Users can find computer cookies through cookie tracking software, file search function, or web browser’s built-in feature. Each browser has a unique method of displaying cookies. Cookies are harmless but store data about user behavior and can be accessed by third parties for advertising or tracking purposes.
The easiest way a user can find computer cookies is through the use of cookie tracking software; these programs are often small, free to download and install, and easy to use. If a user knows the name of a particular cookie, he can also try to find it using his computer’s file search function. However, some cookies register themselves as hidden files and will not appear in searches if the user does not allow hidden files to be displayed. The most common way people find computer cookies, however, is through the cookie tracking feature built into their web browsers. Each web browser has its own unique method of displaying cookies to the user.
On one of the most common web browsers, Internet Explorer, users start finding their computer’s cookies by clicking the “Tools” button, followed by “Internet Options.” Users should then go to the “General” tab and click on “Settings” under “Browser History”. Another window, titled “Temporary Internet Files and History Settings” will appear. By clicking on “View files” users will be able to examine the numerous temporary files created during navigation, including web cookies. Alternatively, users can search for the “Temporary Internet Files” folder and find their computer’s cookies directly there.
Firefox, another often used web browser, allows users to find their computer’s cookies by accessing the “Privacy” tab. Users start by clicking on the “Firefox” button. If the user’s operating system is a Mac, he should continue by clicking on “Preferences”; a personal computer (PC) user should click on “Options”. A new dialog should appear containing a tab labeled “Privacy”. Depending on the version of Firefox used, users can click on “Show all cookies” or “Remove individual cookies” under “Privacy”. In this way all the cookies saved during the use of the browser will be displayed.
Users who use Google Chrome for browsing can find the computer’s cookies by first clicking on the wrench button. PC users should follow up by clicking ‘Options’, Mac and Linux users should click ‘Preferences’ and Chrome OS users should continue by clicking ‘Settings’. Users then need to click on ‘Under the Hood’, followed by ‘Content Settings’. Users will be able to see any HTTP cookies created while browsing by clicking on “All cookies and site data”.
Users often do not need to find computer cookies on their systems, as files are text data intended for information storage and user authentication. As text data, cookies cannot be viruses or other harmful programs, making them generally harmless. However, cookies store data about a user’s browser behavior and are accessible to third parties for advertising or tracking purposes. Therefore, some people feel the need to regularly delete any suspicious browser cookies they find.
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