This article explains how to delete cached cookies from popular browsers, such as Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer. Cookies are small text files in which the browser stores data and information useful for improving web browsing and viewing the contents of a site (for example login credentials, advertisements, textual parts of certain web pages or information relating to the automatic compilation of the data entry fields).
Steps
Method 1 of 9: Chrome for Desktop and Laptop Systems
Step 1. Launch Google Chrome by clicking the icon
It is characterized by a red, yellow and green circle with a blue sphere in the center.
Step 2. Press the ⋮ button
It's located in the upper right corner of the Chrome window. The browser main menu will be displayed.
Step 3. Choose the More Tools option
It is located at the bottom of the appeared menu. A small submenu will appear to the left of the first one.
Step 4. Choose the item Clear browsing data…
It is one of the options listed in the newly appeared menu. The "Clear Browsing Data" pop-up window will appear.
Step 5. Make sure the "Cookies and other site data" checkbox is checked
You can choose whether to select or deselect the other options in the window, but make sure that "Cookies and other site data" is marked with a check mark.
Step 6. Make sure that the value All is present in the "Time range" text field
It is located in the upper part of the "Clear browsing data" pop-up window and refers to the time interval that will be considered for deleting cookies. If the currently set value is other than "All", open the drop-down menu and select the option All from the list that will appear. In this way you will be sure that all cookies stored by Chrome will be deleted and not just the most recent ones.
Step 7. Press the Clear Data button
It is blue in color and is located in the lower right corner of the window. All cookies in the browser will be automatically deleted.
Method 2 of 9: Chrome for Mobile
Step 1. Launch the Google Chrome app by tapping the icon
It is characterized by a red, yellow and green circle with a blue sphere in the center.
Step 2. Press the ⋮ button
It is located in the upper right corner of the device screen.
Step 3. Choose the History option
It is one of the items listed in the menu that appeared.
Step 4. Select the item Clear browsing data…
It is located in the lower left corner of the screen.
If you are using an Android device, you will need to tap on the blue link Clear browsing data placed at the top of the page that appeared.
Step 5. Make sure the "Cookies, site data" checkbox is checked
If the indicated option does not have a check mark on the right, tap it to select it.
If you are using an Android device, this item is indicated with the words "Cookies and site data"
Step 6. If you are using an Android device, select the time frame to consider
The version of Chrome for Android allows you to select the time span relating to the data to be deleted. Access the drop-down menu
located in the upper right corner of the screen, then choose the option All from the list that will appear.
Step 7. Press the Clear Browsing Data button
It is visible at the bottom of the pop-up window that appeared.
If you are using an Android device, press the button Clear data located in the lower right corner of the screen.
Step 8. When prompted, press the Clear Browsing Data button again
In this way the cookies stored by Chrome will be deleted.
If you are using an Android device, confirm your action by pressing the button Cancel when required.
Method 3 of 9: Firefox for Desktop and Laptop Systems
Step 1. Launch Firefox
Double-click the blue globe icon surrounded by an orange fox.
Step 2. Press the ☰ button
It is located in the upper right corner of the window. The browser main menu will be displayed.
Step 3. Choose the Library option
It is located at the top of the drop-down menu that appeared. The "Library" submenu will be displayed.
Step 4. Select the History item
It is located at the top of the newly appeared menu.
Step 5. Choose the option Clear recent history…
It is visible at the top of the menu that will appear. A pop-up window will appear.
Step 6. Access the "Time range to clear" drop-down menu
It is located at the top of the "Clear Recent History" pop-up window. A list of options will be displayed.
Step 7. Select the All item
It is the last option in the drop-down menu that appeared. In this way, all cookies stored in Firefox will be deleted.
Step 8. Select the "Cookies" checkbox
It is located in the center of the list of items in the "Details" pane.
If the "Cookies" checkbox is already selected, skip this step
Step 9. Press the Clear Now button
It is located at the bottom of the pop-up window.
Method 4 of 9: Firefox for iPhone
Step 1. Launch the Firefox app
Tap the blue globe icon surrounded by an orange fox.
Step 2. Press the ☰ button
It is located in the lower right corner of the screen. The browser main menu will be displayed.
In order for the button icon to appear on the screen, you may need to scroll the page down or up
Step 3. Choose the Settings option
It is one of the items listed in the menu that appeared.
Step 4. Scroll down the list to locate and select the Delete personal data item
It is located in the "Privacy" section.
Step 5. Activate the white "Cookie" slider
moving it to the right.
It will take on a blue color, to indicate that the cookies stored in the browser will be deleted.
If the indicated cursor is already blue, skip this step
Step 6. Press the Delete Personal Data button
It is red in color and located at the bottom of the screen.
