Around 44% of websites use cookies to keep track of your visits and activity.
But not everyone wants this as it can cause formatting and loading issues for web pages. If you’re desperate to clear cookies but you’re unsure how to do it, you’ve come to the right place.
Here’s how to clear cookies from any device.
What Are Cookies?
Before we jump into how to clear cookies in Chrome, it’s important to understand what we mean by the term.
Computer “cookies” are packed with information. This means when you visit a website, the site sends the cookie to your device. Your computer then stores it in a file located in your web browser called “cookies”.
Websites use cookies to monitor your visits and activity but this isn’t always bad. For instance, many ecommerce sites use cookies so you can track what’s in your shopping cart as you browse the site.
Cookies also record your login information which is useful when you’re frequently using a particular website. It’s important to note cookies are safe as they can’t transfer viruses to your computer.
But many people want to clear cookies in Safari or clear cookies in Firefox to free up hard disk space so your computer runs faster when loading the web.
Plus, there’s a risk that hackers will steal your cookies to gain access to your accounts and record your personal details.
How to Clear Cookies
Whether you’re hoping to clear cookies Android or clear cookies iPhone, it’s simple enough. Once you’ve learned how to clear cookies for specific site, do so once a month to free computer space.
Here’s how to clear cookies on multiple devices and browsers.
Google Chrome
1. Select the three-dot “Customize” icon in the top right corner.
2. Choose “Settings”.
3. Once opened, click “Privacy and Security” on the left to give you more options.
4. Select “Clear Browsing Data” which is on the right.
5. A “Basic” tab will load so you can delete your browsing history, cookies, and other site data. Google Chrome lets you choose a time range for your cookies. Next, sign out from your Google account and delete the browsing data.
6. Lastly, click the “Clear Data” button. It’s important to note that if your Google account is synced with other mobile devices, it’ll clear cookies from those devices too.
Mozilla Firefox
1. Choose the “Menu” icon in the top right corner.
2. Click “Options” on the drop-down menu.
3. Select “Privacy and Security”.
4. Scroll down until you reach “Cookies and Site Data”. Now click the “Clear Data button.
5. A pop-up window will appear. On it make sure “Cookies and Site Data” is checked then choose the “Clear” button.
Or you can choose the “Manage Data” button where you can locate a specific cookie. It’s possible to highlight and remove certain cookies or choose “Remove All” to wipe them out.
Safari
Apple discontinued Safari for Windows devices, so this is exclusively for macOS and mobile versions.
1. Open Safari and click “Safari” on the menu bar.
2. Choose “Clear History” on the drop-down menu.
3. A pop-up window will appear with four options including “the last hour”, “today”, “today and yesterday”, and “all history”. Pick accordingly and then hit the “Clear History” button.
It’s also possible to block all cookies at once. To do this:
1. Choose “Safari” on the menu bar.
2. Select “Preferences” on the drop-down menu.
3. When the pop-up window appears, click the “Privacy tab”. Here, you can remove everything when you choose “Block All Cookies” or click “Manage Website Data” to remove cookies individually.
Microsoft Edge
Edge is the browser integrated on Windows 10 devices.
1. Choose the three-dot “Settings” icon.
2. Click “Settings” on the drop-down menu.
3. When the “General” category opens, click “Privacy and Security”.
4. Select the “Choose What to Clear” button.
5. Make sure the “Cookies and Saved Website Data” is ticked and then select the “Clear” button.
If you want to manage how Edge deals with cookies, scroll down to the “Privacy and Security” panel to find “Cookies”. You’re then given three options: “Don’t Block Cookies” (the default one), “Block on Third-Party Cookies”, and “Block All Cookies”.
You can also clear cookies whenever you leave the browser by choosing the toggle option underneath the “Clear” button.
Opera
It’s important to note the browser Opera has the same foundation as Google Chrome but reaching the cookie options is slightly different.
1. Choose the red Opera logo.
2. Select “Settings” on the drop-down menu.
3. A new tab will open so click “Advanced” on the menu and then “Privacy and Security”.
4. Choose the “Clear Browsing Data” section.
5. A pop-up will appear with the “Basic” tab automatically loaded. In this section, you can delete your browsing history, cookies, and other site data. Choose a relevant time-range on the drop-down menu.
If you want to clear more information, head to the “Advanced” tab where you can delete your download history, passwords, and other sign-in data.
Android Users
1. Open your phone’s “Settings”.
2. Select the “Storage” heading.
3. Tap the “Other Apps” to find a list of your installed apps.
4. Choose the relevant application and tap its listing.
5. Tap the “Clear Cache” button.
iPhone Users
1. Log out of your Schedulicity account.
2. Go to “Settings” on your main screen.
3. Tap Safari.
4. Select “Clear History and Website Data”.
5. Tap “Clear History and Data”.
6. Exit your browser. It’s important to note it’s necessary so Safari resets.
iPad Users
1. Sign out of your Schedulicity account.
2. Choose “Settings” on your home screen.
3. Tap Safari from the menu on the left.
4. Select “Clear History and Website Data”. Next, tap “Clear History and Data” from the pop-up.
5. Leave Safari so the settings reset.
Clear Cookies Today
Now you know how to clear cookies on a range of devices and browsers.
It’s important to do this regularly so your hard drive runs smoothly and you protect your data. Luckily, clearing cookies is easy to do and will take no time. Good luck!
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