Deleting cookies from your computer is easy through the “tools” or “options” menu of your web browser. You can disable or selectively deny third-party cookies, remove them manually, or use software to delete them. Some browsers allow automatic deletion every time you close the program.
Although the exact method used may vary from one web browser to another, it is usually quite easy to delete cookies from your computer. You can go into the “tools” or “options” menu of your web browser and look at what controls and features it provides. Most of them simply allow you to choose to remove all or some of the cookies on your system and then delete them with the push of a button. Some browsers also allow you to choose to delete them every time you exit the program or to keep only cookies from certain websites.
How cookies work
Cookies are files on a computer that help websites know whether you’ve visited them, what you did while you’re there, and other information that can help them make your experience more enjoyable. However, you may not want a website to know you were there and therefore may not want a record on your computer of what you did online. In these situations, you should generally delete your cookies; thankfully, most modern web browsers make this easy enough.
Turn them all off
One of the easiest ways to get rid of these files is to disable them completely in your web browser, usually through a simple menu. This way, however, many websites may not work properly. For example, shopping cart sites often use cookies to track your browsing session, and disabling them could make an online store completely unusable. You may find it preferable to keep them enabled and to delete cookies periodically to remove any unwanted data left on your computer.
Block specific sites
In fact, some modern browsers allow you to selectively deny third-party cookies, while allowing those of certain websites to remain. You can usually do this via a menu in your web browser, although you may need to access some ‘advanced options’ to set specific sites or file types blocked. This allows features like shopping carts to continue working, while also preventing advertisers from tracking browsing sessions across multiple sites. In many cases, this eliminates the need to delete cookies entirely, but in other situations you may still want to remove them.
Types of cancellation
Modern web browsers typically allow for both selective and full deletion. If you selectively remove them, you can choose the cookies of certain sites or services to be deleted, while keeping others. Total or complete removal deletes them all from your computer. You can also usually delete cookies from your computer manually by going to the folder where they are stored and deleting them.
Internet Explorer®
Recent versions of the Windows® operating system (OS) use Internet Explorer® as the default web browser. You can easily delete cookies from this browser, if you use a modern Windows® operating system, by accessing the “Start” menu, selecting “Control Panel” and then clicking on the “Network and Internet” options. In this menu, you can usually see “Delete Browsing History and Cookies” or a similar option, which then lets you choose what you want removed from your computer.
Other web browsers
In many versions of Firefox®, however, you can simply go to the “Tools” menu within the program, select “Clear recent history” and make sure the “Cookies” box is checked. A similar procedure can be followed for Opera®, Chrome® and other web browsers via the “Tools” or “Options” menu. You can also use special software specially designed to delete cookies, which can find them all on your computer and remove them with a single application. While this may be more than necessary, it can make removal easier if you use multiple browsers on a single computer.
Automatic deletion
In many web browsers, you can choose to have the program delete the cookies from your computer every time you close it. This option is usually found in the same menu that allows you to remove them manually. Using this, you can keep your computer clean without wasting time deleting files by yourself. You can also set many browsers to keep files for a specific amount of time, such as two weeks, and then automatically delete them.
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