Deleting cookies depends on which browser you use, but the process takes less than a minute in all of them
Cookies are small files your browser stores when you visit websites. They remember your login information, shopping cart contents, and browsing preferences. Over time, your browser collects thousands of them. Deleting cookies clears out this stored data — which can free up a small amount of space, reset how websites recognize you, and remove tracking information that advertisers have collected about your browsing habits.
The exact steps differ between Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, but each browser groups the cookie deletion option in its settings menu under a section about privacy or browsing data. You can delete all cookies at once, cookies from a specific date range, or cookies from individual websites.
Key Takeaways
- Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge all let you delete cookies through their settings menu, usually under Privacy or Clear Browsing Data.
- You can delete all cookies at once, or narrow it down to a date range or specific websites.
- Deleting cookies will log you out of most websites and reset personalized recommendations, but it does not affect your bookmarks or saved passwords unless you specifically choose to delete those too.
- If you want cookies deleted automatically every time you close your browser, you can turn on that setting in your browser's privacy options.
How to delete cookies in Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu. On the left side, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data.
A window will pop up. At the top, use the dropdown menu to choose your time range — All time deletes everything, or you can pick Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, or Last 3 months. Make sure the checkbox next to Cookies and other site data is checked. Click Clear data.
If you want Chrome to delete cookies automatically when you close the browser, go back to Privacy and security and scroll down to Clear browsing data. Turn on the toggle next to Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome.
How to delete cookies in Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left, click Privacy & Security. Under Cookies and Site Data, click Clear Data.
A window appears. Make sure Cookies and Site Data is checked. You can choose to clear all cookies, or click the dropdown next to Time range to clear and pick Everything, Last Hour, Last 24 Hours, Last 7 Days, or Last 4 Weeks. Click Clear.
To delete cookies automatically on exit, stay in Privacy & Security and scroll to Cookies and Site Data. Check the box next to Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed.
How to delete cookies in Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar at the top of your screen. Select Settings (or Preferences on older Macs). Click the Privacy tab. Click Manage Website Data.
A list of websites and their stored data appears. You can click on individual sites and click Remove to delete cookies from just those websites, or click Remove All to delete all cookies at once. Click Done.
Safari does not have a built-in option to delete cookies automatically on exit, but you can turn on Privacy Preserving Ad Measurement in the Privacy tab to limit how much tracking data websites can store about you.
How to delete cookies in Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left, click Privacy, search, and services. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
A window opens. Use the dropdown at the top to select your time range — All time, Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, or Last 3 months. Check the box next to Cookies and other site data. Click Clear now.
To delete cookies automatically when you close Edge, go back to Privacy, search, and services and scroll down to Clear browsing data. Turn on the toggle next to Choose what to clear every time you close the browser, then click Choose what to clear every time you close the browser below it and check Cookies and other site data.
What happens when you delete cookies
When you delete cookies, you will be logged out of most websites. The next time you visit those sites, you will need to sign in again. Websites will also forget your preferences — things like your language choice, font size, or whether you had items in a shopping cart will reset to their defaults.
Deleting cookies does not affect your bookmarks, browsing history, or saved passwords (unless you specifically check those boxes when clearing data). It also does not remove extensions or change your browser settings. If you delete cookies from a specific date range, only cookies created during that time period are removed.
Deleting cookies from specific websites
If you want to keep most cookies but remove them from just one or two sites, you can do that without clearing everything. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, you can click the lock icon or info icon next to the website address in your search bar, find the cookies section, and delete them from there. In Safari, use the Manage Website Data option described above and click individual sites to remove.
This approach is useful if you want to reset how a particular website sees you — for example, to see different product recommendations or to clear a shopping cart — without logging out of everywhere else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting cookies speed up my browser?
Deleting cookies frees up a small amount of storage space on your computer, but the impact on browser speed is usually not noticeable. Cookies are tiny files, and even thousands of them take up less space than a single photo. If your browser feels slow, the problem is more likely to be too many open tabs or extensions running in the background.
Do I need to delete cookies regularly?
No. Deleting cookies is optional and depends on your privacy preferences. If you are concerned about tracking, deleting cookies periodically or turning on automatic deletion when you close your browser can help. If you prefer to stay logged in to websites and keep your preferences saved, you do not need to delete them.
What is the difference between deleting cookies and clearing browsing history?
Cookies are files websites store on your computer to remember information about you. Browsing history is a list of websites you have visited. Deleting cookies removes the stored data from websites; deleting history removes your list of visited sites. You can delete one without deleting the other.
If I delete cookies, will websites still recognize me?
Not immediately. After you delete cookies, websites will not remember you until you sign in again or visit them enough times to create new cookies. Some websites use other methods to track you (like your IP address or login account), so signing in will restore some personalization even without cookies.
Can I delete cookies from just one website without affecting others?
Yes. All four major browsers let you click on a website's icon in the address bar and delete its cookies individually, or use the website data management section to remove specific sites. This is faster than clearing all cookies if you only want to reset one or two websites.