Where to find the cookie settings on your iPhone
Cookies on your iPhone live in your web browser — most commonly Safari, but also Chrome, Firefox, or Edge if you use those instead. To clear them, you go into your iPhone's Settings app, not the browser itself. Open Settings, scroll down to find your browser's name, tap it, then look for an option called "Clear History and Website Data" or similar wording depending on which browser you use.
The exact path differs slightly between browsers. In Safari, it's Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data. In Chrome, it's Settings > Chrome > Clear Browsing Data. Each browser stores this setting in a different place, so if you use multiple browsers, you'll need to repeat the process for each one.
Key Takeaways
- Cookies are stored in your browser, so you clear them through Settings, not through the browser app itself.
- Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Edge each have their own clearing option in the Settings app — you must clear each browser separately if you use more than one.
- When you clear cookies, you can also remove browsing history, cached images, and saved passwords at the same time.
- Clearing cookies will log you out of most websites, so you'll need to sign back in the next time you visit them.
What gets deleted when you clear cookies
When you tap "Clear History and Website Data," your iPhone removes more than just cookies. It also deletes your browsing history, cached images and files, and autofill data. Some browsers let you choose what to delete — for example, you might clear cookies but keep your browsing history, or vice versa.
In Safari, you can select a time range before you clear: the last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all time. This is useful if you only want to remove recent activity rather than everything. Chrome and Firefox offer similar options. If you want to delete only cookies and not your entire browsing history, check whether your browser has a more detailed clearing menu before you proceed.
How to clear cookies in Safari
Open the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down until you see Safari listed — it's usually near the bottom. Tap Safari, then scroll down again and tap "Clear History and Website Data." A popup will appear asking you to confirm. Tap the blue "Clear History and Website Data" button to proceed.
If you want to choose what time period to clear, look for the option at the top of the Safari settings page that says "Clear History and Website Data." Some versions of iOS let you select a specific timeframe before you confirm. After you clear, Safari will log you out of most websites you were signed into.
How to clear cookies in Chrome, Firefox, and Edge
Chrome: Open Settings, scroll to Chrome, tap it, then tap "Clear Browsing Data." Select the time range you want to clear at the top, make sure "Cookies and Site Data" is checked, then tap "Clear Browsing Data" to confirm.
Firefox: Open Settings, scroll to Firefox, tap it, then scroll down and tap "Clear Private Data." Choose your time range, check "Cookies" and "Site Data," then tap "Clear Private Data."
Edge: Open Settings, scroll to Microsoft Edge, tap it, then tap "Clear Browsing Data." Select your time range, check "Cookies and Cached Data," then tap "Clear Browsing Data."
Why you might want to clear cookies
Cookies store information about your browsing — which sites you visit, what you search for, items you add to shopping carts. Websites use this data to remember you, show you targeted ads, and track your activity across the web. Clearing cookies removes this stored information and can improve your privacy.
Clearing cookies can also fix problems with websites that aren't loading correctly or are showing outdated information. If a site is behaving strangely, clearing its cookies often forces it to reload fresh data the next time you visit. However, you'll need to sign back into accounts on those sites, and you may lose saved preferences like language or theme settings.
Automatic cookie clearing on a schedule
If you want your iPhone to clear cookies automatically without you having to do it manually each time, Safari offers this option. Open Settings > Safari and look for "Clear History and Website Data." Some versions of iOS let you set this to happen automatically when you close Safari, though the exact wording varies by iOS version.
Chrome and Firefox do not offer automatic clearing on a schedule through the Settings app, but both have a "Clear on Exit" option within their own app settings. Open the Chrome or Firefox app itself, go to its settings menu (not the iPhone Settings app), and look for privacy or clearing options there. This way, cookies are removed each time you close the app.
The difference between clearing cookies and private browsing
Private browsing (called "Private" in Safari, "Incognito" in Chrome) prevents your browser from storing cookies and history in the first place. When you close a private tab, nothing from that session is saved. Clearing cookies removes data that was already stored from past browsing.
Private browsing is useful if you don't want a website to remember you at all — for example, if you're shopping on a shared device and don't want your activity saved. Clearing cookies is better if you've already been browsing normally and want to remove the data afterward. You can use both: browse privately to avoid storing data, and clear cookies periodically to remove anything that was stored before you started using private mode.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing cookies delete my saved passwords?
Clearing cookies does not delete your saved passwords by default, though the exact behavior depends on your browser. When you clear browsing data in Safari, passwords are usually kept separate. In Chrome and Firefox, you can choose whether to delete passwords when you clear — look for a checkbox labeled "Passwords" or "Autofill Data" and leave it unchecked if you want to keep them.
Do I need to clear cookies on every browser I use?
Yes. Each browser stores its own cookies separately, so clearing cookies in Safari does not affect Chrome or Firefox. If you use multiple browsers, you'll need to clear each one individually through Settings. This is why many people stick to one browser — it's simpler to manage.
What happens if I clear cookies while I'm signed into a website?
You'll be logged out immediately. The next time you visit that website, you'll need to sign in again. This is because the cookie that kept you signed in has been deleted. If you have two-factor authentication set up, you may need to go through that process again as well.
Can I clear cookies from just one website instead of all of them?
Safari doesn't offer a way to clear cookies from a single website through Settings. However, you can manage individual website data by going to Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data, where you can see a list of sites and delete them one at a time. Chrome and Firefox have similar options within their own app settings rather than the iPhone Settings app.
Does clearing cookies improve my iPhone's speed or storage?
Clearing cookies frees up a small amount of storage space, but the amount is usually negligible — most cookie files are tiny. It won't noticeably speed up your iPhone. The main reason to clear cookies is privacy, not performance. If your iPhone is running slowly, clearing cookies alone won't fix it.