Cookies are small files websites store in your browser to keep you signed in, remember preferences, preserve carts, and support tracking. Clearing them can fix account mix-ups, stale carts, odd ads, or glitchy site behavior, but it also signs you out of many sites.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Safari on Windows or Mac when you want to clear cookies without necessarily removing bookmarks, saved passwords, downloads, or cached files.
Chrome
Chrome lets you clear cookies without clearing cache.
- Open the three-dot menu and choose Settings.
- Open Privacy and security.
- Choose Delete browsing data.
- Open the Advanced tab and set the time range to All time.
- Check only Cookies and other site data.
- Click Delete data.
Microsoft Edge
Edge uses a similar Chromium layout.
- Open the three-dot menu and choose Settings.
- Choose Privacy, search, and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
- Set the time range to All time.
- Check only Cookies and other site data.
- Click Clear now.
Firefox
Firefox separates cookies from cached web content in Clear Data.
- Open the Firefox menu and choose Settings.
- Choose Privacy & Security.
- Scroll to Cookies and Site Data.
- Click Clear Data.
- Check Cookies and Site Data.
- Uncheck Cached Web Content if you want to keep cache.
- Click Clear.
Safari
Safari handles cookies as website data. On Mac, open Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data, search for a site and remove it, or choose Remove All. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced > Website Data to remove specific site data, or use Clear History and Website Data for everything.
More control
Clear one site only
If only one site is stuck, remove that site data instead of clearing all cookies. Chrome and Edge use Site settings, Firefox uses Manage Data, and Safari uses Manage Website Data or Website Data on iOS.
Use exceptions for important sites
Chrome, Edge, and Firefox can preserve or allow cookies for chosen sites. This helps keep email, banking, or work tools signed in while you clear cookies more broadly elsewhere.
What cookies clearing does not do
Clearing cookies does not delete saved passwords, bookmarks, or downloaded files. It also does not prevent a site from setting new cookies the next time you visit; use tracking protection and third-party cookie controls for that.
Sources
- Google Chrome Help – Clear, enable, and manage cookies in Chrome (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Delete and manage cookies (2025)
- Mozilla Support – Clear cookies and site data in Firefox (2025)
- Apple Support – Clear your browsing history in Safari on Mac (2025)