How to clear cookies on your computer and smartphone

Is the web browser lagging on your computer, iPhone, or Android device? You might need to clear cookies on your mobile device to restore performance. 

Microsoft says cookies are “bits of data that are sent to and from your browser to identify you.” They remember your preferences so you don’t have to enter them each time you enter websites.

READ: How to clear cache on Android

Eventually, your machine may fill with too many cookies and weigh down its performance. Get rid of these temporary files on your PC, Mac, Android, and iPhone.

How to clear cookies on your PC and Mac

There are many web browsers available, so this article will focus on the most common ones. Specifically, it will discuss erasing cookies from Google Chrome on PC and Safari on Mac.

PC users can clear cookies with these steps:

1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Click the three-dot icon in the upper right corner.
3. Next, click Privacy & Security on the left.
4. Select Clear browsing data under Privacy and security.
5. Then, tick the check box for Cookies and other site data.
6. Click Clear data.

Here’s how to clear cookies on Mac, according to the Apple Support page:

1. Open the Safari app.
2. Click Safari and then select Settings.
3. Next, click Privacy.
4. Click Manage Website Data.
5. Choose websites and then click Remove or Remove All.

How to clear cookies on Android and Mac

Chrome and Safari are also common for Android and iPhone users, so this article will discuss steps for those. Clear cookies on your Android with these steps:

1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Tap the three-dot icon to open Settings.
3. Tap Clear browsing data.
4. Next, tap Cookies and site data. 
5. Afterward, tap the Clear data button.

Open Safari if you have an iPhone. Then, tap Settings and select the Clear History and Website Data option.