Clear cookies in Chrome through Settings in under a minute

Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy and security on the left side. Choose Clear browsing data. A window will pop up with a time range dropdown at the top — select All time if you want to remove everything, or pick a specific range like Last hour or Last 7 days. Make sure the Cookies and other site data checkbox is checked. Click Clear data and you're done.

The entire process takes about 30 seconds. Your cookies are now gone, which means websites you visit will no longer remember your login information, preferences, or browsing history on that site until you visit again and they set new cookies.

Key Takeaways

  • You can clear all cookies at once through Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data, or clear them only from a specific time period.
  • Clearing cookies will log you out of most websites, so have your passwords ready if you need to sign back in.
  • You can set Chrome to clear cookies automatically every time you close the browser if you want them removed without doing it manually.
  • Clearing cookies does not delete your browsing history, saved passwords, or autofill information unless you check those boxes too.

What cookies actually do and why you might want to clear them

Cookies are small files that websites store on your computer to remember information about you. When you log into Gmail, Facebook, or your bank, a cookie keeps you logged in so you don't have to type your password every time you visit. Websites also use cookies to remember what you put in your shopping cart, what language you prefer, or what articles you've read.

Some cookies are useful — they make websites work better for you. Others track your browsing across multiple websites so advertisers can show you targeted ads. Clearing cookies removes all of them at once. You might clear them if you're concerned about tracking, if you share your computer with other people, or if a website is behaving strangely and you want to start fresh.

Clear cookies from just one website instead of all of them

If you only want to remove cookies from a specific site, you don't need to clear everything. Visit the website, click the lock icon or information icon next to the web address in the address bar, then click Cookies and site data. You'll see a list of cookies from that site. Click the trash icon next to any cookie to delete it, or click Manage to see more options.

This approach is useful if one website is misbehaving but you want to stay logged into everything else. You can also click the X next to the site name to remove all cookies from that domain at once.

Set Chrome to clear cookies automatically when you close it

If you want Chrome to delete all cookies every time you close the browser, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data. Toggle on Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. From that point forward, every cookie will be deleted the moment you close the browser completely — not just when you close a tab.

This setting is helpful if you use a shared computer or if you want maximum privacy. The downside is that you'll be logged out of websites every time you restart Chrome, so you'll need to sign back in each session. Your saved passwords in Chrome will still work, so signing back in is usually just one click.

Understand the difference between clearing cookies and other browsing data

When you click Clear browsing data, Chrome shows you several checkboxes. Cookies and other site data is just one of them. You can also clear your browsing history (the list of websites you've visited), cached images and files (which speeds up loading on sites you visit often), autofill information (saved addresses and payment methods), and more.

Each checkbox is independent. If you only check Cookies and other site data, your browsing history stays intact and your saved passwords remain in Chrome. If you check everything, you'll remove all of it. Most people clear cookies without touching the other options, but the choice is yours depending on what you want to remove.

What happens after you clear cookies

Once you clear cookies, you'll be logged out of most websites. The next time you visit Gmail, Facebook, your bank, or any other site that required you to sign in, you'll see the login page again. You'll need to enter your username and password — or use a saved password if Chrome has one stored.

Websites may also forget your preferences. If you had set a site to dark mode or selected your preferred language, those settings might reset to the default. Some sites will ask you to accept cookies again the first time you visit after clearing them. This is normal and expected.

Clear cookies on mobile Chrome

On an Android phone or tablet, open Chrome and tap the three dots in the bottom right corner. Tap Settings, then Privacy, then Clear browsing data. Select your time range and make sure Cookies and site data is checked. Tap Clear data.

On an iPhone or iPad, the steps are similar: tap the three dots, go to Settings, tap Privacy, then Clear browsing data. Choose your time range, check Cookies and site data, and tap Clear browsing data to confirm.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing cookies delete my saved passwords?

No. Cookies and saved passwords are stored separately in Chrome. Clearing cookies will log you out of websites, but your saved passwords remain in Chrome's password manager. When you sign back in, Chrome can fill in your password automatically if you've saved it before.

Can I clear cookies without clearing my browsing history?

Yes. In the Clear browsing data window, uncheck Browsing history and leave only Cookies and other site data checked. This removes cookies while keeping your history intact.

What if a website won't let me do something after I clear cookies?

Some websites require cookies to function properly. If a site stops working after you clear cookies, try refreshing the page or signing back in. If the problem continues, the website itself may have an issue unrelated to cookies.

Do I need to clear cookies regularly?

Not necessarily. Clearing cookies is a personal choice based on your privacy preferences and whether you share your computer. If you're the only user and you trust the websites you visit, clearing cookies occasionally is fine. If you share a device or are concerned about tracking, clearing them weekly or monthly may feel better to you.