Enable cookies in Safari settings on Mac or iPhone
To turn on cookies in Safari, open the app and go to Safari > Settings (on Mac) or Settings > Safari (on iPhone or iPad). Look for the Privacy tab. Under "Cookies and website data," choose one of three options: Always Allow, Allow from websites I visit, or Never Allow. Most websites work best with Allow from websites I visit selected, which lets sites store cookies while blocking trackers from other domains.
If you have already blocked cookies and a website is not working properly, switching to Allow from websites I visit will usually fix the problem. You do not need to restart Safari after changing this setting — it takes effect right away.
Key Takeaways
- Safari's default setting Allow from websites I visit blocks most tracking while letting sites remember your login and preferences.
- On Mac, the cookie setting is in Safari > Settings > Privacy; on iPhone or iPad, it is in Settings > Safari > Privacy.
- If a website asks you to enable cookies or says you are logged out, switching from Never Allow to Allow from websites I visit usually solves it.
- Cookies and website data are not the same thing — you can clear one without affecting the other in the same Privacy menu.
What the three cookie settings actually do
Always Allow lets every website store cookies on your device, including tracking cookies from advertisers and other third parties. This setting makes most websites faster and remembers your preferences everywhere, but it also means more companies can follow your browsing across the web.
Allow from websites I visit is the middle ground. Websites you visit directly can store cookies, but cookies from ads, analytics, and other embedded content are blocked. This is Safari's default and works for nearly all websites while limiting tracking.
Never Allow blocks all cookies. Websites will not remember you, you will be logged out each time you close Safari, and some sites may not work at all. Use this only if you have a specific reason to block cookies entirely.
Clear cookies without disabling them
If a website is misbehaving or you want to log out of an account, you can delete cookies without turning them off. Go to Safari > Settings > Privacy on Mac, or Settings > Safari > Privacy on iPhone. Tap or click Manage Website Data, find the website in the list, and tap or click Remove. The next time you visit that site, it will treat you as a new visitor.
To clear all cookies at once, choose Remove All in the same menu. This does not change your cookie setting — it just deletes the stored data. Cookies will start accumulating again the next time you visit websites.
Why websites ask you to enable cookies
Websites ask you to enable cookies because they need them to remember who you are. Without cookies, a website cannot keep you logged in, remember items in your shopping cart, or store your preferences like language or theme choice. If you see a message saying cookies are required, the site genuinely cannot function without them.
Some websites also use cookies to count visitors or show you relevant ads. These are less essential to the site working, but many sites rely on the ad revenue to stay free. If you block all cookies, some free websites may ask you to pay or may not load at all.
Cookies versus website data
Safari groups cookies and website data together in the Privacy settings, but they are not identical. Cookies are small text files that store login information and preferences. Website data includes cached images, videos, and other files that websites save to make loading faster.
You can remove one without removing the other. If you want to stay logged in but clear out old cached files, remove the website data but leave cookies alone. If you want to log out everywhere, remove both.
If a website still does not work after enabling cookies
Some websites require Always Allow instead of the default Allow from websites I visit. This is usually because the site uses third-party analytics or ads that need to store their own cookies. Try switching to Always Allow temporarily, reload the page, and see if it works.
If the site still does not work, the problem may not be cookies. Try clearing the website's data entirely, closing Safari completely and reopening it, or trying a different browser. Some older websites were built for older versions of Safari and may not work no matter what you do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will enabling cookies slow down Safari?
No. Cookies are tiny text files — usually just a few kilobytes each. Even with thousands of cookies stored, they will not noticeably affect Safari's speed. Website data like cached images takes up more space and can slow things down if it builds up over months or years.
Is it safe to enable cookies?
Yes, with the default setting Allow from websites I visit. This blocks tracking cookies from advertisers while letting legitimate websites store login information. Always Allow is less private but still safe — it just means more companies can track your browsing.
Do I need to enable cookies on every website?
No. The cookie setting applies to all websites in Safari at once. You change it once in Settings, and it affects every site you visit. You cannot enable cookies for one site and disable them for another in Safari.
What happens if I clear cookies while I am logged into a website?
You will be logged out. The website will no longer recognize you because the cookie that proved your login is gone. You will need to log in again the next time you visit.
Can I see which websites have stored cookies?
Yes. Go to Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data on Mac, or Settings > Safari > Privacy > Manage Website Data on iPhone. The list shows every site that has stored cookies or data on your device, and you can remove individual sites or all of them at once.