Cookies are turned on by default in most Mac browsers, but you may need to adjust settings if you've blocked them
Most Mac browsers — Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Edge — accept cookies automatically when you install them. If a website tells you cookies are disabled, or if you turned them off yourself, you can turn them back on in your browser settings. The steps differ slightly between browsers, but the process takes less than a minute in any of them.
Cookies are small files that websites store on your computer to remember information about you — your login status, items in a shopping cart, or your language preference. Without cookies, many websites won't work properly: you'll get logged out unexpectedly, shopping carts will empty, or pages won't load the way they're supposed to.
Key Takeaways
- Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Edge all accept cookies by default on Mac, so you only need to change settings if you've blocked them.
- In Safari, go to Preferences > Privacy and uncheck "Block all cookies" if it's selected.
- In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, open Settings, search for "cookies," and make sure third-party cookies are not blocked.
- If a website still won't work after enabling cookies, clear your browser cache and try again.
- You can allow cookies for specific websites while blocking them everywhere else, rather than turning them on globally.
Enable cookies in Safari on Mac
Open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar at the top of your screen. Select Preferences (or Settings if you're using macOS Sonoma or newer). Click the Privacy tab.
Look for the section labeled Cookies and website data. If the box next to Block all cookies is checked, click it to uncheck it. Close the Preferences window. Cookies are now enabled in Safari.
If you want more control, you can select Allow from websites I visit instead of unchecking the box entirely. This allows most cookies while blocking tracking cookies from advertisers.
Enable cookies in Chrome on Mac
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings. Click Privacy and security in the left sidebar, then click Cookies and other site data.
Under Cookies and other site data, make sure Block third-party cookies is not toggled on. If it is, click the toggle to turn it off. You can also select Allow all cookies from the dropdown menu if you want to accept all cookies without restriction.
If you want to block cookies on specific websites while allowing them everywhere else, scroll down to Sites that can never use cookies and add those sites there instead.
Enable cookies in Firefox on Mac
Open Firefox and click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner. Select Settings. Click Privacy & Security in the left sidebar.
Scroll down to the Cookies and Site Data section. Make sure the checkbox next to Cookies and Site Data is checked. If Block cookies and site data from trackers is selected, you can leave it as is — this blocks tracking cookies but allows regular cookies. If you want to allow all cookies, select Accept cookies and site data from websites instead.
Enable cookies in Edge on Mac
Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Settings. Click Privacy, search, and services in the left sidebar.
Scroll down to Cookies and other site data. Make sure the toggle next to Tracking prevention is not set to Strict. If it is, change it to Balanced or Basic. You can also toggle off Block third-party cookies if you want to allow all cookies without restriction.
Allow cookies for a single website
If you want to block cookies everywhere but allow them on one specific website, you can do that in most browsers. In Safari, visit the website, click Safari > Preferences > Privacy, then click Manage Website Data and remove the site from the blocked list. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, you can add specific sites to an allow list in the Cookies and Site Data settings.
This approach is useful if you want to keep most tracking cookies blocked for privacy but need cookies to work on a banking site or email service.
Clear your cache if cookies still aren't working
Sometimes a website won't work even after you enable cookies. This can happen if your browser cached an old version of the page before cookies were turned on. Clearing your cache forces the browser to reload the page fresh.
In Safari, click Safari > Clear History, select All history, and click Clear History. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, press Command + Shift + Delete to open the clear browsing data window, make sure Cookies and other site data is checked, and click Clear data. Then reload the website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does a website say cookies are disabled when I haven't blocked them?
Some websites check for cookies by trying to set one and then reading it back. If your browser settings block third-party cookies or if you're in a private browsing window, the test can fail even though cookies are technically enabled. Try disabling any tracking prevention features, switching to a regular window, or clearing your cache and trying again.
Is it safe to enable cookies?
Regular cookies that websites set are safe — they only store information the website itself put there. Tracking cookies from advertisers can follow you across websites, which is why browsers offer options to block them. Enabling cookies for websites you trust won't harm your computer, but you can use your browser's tracking prevention feature to block advertising cookies while allowing regular ones.
What's the difference between blocking all cookies and blocking third-party cookies?
Blocking all cookies prevents any website from storing information on your computer. Blocking third-party cookies allows websites you visit to set cookies, but prevents advertisers and other companies from tracking you across multiple sites. Most people use the third-party option because it keeps websites working while reducing tracking.
Do I need to restart my browser after enabling cookies?
No. Changes to cookie settings take effect immediately. If you had a website open when you changed the setting, reload the page to let it try setting cookies again.
Can I enable cookies for Mac as a whole, or only per browser?
Cookie settings are per browser, not system-wide. Each browser — Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge — has its own cookie settings. You'll need to enable cookies separately in each browser if you use more than one.