How to delete cookies and cache in your favorite browsers

Keeping your browser clean is essential to ensure better performance, protect your privacy, and optimize your device’s storage space. In this comprehensive guide, you will learn how to clear cookies in different browsers, removing unnecessary data that accumulates over time.

Why You Should Regularly Clear Cookies and Browsing Data

Your browsers constantly store information during your web browsing. Cookies are small files that websites save on your computer to remember your preferences, while the cache stores copies of images and files to speed up future page loads. Over time, these data can take up valuable space and leave traces of your online activity.

Regularly deleting cookies and cache offers several benefits: frees up disk space, improves browsing speed, resolves display issues on websites, and protects your privacy by removing personal data that sites keep about you.

Google Chrome - Step-by-Step Instructions to Remove Cookies

Chrome is one of the most popular browsers. To clear cookies in Chrome:

1. Open Google Chrome on your computer
2. Click the menu icon (three vertical dots) in the top right corner
3. Select More tools and then Clear browsing data
4. In the window that opens, choose the desired time range. Select All time to remove everything
5. Check the boxes next to Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files
6. Click Clear data to complete the process

This procedure ensures all stored cookies are removed from Chrome.

Firefox - How to Delete Cookies and Site Data

For Firefox users, the process is equally simple:

1. Open Firefox on your computer
2. Click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner
3. Select Options
4. In the left panel, go to Privacy & Security
5. In the Cookies and Site Data section, click Clear Data
6. Make sure Cookies and Site Data and Cached Web Content are checked
7. Click Clear to remove the data

Brave, Microsoft Edge, and Safari - Quick Methods to Clear Your Browser

Brave Browser:

1. Open Brave
2. Click the three-line menu in the top right corner
3. Go to More tools → Clear browsing data
4. Select the time range as All time (to remove everything)
5. Check Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files
6. Click Clear data

Microsoft Edge Chromium:

1. Open Microsoft Edge
2. Click Settings and more (three dots icon) in the top right, or press ALT+F
3. Select Settings
4. In the left menu, go to Privacy, search, and services
5. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear
6. Set the time range to All time
7. Uncheck Browsing history if you want to keep that record
8. Make sure Cookies and site data and Cached images and files are checked
9. Click Clear now

Safari (macOS):

1. Open Safari on your Mac
2. In the top menu, click Safari → Reset Safari
3. Select the specific items you want to remove, or choose to remove all
4. Click Reset to confirm

Practical Tips to Keep Your Browser Optimized

Besides manually clearing cookies, consider these best practices:

• Automate the process: Most browsers offer options to automatically clear data upon closing
• Perform regular cleanups: Do a full cleanup at least once a month
• Selective cleanup: If you want to keep cookies from specific sites, use advanced options to be more selective
• Consider privacy settings: Using browsers like Brave with enhanced privacy configurations already provides greater protection for your information

Now you know exactly how to clear cookies in all major browsers. Keeping your browsing data clean is a simple yet powerful practice to improve your online experience and maintain your privacy.