Where to find your browser's cookie settings
Every major browser stores cookies in a settings menu you can reach in under a minute. The exact path depends on which browser you use, but they all follow the same basic structure: open your browser, go to Settings or Preferences, find Privacy or Security, then look for Cookies or Site Data.
In Chrome, click the three vertical dots in the top right, select Settings, then go to Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data. In Firefox, click the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines), choose Settings, select Privacy & Security, and scroll to Cookies and Site Data. Safari users click Safari in the menu bar, select Preferences, go to Privacy, then click Manage Website Data. Edge follows Chrome's layout: three dots > Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Cookies and other site data.
Once you reach the cookies section, you will see a list of websites that have stored data on your device. You can view what each site has stored, delete cookies from specific sites, or clear all cookies at once.
Key Takeaways
- Cookies are stored in your browser's Settings under Privacy or Security, reachable through the main menu in under a minute.
- You can view which websites have stored cookies on your device and see how much data each one uses.
- Most browsers let you delete cookies from individual sites or clear all cookies in one action.
- Clearing cookies will log you out of most websites and may slow down browsing on sites you visit regularly.
Viewing cookies from a specific website
If you want to see what a particular website has stored, search for its name in the cookies list rather than scrolling through hundreds of entries. Chrome, Firefox, and Edge all have a search box at the top of the cookies section.
Click on a website's name to expand it and see the individual cookies it has placed. Each cookie shows a name, value, domain, path, expiration date, and size. Most of this information is technical and not useful to the average user, but the expiration date tells you when the browser will automatically delete that cookie.
What happens when you delete cookies
Deleting cookies from a website will log you out of that site the next time you visit. You will need to sign in again. If you delete all cookies at once, you will be logged out of every website you were signed into.
Clearing cookies can also slow down your browsing on sites you visit regularly, because those sites use cookies to remember your preferences, language settings, and saved items. The first time you return after clearing cookies, the site will take slightly longer to load while it rebuilds that information.
Some people clear cookies regularly for privacy reasons. Others only clear them when a website is not working properly or when they want to remove login information before sharing their device with someone else.
The difference between clearing cookies and clearing browsing history
Cookies and browsing history are two separate things, and clearing one does not clear the other. Your browsing history is a list of websites you have visited. Cookies are small files those websites stored on your device.
When you clear your browsing history, the browser forgets which sites you visited and when. When you clear cookies, the browser deletes the data those sites stored. You can clear one without clearing the other, or clear both at the same time. Most browsers let you choose which types of data to delete when you use the "Clear browsing data" or "Clear recent history" option.
Why websites use cookies
Websites use cookies to remember information about you between visits. A cookie might store your login status so you stay signed in, your language preference, items in your shopping cart, or your location. Without cookies, you would have to sign in to every website from scratch each time you visit.
Some cookies are set by the website itself. Others are set by third-party services — like advertising networks or analytics companies — that the website uses. Third-party cookies are why you might see ads for something you looked at on a different website. You can block third-party cookies in most browsers without affecting your ability to use websites normally.
Blocking cookies instead of deleting them
Rather than deleting cookies after the fact, you can prevent websites from storing them in the first place. Most browsers have a setting to block all cookies, block only third-party cookies, or block cookies from sites you have not visited before.
Blocking all cookies will break many websites — you will not be able to stay signed in, and some sites will not load properly. Blocking only third-party cookies is a middle ground that reduces tracking without breaking functionality. You can also block cookies from specific websites while allowing them on others.
To change your cookie blocking settings, go to the same Privacy or Security section where you view cookies. Look for an option labeled "Block all cookies," "Block third-party cookies," or "Cookie settings." The exact wording varies by browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see what data a cookie contains?
Yes. When you expand a website in your cookies list and click on an individual cookie, your browser will show you its name, value, domain, and expiration date. The value is often encrypted or meaningless to a human reader, but it tells the website who you are when you return.
Will deleting cookies make my passwords disappear?
No. Passwords are stored separately from cookies, usually in your browser's password manager. Deleting cookies will not affect saved passwords. However, you will be logged out of websites, so you may need to sign in again using those passwords.
Do I need to delete cookies regularly?
Not unless you want to. Cookies take up very little space on your device. Most people only delete them if a website is not working properly, if they want to remove login information before sharing their device, or if they are concerned about tracking. Clearing cookies regularly will not speed up your browser or improve performance.
What is the difference between session cookies and persistent cookies?
Session cookies are deleted automatically when you close your browser. Persistent cookies stay on your device until their expiration date or until you delete them manually. You can see the expiration date for each cookie in the cookies list — if it says "Session," the cookie will disappear when you close your browser.