How to clear and set cookies in popular browsers

How to clear and set cookies in popular browsers

What is a cookie?

A cookie is a file that your web browser creates at the request of a website and that is stored on your computer. This file stores information about your preferences, login credentials, shopping cart contents, authentication data, and other sensitive data. Cookies are also personalized advertising, which is displayed taking into account the cookies that appear on the computer of users as a result of their activity on the Web.

Even if these cookies are relatively small, they will accumulate over time. This can cause performance and privacy issues in your browser. Clearing cookies from time to time may improve the performance of your web browser.

What are the risks of storing cookies?

Like anything that stores your personal information, it can improve your browsing experience, but it can also lead to problems like:

• Privacy: Attackers with their advanced hacking tools use the data stored in cookies to obtain your credentials or personal data. Obtaining this information can lead to identity theft or financial fraud.
• Security vulnerability Cookies can be vulnerable to attacks that compromise the security of your data.
• Outdated data Cookies may become outdated or invalid, which can lead to browser errors or unexpected behavior when trying to access stored information.

Why is it important to clear cookies?

Regularly clearing cookies helps maintain the privacy and security of your personal information online, and it also improves your overall experience.

When is the best time to clear cookies?

Regularly clearing cookies helps organize and simplify your digital life. Make clearing cookies a monthly habit for a smoother online experience.

• When you shop online, it's best to delete cookies first before you make online purchases.
• When you are about to log out. Always delete cookies after you log out of any website.
• When you're having trouble opening websites, and if a website is having problems, clearing your cookies can sometimes solve the problem.
• When you switch to other devices Before you use another device to browse the web, first clear your cookies.
• If you want to speed up your PC, while clearing cookies won't significantly improve your computer's overall speed, it can help improve the performance and privacy of your web browser.

How to delete and configure cookies in popular web browsers

The main browsers running on Windows allow users to enable/disable cookies in whole or in part. Clearing cookies means deleting all stored information from your local hard drive.

Chrome

To set cookies in Google Chrome, you need to click on the icon with three dots ⋮ > Settings in the upper right corner of the screen.

Delete"Privacy and security" then "Cookies and other site data".

In this sectione on cookies, you can:

• Allow all cookies.
• Block cookies of third-party web resources in incognito mode.
• Prevent third-party cookies.
• Block all cookies.

With the helpof the first and fourth paragraphs, you can both enable all cookies and prevent the browser from using this tool. Third-party cookies mean files that play into the hands of not only the site to which the user came. They are related to another resource or service: Google Analytics, Facebook, Google AdSense and others. Chrome does not recommend activating only the fourth paragraph.

You can leave all the ticks or limit yourself to deleting cookies. You can also choose the period for which the cleaning will be performed: from the last hour to complete removal.

For selective deletion, go even lower to all cookies. We click on it and see a long list of junk files that are stored on the PC. You can delete them one at a time, all at once or after filtering. Selective deletion is useful when one site is messed up, and you need to clean up its cookies.

It is important to remember that after deleting cookies, you will automatically log out of accounts on all sites, and your settings will be reset.

Safari

Safari works under macOS and Windows. Consider both:

1. Into the windows. Clap the top right on the gear and go to the settings. Select the "Privacy" section and go to the lock menu. In it, you can block cookies of advertisers, all sites or not set any restrictions. You can also restrict site access to Location Services.
   In the "Privacy" section there is a button to delete all junk files. If you need to nail cookies for a specific site, click "Learn more..." and choose the right ones.
2. MacOS. Go to Preferences in the Safari menu. Go to Privacy. Select "Manage data...". In the window that opens, you can nail all cookies or limit yourself to selective deletion.
   Please note that if you change your cookie settings in Safari or delete cookies in your browser, this may delete or change your cookie settings.

Mozilla Firefox

To configure cookies in the Mozilla Firefox browser , click on the menu ☰ button at the top right and go to the settings. Select "Privacy and security". The browser offers a choice of 3 protection options:

1. The standard one is designed so that the pages open normally and the trackers that collect information do not bother. Tracking cookies, cryptominers, collectors of digital fingerprints and others are blocked.
2. Strict protection blocks all cookies. With this choice, it will not work normally with some sites.
3. Personal protection for enthusiasts who prefer to customize everything to the smallest detail on their own.

Below, the browser shows how many megabytes cookies and other garbage files occupy, makes it possible to view their names, launch selective or complete deletion.

To clear cookies in Mozilla Firefox, click on the menu ☰ button, in the settings select "Privacy and protection". In the section dedicated to cookies, we click "Delete data ...". A menu will appear in which you need to choose whether you want to delete cookies or cache.

Microsoft Edge

To clear files cookie, select a menu of three dots, and choose Settings. Click the hamburger menu in the upper-left corner and select Privacy & Services. In the "Clear Browsing Data" section, click "Choose what you want to clear. Some parameters will be pre-selected; You can click or deselect the items you want to delete. Click Clear Now . Back in the "Clear Browsing Data" section, you can also choose what will be cleared each time you close the browser.

To manage cookies in the future, scroll up to "Prevent Tracking" . Choose from three options: Basic, Balanced, or Strict. You can also see blocked trackers and set exceptions.