Clear cookies in Chrome in three steps
Open Chrome and press Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Windows) or Command + Shift + Delete (Mac). This opens the "Clear browsing data" window. Select the time range at the top — "All time" removes everything, "Last hour" removes only recent cookies. Check the box next to "Cookies and other site data," then click "Clear data."
That's the fastest way. If you want to delete cookies from specific websites instead of everything at once, or if you want to understand what cookies do and why you might clear them, the sections below walk through those options.
Key Takeaways
- The keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Windows) or Command + Shift + Delete (Mac) opens Chrome's clearing tool directly.
- You can clear all cookies at once or choose a time range — "Last hour," "Last 24 hours," "Last 7 days," "Last 4 weeks," or "All time."
- Clearing cookies will sign you out of most websites, so save any work before you clear.
- You can delete cookies from one website at a time using Chrome's site settings menu instead of clearing everything.
- Chrome can be set to clear cookies automatically every time you close the browser.
What cookies are and why you might clear them
A cookie is a small file that a website stores on your computer. It usually contains login information, preferences (like your language or theme), or a record of what you looked at. When you return to that website, it reads the cookie to remember you.
Most cookies are harmless. They make websites work better — they're why you stay logged in, why your shopping cart remembers what you added, or why a news site remembers you've already read an article. But some cookies track you across multiple websites to build a profile of your browsing habits, which some people find intrusive. Clearing cookies removes all of this stored data.
Clearing cookies will sign you out of most websites. If you clear cookies regularly, you'll need to log back in each time. Some people clear cookies for privacy reasons; others do it when a website isn't working properly and they want to start fresh.
Clear all cookies at once using the settings menu
If the keyboard shortcut doesn't work or you prefer using menus, you can reach the same tool through Chrome's settings. Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of Chrome, then select "Settings." On the left side, click "Privacy and security," then click "Clear browsing data."
The "Clear browsing data" window will open. At the top, you'll see a dropdown menu showing "All time" by default. Click it to choose a different time range if you want — "Last hour," "Last 24 hours," "Last 7 days," or "Last 4 weeks" are the options. Make sure the checkbox next to "Cookies and other site data" is checked. You can also check other boxes if you want to clear your browsing history, cached images, or other data at the same time. When you're ready, click the blue "Clear data" button.
Delete cookies from one website instead of all websites
If you only want to remove cookies from a specific website, you don't have to clear everything. Click the lock icon or information icon next to the website's address in the address bar. A small menu will appear. Click "Cookies and site data" to see what's stored. You'll see a list of cookies from that website. Click the trash icon next to any cookie to delete it, or click "Remove all" to delete all cookies from that site at once.
This method is useful if a website is misbehaving and you want to clear just that site's data without logging out of everything else. It's also helpful if you want to remove tracking cookies from a specific advertiser without affecting your login information on other sites.
Set Chrome to clear cookies automatically when you close it
You can tell Chrome to delete all cookies every time you close the browser. Click the three vertical dots, then "Settings." On the left, click "Privacy and security," then "Cookies and other site data." Toggle on the switch next to "Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome."
Once this is turned on, Chrome will automatically delete all cookies when you close the browser completely — not just when you close a tab. You'll be logged out of websites the next time you open Chrome. This is useful if you share a computer or use Chrome on a public device and want to make sure no one else can access your accounts.
Note that this setting clears cookies from all websites. If you want to stay logged in to certain sites while clearing others, you can add those sites to an exception list. In the same "Cookies and other site data" section, look for "Sites that can always use cookies" and click "Add" to add websites you want to keep logged in to.
What happens after you clear cookies
After you clear cookies, you'll notice you're logged out of most websites. The next time you visit a site, it won't remember you. You may also see that personalized recommendations disappear — for example, a streaming service won't show your watch history, or a shopping site won't show your saved items, until you log back in and use it again.
Some websites may load slightly slower the first time you visit after clearing cookies, because they have to rebuild their stored data about you. This is temporary and usually unnoticeable. Your browsing speed returns to normal once the site has stored new cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing cookies delete my passwords?
No. Passwords are stored separately from cookies. If you want to delete saved passwords, you need to go to Settings > Privacy and security > Passwords and check the box for "Passwords" in the Clear browsing data window. Clearing cookies alone will not affect your saved passwords, though you may need to enter them again if you clear the cookies that keep you logged in.
Does clearing cookies slow down my computer?
No. Clearing cookies actually frees up a small amount of storage space, though the amount is usually tiny — a few megabytes at most. It won't noticeably speed up your computer, but it won't slow it down either. The only inconvenience is that you'll need to log back in to websites.
Can I clear cookies from just one browser tab?
No. Chrome's cookie clearing tool works on the entire browser, not individual tabs. If you want to clear cookies from only one website, use the lock icon method described above to delete that site's cookies while leaving others intact.
What's the difference between clearing cookies and clearing browsing history?
Browsing history is a list of websites you've visited — it's stored locally on your computer and only you can see it (unless someone has access to your computer). Cookies are files websites store on your computer to remember you. Clearing history removes the list of sites you visited; clearing cookies removes the data those sites stored. You can clear one without clearing the other.