Why delete cache and cookies?
Online browsing cookies are used to personalize your browsing experience, for example by showing tailored product recommendations or “remembering” your language, currency, and region whenever you open the website.
So why would you want to delete them? Well, it turns out not all of those cookies are as harmless as they seem — some (called tracker cookies) might monitor your browsing across different websites, while others can expose your sensitive personal information (if they get stolen).
What the data says:
In NordVPN’s stolen cookies study, which analyzed over 54 billion cookies sold on the dark web, researchers found that the most common keywords attached to the cookies were "assigned ID,” followed by "session ID."
Cybercriminals can exploit cookies with session identifiers to gain unauthorized access to your personal accounts (a technique known as session hijacking) without needing login credentials.
Regularly clearing your browsing cookies can improve your online privacy and reduce the risk of having your personal information (such as login sessions or saved credentials, which cookies may use to make logins quicker) exposed.
In addition to managing your cookies, cleaning up your cache is also something you should not neglect. The cache is a storage system used by your internet browser to speed up the page loading process. Yet sometimes it can cause a problem when websites are updated and developed, since files saved in the cache may conflict with what's actually coded into the website. Clearing the cache typically solves this issue, allowing you to browse freely.
How to clear cookies on Chrome
To clear cookies and cache on the Chrome browser, you’ll need to jump into the browser’s settings. It’s a simple process that takes just a few seconds while significantly improving your online privacy.
Chrome on desktop
If you’re using Chrome on desktop, you’ll need to tick two separate boxes in the browser’s privacy settings. Start by opening your Chrome browser and then:
- 1.Go to Chrome settings by clicking the three-vertical-dots icon at the upper right corner and select “Settings” from the menu.
- 2.Scroll to “Privacy and security.”
- 3.The “Privacy and security” panel will pop up. Click “Delete browsing data.”
- 4.Select the “Time range” and select “Cached images and files” (You can also check “Cookies and other site data” while you’re at it). Then click “Delete data.”
Chrome on iPhone
Like in the web version, the mobile Chrome browser on iOS allows you to separately remove cookies and clear cache. To do that:
- 1.Open the Chrome app and tap the three-dot icon at the bottom of the screen. Then select “Settings.”
- 2.Scroll down and tap “Privacy and security.”
- 3.Select “Delete browsing data.”
- 4.Select the type of data you want to delete (by tapping “Browsing data”) and hit “Delete data.”
Chrome on Android
If you’re using Chrome on your Android smartphone, you’ll need to open your Chrome app first. There, you’ll find options that will allow you to clear the cache and cookies separately. All you need to do is:
- 1.Open the Chrome app and tap the three-dot icon. Then select “Settings.”
- 2.Scroll down and tap “Privacy and security.”
- 3.Select “Delete browsing data.”
- 4.Select the type of data you want to delete (for example, “Cached images and files” or “Cookies and site data”) and hit “Delete data.”
How to manage cookies on Chrome
If, instead of removal, you’re looking to manage certain cookie permissions on the Chrome browser, go to Chrome settings again, but this time:
- 1.Click “Site settings” and “Cookies and other site data.”
- 2.Here you can choose to stop websites from collecting cookies, clear all cookies when you close the browser, and block third-party cookies.
How to clear cookies on Safari
To clear cookies and cache on the Safari browser, you’ll need to access the browser’s settings and follow the below steps based on your device type.
How to clear cookies in Safari on MacOs
Clearing cookies on your MacOS Safari browser will require you to find “Manage website data” in the browser settings. There, you can delete cache and cookies simultaneously. To access this setting:
- 1.Click “Safari” from the menu bar and select “Settings.”
- 2.Click the “Privacy” tab. Then, under “Website data,” click “Manage website data.” You can also tick the box “Prevent cross-site tracking” to limit tracking when browsing different websites.
- 3.A new window will pop up. Choose the websites whose cookies and cache you would like to delete. Click “Remove” and “Done.”
How to clear cookies in Safari on iPhone
To delete cookies and cache on the mobile Safari app, you’ll need to jump into the browser’s settings. To do that:
- 1.Go to “Settings,” then tap “Apps” and scroll down to “Safari.”
- 2.Scroll down and select “Clear history and website data.”
- 3.To confirm, tap “Clear history.” This will delete all cookies and cached data.
- 4.To block cookies, go back to “Safari” in the “Apps” menu and select “Advanced.” There, toggle the bar next to “Block all cookies” and update your settings in “Advanced tracking and fingerprinting protection.”
IMPORTANT: Clearing your history, cookies, and browsing data from Safari won't change your AutoFill information.
How to manage cookies on Safari
To manage cookies on the Safari browser, open the browser settings, and then:
- 1.Go to “Advanced” and choose to “Block all cookies.”
How to clear cookies in Firefox
If you’re looking to delete cookies and cache on Mozilla Firefox, you’ll need to access the browser’s settings and follow the below steps based on your device type.
Firefox on desktop
Clearing cache and cookies on Firefox is a simple task — you’ll only need to tick two separate boxes in the browser’s privacy settings. Start by opening the Firefox browser and then:
- 1.Open Mozilla Settings by clicking the three-line icon at the upper right corner and selecting “Settings.”