Step 7. Press the OK button when prompted
In this way all cookies stored by Firefox will be deleted from the device.
Method 5 of 9: Firefox for Android devices
Step 1. Launch the Firefox app
Tap the blue globe icon surrounded by an orange fox.
Step 2. Press the ⋮ button
It is located in the upper right corner of the screen. The Firefox app main menu will appear.
Step 3. Choose the Settings option
It is one of the items listed in the menu that appeared.
Step 4. Select the Delete personal data item
The new "Delete personal data" menu will appear.
Step 5. Press the Erase Now button
It is located at the top of the screen. A pop-up window will appear.
Step 6. Select the "Cookies and active logins" checkbox
It is located in the middle of the pop-up window that appeared.
If the "Cookies and active logins" checkbox is already selected, skip this step
Step 7. Press the Delete Data button
It is placed at the bottom of the window. All cookies stored by Firefox within the device will be deleted immediately.
Method 6 of 9: Microsoft Edge
Step 1. Launch Microsoft Edge
Double-click the Edge app icon, which has a white "e" on a dark blue background or just a blue "e".
Step 2. Press the ⋯ button
It is located in the upper right corner of the browser window. The Edge main menu will appear.
Step 3. Choose the Settings option
It's located at the bottom of Edge's main menu.
Step 4. Press the Choose items to delete button
It is located within the "Clear Browsing Data" section in the center of the "Settings" menu.
Step 5. Make sure the "Cookies and saved website data" checkbox is checked
In this way, the cookies stored by Edge will be deleted from your computer. If you want, you can check or uncheck other menu items to keep or clear other data Edge stores while browsing the web.
Step 6. Press the Delete button
It is placed at the end of the list of types of data related to web browsing that can be deleted from Edge. In this way the cookies will be deleted from your computer.
Method 7 of 9: Internet Explorer
Step 1. Launch Internet Explorer
Double-click the Internet Explorer app icon with the light blue letter "e" surrounded by a gold ring.
Step 2. Open the Internet Explorer "Settings" window by clicking the icon
It features a gear and is located in the upper right corner of the window. The browser main menu will be displayed.
Step 3. Choose the Internet Options item
It is located at the bottom of the appeared menu.
Step 4. Press the Delete… button
It is located within the "Browsing History" section of the "General" tab of the "Internet Options" window.
Step 5. Make sure the "Cookies and website data" checkbox is checked
You can choose whether to select or deselect the other options in the window, but make sure that "Cookies and website data" is marked with a check mark if you want the cookies to be deleted from your computer.
Step 6. Press the Delete button
It is located at the bottom of the window. Internet Explorer cookies will be deleted from the computer.
Step 7. Press the OK button to close the "Internet Options" window
All selected data relating to web browsing have been deleted from the system.
Method 8 of 9: Safari Desktop Version
Step 1. Launch Safari
Click the blue compass icon located on the Mac Dock.
Step 2. Access the Safari menu
It is located in the upper left corner of the Mac screen. A list of options will appear.
Step 3. Choose the Clear history… option
It is one of the items listed within the drop-down menu that appeared. A pop-up window will appear.
Step 4. Access the drop-down menu located in the center of the pop-up window that appeared
A list of options will be displayed.
Step 5. Choose the entire history item
In this way Safari will delete all cookies and data relating to web browsing from the computer.
Step 6. Press the Clear History button
All cookies, web browsing history, search history and website data stored by Safari on the Mac will be deleted.
Method 9 of 9: Safari Version for Mobile Devices
Step 1. Launch the iPhone Settings app by tapping the icon
It is characterized by a gray colored gear.
This procedure is also compatible with iPad and iPod Touch
Step 2. Scroll down the menu that appeared to locate and select the Safari item
It is located at the bottom of the first half of the "Settings" menu.
Step 3. Scroll down the list to be able to select the Clear Website and History Data option
It is located at the bottom of the "Safari" menu.
Step 4. Press the Clear Data and History button when prompted
It is located at the bottom of the screen. In this way the data stored by Safari on the device and related to cookies and web browsing will be deleted.
This procedure also removes the history of internet searches from the iPhone. If you need to delete cookies only, choose the option Advanced at the bottom of the page, tap the item Website data, you choose Remove all website data, then press the button Delete when required.
Advice
- When using a public computer or shared with other users, it is advisable to delete all data relating to web browsing, and therefore also cookies, every time you have completed your work session.
- Cookies should be deleted at least once every 2 weeks to maintain optimal browser performance.
- Some types of cookies, such as those that are used and stored on your computer by Google Chrome, are not deleted when you use the delete option in the browser's "Settings" menu. These are files that do not cause any damage to the system and do not impact in any way on web browsing.
