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This wikiHow teaches you how to delete all saved cookies from your web browser in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. Cookies are pieces of saved data in your browser that help inform the content you see. Deleting your cookies may clear up some performance, loading, and formatting issues you experience while browsing the web. When you delete your cookies, you'll also be signed out of any websites to which you were previously signed in.
Steps
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Open Google Chrome . You'll find it in your Windows Start menu or your Mac's Launchpad.
- If you're signed in to Chrome on any other device, cookies will be deleted from there as well.
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Select More tools . It's near the middle of the menu.
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Click Clear browsing data… . This is at the middle of the menu. Now you'll see your browsing data preferences in a new tab.
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Check the box next to "Cookies and other site data." If you only want to clear cookies and not clear your browsing history or cache, uncheck all other boxes (if any are checked).
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Select All time from the "Time range" menu. This is at the top of the window. As long as you choose this option, all cookies will be deleted instead of just cookies saved during a specific time period.
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Click the Clear data button. It's in the lower-right area of the window. This deletes all cookies from Google Chrome.
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Open Chrome on your Android, iPhone, or iPad . It's the red, yellow, green, and blue sphere icon on your home screen or in your app list.
- If you're signed in to Chrome on any other device, cookies will be deleted from there as well.
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Tap the Chrome Menu ••• . If you're using an Android, tap the three vertical dots at the top-right corner. On an iPhone or iPad, tap the three horizontal dots at the bottom-right.
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Tap Privacy . This option has a blue-and-white shield icon, and you'll see it toward the center of the menu.
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Tap Clear Browsing Data . You'll see this right at the top of the menu.
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Select All Time from the "Time Range" menu. It's at the top of the screen. Choosing this option ensures that you're clearing all cookies, not just recent ones.
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Select Cookies, Site Data only . Any of the options with a checkmark beside it will be deleted when you proceed. Since you just want to clear your cookies, tap any other checkmarks to remove them. The only checked option should be "Cookies, Site Data."
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Tap Clear Browsing Data . This is at the bottom of the screen. A confirmation message will appear.
- On Android, you'll tap CLEAR DATA in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
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Tap Clear to confirm. when prompted. This deletes all cookies from Chrome.
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Open Microsoft Edge . It's the blue and green wave icon in your Windows Start menu or Mac Launchpad.
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Click the Edge menu ⋯ . It's the icon with three horizontal dots in the upper-right corner of Edge.
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Click Settings . It's at the bottom of the menu.
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Click the Cookies and site permissions tab. This is in the left panel of the Settings screen, toward the center.
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Click Manage and delete cookies and site data . You'll see this at the top of the right panel.
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Click See all cookies and site data . It's in the first tile on the right panel. This loads all of your saved cookies.
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Click the Remove all button. It's in the upper-right area of the page above the list of cookies. A confirmation message will appear.
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Click Clear to confirm. This removes all saved cookies from Edge.
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Open Safari on your Mac. You'll find its compass icon on the Dock, which is usually at the bottom of the screen.
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Click the Safari menu. It's in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
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Click the Privacy tab. It's at the top of the window.
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Click the Manage Website Data… button. You'll see this under "Cookies and website data."
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Click the Remove All button. It's in the bottom-left area of the window. This deletes all cookies from Safari.
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Open your iPhone's Settings . The Settings app is the gray gear icon on your home screen. If you don't see it there, you'll find it in your App Library.
- Clearing your cookies on your iPhone or iPad will also clear other saved website data, including your browsing history. This change will also affect all other devices on which you're signed in with the same Apple ID.
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Scroll down and tap Safari . It's roughly a third of the way down the Settings page.
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Scroll down and tap Clear History and Website Data . This option is toward the end of your settings. A confirmation message will appear.
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Tap Clear History and Data on the confirmation message. It's at the bottom of the screen. This removes your web history, cookies, and other saved site data.
