Delete the cookies from a browser

Cookies contain information that websites have collected about you and are stored on your computer in the form of small text files. Most of these files are completely harmless, but there are also cookies that store where you surf to, what you've done and any personal information you've entered. Websites may also allow other websites (for example, their advertisers) to place so-called third-party cookies on your computer. To prevent companies from being able to keep an eye on what you do online, you can use the following methods to clean your browsers cookies.

Steps

Method 1 of 13: Google Chrome

Step 1. Open your browser and click the Tools button in the top right corner

This button resembles a wrench.

Step 2. Click Settings > Clear Browsing Data … from the pull-down menu.

Step 3. Click Clear Browsing Data and select a time frame you want to delete

Step 4. Make sure the box next to Delete Cookies and Other Site and Plug-In Data is checked

Check or uncheck the other options as you wish.

Step 5. Click on Clear Browsing Data

Method 2 of 13: Internet Explorer 9

Step 1. Open your browser and click the Tools button in the top right corner

This button looks like a gear.

Step 2. Go to Safety > View Browsing History.

Step 3. Make sure the Cookies box is checked

Step 4. Check or uncheck the other options of your browsing history if desired

Step 5. Click Delete

Method 3 of 13: Internet Explorer 8

Step 1. Open your browser and go to Tools > Internet Options

Step #2. Under the General tab, find the section called Browsing History

Here you can choose to delete all cookies or only a certain type of cookies.

• To delete all cookies, uncheck the box next to Preserve Favorite Website Data, check the box next to Cookies and click Delete.

  

• To selectively delete cookies, go to Settings > View Files. Select the cookies you would like to delete (hold the CTRL button while clicking to select multiple cookies, and click Delete.

Method 4 of 13: Internet Explorer 8: New Toolbar

Step 1. Open your browser and go to Safety > Delete Browsing History.

Step 2. Make sure the box next to Cookies is checked

Step 3. Check or uncheck the other options of your browsing history if desired

Step 4. Click on Delete

Method 5 of 13: Internet Explorer 7

Step 1. Open your browser and go to Tools > Internet Options

Step #2. Under the General tab, find the section called Browsing History

Here you can choose to delete all cookies or only a certain type of cookies.

• To delete all cookies, click Delete, select Delete Cookies, and click Yes.

  

• To selectively delete cookies, go to Settings > View Files. Select the cookies you would like to delete (hold the CTRL button while clicking to select multiple cookies, and click Delete.

  

Method 6 of 13: Firefox

Step 1. Open your browser and go to Firefox > Options (PC) or Firefox > Preferences (Mac)

If you don't see the Tools menu, press the Alt+T key combination to open the Tool menu.

Step 2. Open the Privacy tab and click on remove individual cookies

Step 3. To remove all cookies, click on Remove All Cookies

Step 4. To delete only specific cookies, select the cookies you want to delete

Hold the CTRL button while clicking to select multiple cookies and click Remove Cookies. You can even scan each site to delete specific cookies for that site.

Method 7 of 13: Mobile Safari for iPhone, iPad and iPod

Step #1. Go to Settings > Safari

Step #2. Scroll down and press Clear Cookies and Data

Step 3. Press Clear Cookies and Data to confirm

Method 8 of 13: Safari 5: Quick Method

Step #1. Open your browser and go to the Safari menu

Step 2. Select the Preferences menu item

Step #3. Select the Privacy tab at the top of the window

Step 4. Under the Cookies and Other Website data section, select the Details button

Step 5. Delete the desired cookies

Delete selected cookies or click Remove All.

Method 9 of 13: Safari 5: Extended Method

Step #1. Open your browser and go to the Safari menu

Step 2. Select the Reset Safari menu item

Step 3. Uncheck all boxes except Remove All Website Data

Step 4. Click on the Reset button

Method 10 of 13: Safari 4: Quick Method

Step #1. Open your browser and go to the menu called Safari

Step 2. Select the Preferences menu item

Step 3. Select the Security tab at the top of the window

Step 4. Select the Show Cookies button

Step 5. Delete the desired cookies

Delete selected cookies or click Remove All.

Method 11 of 13: Safari 4: Extended Method

Step #1. Open your browser and go to the menu called Safari

Step 2. Select the Reset Safari menu item

Step 3. Uncheck all boxes except Remove All Website Data

Step 4. Click on the Reset button

Method 12 of 13: Opera

Step 1. Open your browser and go to Settings > Delete Private Data

Step 2. Delete your cookies

• To delete all cookies, uncheck what you want to keep (e.g. history, saved passwords, cache, etc.) and click Delete. A window may appear that says "Active transfer has not been removed" if you are currently downloading a file; this will avoid interrupting this download.
• To delete specific cookies, go to Manage Cookies. Select the cookies you want to delete (hold the CTRL button to make multiple selections) and press Delete.

Method 13 of 13: Konqueror

Step 1. Open your browser and go to the Settings menu > Configure Konqueror

Step #2. Scroll down and select Cookies

Step 3. Click on the Management tab

Step 4. Delete your cookies

Click Delete All to delete all cookies or select the cookies you want to delete (hold the CTRL button to make multiple selections) and click Delete.

Tips

• It is a good idea to regularly delete the cookies from your browser.
• You can disable or restrict cookies through your browser's security settings. It is recommended that you do this for security reasons, although it may prevent some sites from being used. To use these sites you need to add them to the list of exceptions.
• It is a good idea to clear your browser's cache while deleting the cookies. The cache stores information, images and web pages on your computer for faster and easier access. Hackers may be able to extract financial information from your cache if you're not careful.