browsing windows store cookies?

Chrome's Incognito mode doesn't store cookies permanently. When you close an Incognito window, all cookies from that session are deleted automatically. If you open a new Incognito window, it starts fresh with no cookies from the previous one.

Can websites tell if I deleted their cookies?

No. Once cookies are deleted, the website has no way to know they were ever there. The next time you visit, the site sees you as a new visitor with no history. The site can create new cookies, but it won't know you deleted the old ones.