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Open Firefox on your PC or Mac. You'll find it in your Windows Start menu or your Mac's Applications folder.
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Open your Firefox Settings . The steps are different depending on your operating system:
- Mac: Click the Firefox menu at the top of the screen and select Preferences .
- Windows: Click the three horizontal lines at the top-right corner of Firefox and select Settings .
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Click the Privacy & Security tab. It's in the left panel.
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Scroll down and click Manage Data . This option is in the "Cookies and Site Data" section about halfway down the page. This displays all saved cookies.
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Click Remove All or Remove All Shown . You'll see one of these two options below the list of cookies. This deletes all cookies in the window, although the changes are not yet permanent. [3] X Research source
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Click the Save Changes button. It's at the bottom of the window. Now your cookies are permanently removed from Firefox.
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Open Firefox on your phone or tablet. It's the orange fox wrapped around a purple globe on your home screen. If you don't see it, it'll be in your app list.
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Tap the menu icon. If you're using an Android, you'll tap the three vertical dots at the top-right corner of Firefox. If you have an iPhone or iPad, tap the three horizontal lines at the bottom-right corner of the screen. [4] X Research source
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Tap Settings . It's near the bottom of the menu.
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Tap Data Management (iPhone/iPad) or Delete browsing data (Android). You'll see one of these options on the menu, depending on your operating system.
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Select Cookies and disable all other options. If you only want to delete cookies, make sure Cookies is the only item selected in the list.
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Tap Clear Private Data (iPhone/iPad) or Delete browsing data (Android). This deletes all cookies from Firefox.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionWhy is clearing cookies and browser history beneficial?Community AnswerIf you use someone else's computer and your log in name is saved on their system, then it clears this away. It can also remove bugs that might be occurring in your browser, for such things as games.
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QuestionHow do I refresh in Microsoft Edge?Community AnswerHit the refresh button - the circle with an arrow on it.
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QuestionHow do I clear a single cookie from my browser?Community AnswerOn your Android phone or tablet (or computer/laptop), open the Chrome app/Google Chrome. To the right of the address bar, tap More Settings.Tap Privacy Clear browsing data. Choose a time range, like Last Hour or All Time. Check "Cookies, media licenses and site data". Uncheck all the other items. Tap Clear Data Clear.
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Tips
- You should clear your cookies once every couple of weeks for optimal browser performance.Thanks
- Some cookies, such as a few of the ones stored on your computer by Google Chrome, will not be deleted when you clear cookies from within Settings. These cookies are harmless and will not detract from your browsing.Thanks
- Consider clearing your cookies after each use of a public or shared computer.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- I usually clear my cookies every week or so, with the exception of log-in info on certain websites. It just helps me feel more secure, but without the nuisance of having to re-add all my passwords.
- If you know you don't want your browser history tracked and don't want to have to deal with deleting cookies, use the internet in incognito mode to keep everything you do private.
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Warnings
- Deleting cookies will cause some websites to forget your settings or preferences.Thanks
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about computers and technology, check out our in-depth interview with Luigi Oppido .
References
About This Article
Article Summary
X
1. Open Chrome and click the three-dot menu.
2. Click More tools
.
3. Click Clear browsing data
.
4. Select "Cookies and other site data" and remove other checkmarks.
5. Click Clear data
.
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 6,552,876 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "Followed Step-by-step illustrated instructions. Worked like I knew what I was doing. Cache and cookies cleared in minutes (most of them spent in reading instructions)." ..." more
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"Followed Step-by-step illustrated instructions. Worked like I knew what I was doing. Cache and cookies cleared in minutes (most of them spent in reading instructions)."
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"This was very helpful in clearing both my Chrome and Edge browsers. Thanks for all the info. "
"I'm not very computer literate, and your steps were so clear and easy to follow. Thanks."
"The instructions helped me. They were really clear for me to read and achieve."
"This showed me how to clear history and clear the cookies."