- 2.Click the “Privacy and security” tab and scroll down to “Cookies and site data.” Pick “Clear data.”
- 3.Select “Cookies and site data” and “Temporarily cached files and pages,” then hit “Clear.” This will delete all cookies stored on your device, no matter what website they’re from.
- 4.If you only want to delete specific cookies, go back and click “Manage data.” Select the website whose cookies you want to delete and hit “Remove selected.” Then, click “Save changes.”
Mozilla Firefox Android app
- 1.Open the app and tap the three-dot icon. Then tap “Settings.”
- 2.Scroll down and select “Delete browsing data.”
- 3.Choose the type of data you want to delete and hit “Delete browsing data.”
- 4.To adjust your tracking settings, repeat the first step and then click “Enhanced tracking protection.”
- 5.You can choose “Standard,” “Strict,” or “Custom” tracking protection. Double check what elements each option is going to block as it may break certain pages.
Mozilla Firefox iPhone app
Like on Android, deleting cookies and cache on the mobile Firefox iPhone app will require you to jump into the browser’s settings. To do that:
- 1.Open the app and tap the three-dot icon.
- 2.Select “Settings.”
- 3.Scroll down and select “Data management.”
- 4.Choose the type of data you want to delete and hit “Clear private data.”
- 5.To adjust your tracking settings, repeat the first 2 steps and then tap “Tracking protection.”
- 6.You can choose “Standard” or “Strict” tracking protection. Double check what elements each option is going to block as it may break certain pages.
How to manage cookies in Firefox
To change your cookie collection preferences on Firefox browser, open the Firefox browser settings and then:
- 1.At the top of the “Privacy and security” tab, find “Content blocking.” Here you can choose one of the three types of content blocking — standard, strict, or custom. Most of them will block known trackers and third-party cookies. While content blocking will provide you with improved privacy, you may want to double check your settings as blocking some content might break certain websites.
- 2.If you want cookies to be deleted the moment you close the browser, scroll down to “Cookies and site data” and tick the “Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed” box.
How to clear cookies in Microsoft Edge
To clear the cache and cookies on Microsoft Edge, you’ll need to tick two separate boxes in the browser’s privacy settings. Start by opening the browser and then:
- 1.Click the three-horizontal-dots icon at the upper right corner, then go down the list of options and pick “Settings.”
- 2.Click “Privacy, search, and services.”
- 3.Click “Clear browsing data” and select “Choose what to clear.”
- 4.Choose the “Time range” and tick the boxes next to “Cookies and other site data” and “Cached images and files.” Then, hit “Clear now.”
How to manage cookies in Microsoft Edge
To change your cookie preferences on Microsoft Edge, open the browser settings and then:
- 1.Select “Privacy, search, and services.” Then, click “Cookies.”
- 2.A new window will open, allowing you to block third-party cookies or even delete cookies from individual sites.
How to clear cookies on Internet Explorer
To delete cookies on the Internet Explorer:
- 1.Click the “Tools” icon at the upper right corner and select “Internet options.”
- 2.In the “General” tab, go to “Browsing history” and select “Delete.”
- 3.Make sure the “Cookies and website data” box is ticked and click “Delete.”
How to clear cookies on Opera
To clear cache and cookies on Opera, you’ll need to tick two separate boxes in the browser’s privacy settings. Start by opening the Opera browser and then:
- 1.Head to Opera's settings by clicking on the Opera logo at the upper left corner and select “Settings” (or “Preferences” on MacOS) in the dropdown menu.
- 2.Click the “Privacy and security” tab from the menu bar on the left.
- 3.Click “Delete browsing data.”
- 4.Select the time range and tick the “Cookies and other site data” and “Cached images and files” boxes. Then, hit “Delete data.” If you want Opera to automatically remove cookies every time you close the browser, go to “on exit” in the same tab, and tick the cookie and cache boxes.
How to manage cookies on Opera
Manage cookies on Opera by opening the browser, going to the “Privacy and security” settings and following these steps:
- 1.Click “Third party cookies,” then choose “Block third party cookies.”
- 2.You can also tweak your settings by clicking “See all site data and permissions”.
Is deleting cookies the same as clearing the cache?
While it may sound like a similar process, deleting cookies and cache are two completely separate actions. The difference comes from the nature of these two tech terms. Cookies are small files that websites store on your computer to remember your preferences and keep you signed in. The cache, on the other hand, stores website resources like images and scripts to speed up page loading.
Naturally, clearing the cache removes these temporary files, while deleting cookies removes stored user data. As a result, you get improved browser performance and more online privacy, especially on social media sites, which often use cookies and tracking technologies to collect user data.
Deleting cookies is a simple process that can boost your privacy and security. Adjusting your cookie settings is also a useful step to limit tracking and other invasive practices. If you have followed the guidelines in this article, you will now be able to manage cookies and take greater control of your digital footprint.
If you’re curious about learning how to clear Instagram cache or Twitter cache, check out our other blog articles.
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