Each time you visit a website, your browser collects cookies — tiny pieces of data that track what you did on the page and what settings you may have adjusted. Some cookies make it easier to continue browsing from session to session. However, letting them build up without clearing them can sometimes cause websites to browse wrong. The information cookies hold is also valuable, and websites frequently sell it to third parties. Let’s talk about why you should block cookies, when disabling them might be a good idea, and how to adjust your cookie settings on mobile and desktop browsers.
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Why you should (and shouldn’t) block cookies
You might choose to block third-party cookies from websites to protect your digital privacy. Cookies collect a lot of data that, at first glance, appears inconsequential, like how many times you’ve visited a website, what buttons you interacted with, or whether you’re logged in to an account. They do so to make browsing between sessions easier and load visual elements faster.
However, some information is more personalized. For instance, if you visit an e-commerce site and leave some items in the cart without purchasing, the website will remember what those items are and will remind you to complete the purchase or recommend similar products in the future. Cookies will also ensure the website loads in your preferred language and even collect information you’ve entered on the website, like your name and email address.
Websites can sell cookies to third parties for profit. Users don’t know who these third parties are — some might be legitimate companies, but others have more malicious intent. If cybercriminals buy cookie data from a website, they can use it to target specific individuals in phishing attacks or sell their information on to other bad actors on the dark web.
However, blocking cookies or deleting browsing data can mess with how websites load on your device. Some websites can block specific elements, like videos or images, from loading if you don’t accept cookies. If you customize settings, like using dark mode or adjusting the font to be more accessible, these changes won’t load the next time you visit the site as long as the cookies are blocked.
Furthermore, when you block cookies, you need to log in to your accounts anew with every visit, which can be annoying and time consuming, especially if you don’t have your login details conveniently saved. The sites also take longer to open because their elements need to load without the previous visit history. In some cases, you might want to enable cookies for specific websites to keep them loading consistently, as long as your preferred browser supports allowlisting and exceptions to the cookie block.
How to disable cookies on desktop browsers
All major browsers allow you to manage cookies manually. However, the path to the settings differs. Let’s see how you can disable cookies on Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge. If you use a browser for which we don’t have a guide, you should generally be able to block or delete cookies in its privacy settings.
Google Chrome
To block cookies on Google Chrome, you need to:
Click the three dots at the top right corner of Chrome.
Select “Settings.”
In the sidebar, select “Privacy and security.”
Click “Third-party cookies” and select the option “Block third-party cookies.”
Keep in mind that blocking third-party cookies may interfere with some websites and prevent them from loading. Turning on this setting also won’t delete cookies from your browsing history.
You can allowlist websites that you want to exclude from the block in the same “Third-party cookies” settings. Under “Sites allowed to use third-party cookies,” click “Add” and enter the website you want to allowlist.
Safari
If you’re a macOS user who has Safari set as your default browser, you can disable cookies in the advanced settings:
Use the “Command” and “,” buttons to open browser settings or select “Settings” in the “Safari” section of the menu bar.
In the “Advanced” tab, check the “Block all cookies” box.
In the pop-up window, confirm the change by selecting “Block all.”
You can also prevent cross-site tracking:
In the Safari settings, select the “Privacy” tab.
Under “Website tracking,” check the “Prevent cross-site tracking” box.
Mozilla Firefox
On Firefox, you can adjust tracker permissions and automate cookie deletion:
In the browser’s settings, open the “Privacy and security” tab.
Under “Enhanced tracking protection,” select “Strict” to block all social media trackers and cross-site cookies.
If you want to allowlist specific sites, select “Custom” and choose what type of cookies you want to block.
Click “Reload all tabs” to apply the change.
To automate cookie deletion, scroll down to “Cookies and site data” and check the “Clear cookies and site data every time you close Firefox” box.
Microsoft Edge
You can adjust Edge’s settings to limit tracking:
In the browser’s settings, select “Privacy, search, and services.”
Click “Tracking prevention” and choose the “Strict” level to block a majority of trackers and restrict personalized ads.
You can select “Exceptions” to allowlist tracking on specific websites.
You can also block third-party cookies on Edge:
In the “Privacy, search, and services” tab, select “Cookies.”
Toggle on “Block third-party cookies.”
In the same settings tab, you can customize cookie behavior for specific websites to:
Never allow cookies to be saved or read with the default settings.
Allow to save cookies even with the blocking enabled.
Clear all cookies when you close Edge.
Temporarily allow cookies to be saved with the aforementioned settings enabled.
How to block third-party cookies on iOS and Android devices
If you predominantly use your phone for browsing, you can adjust cookie settings in the app settings. However, if you have synchronized desktop and mobile accounts for your browser, keep in mind that the cookies are device specific, and disabling them on one device won’t delete them on the other.
iOS (Safari)
To block third-party cookies on Safari on your iOS device, you need to:
Open device settings and tap “Apps.”
Find and select Safari. At the bottom of the page, tap “Advanced.”
Under privacy settings, toggle on “Block all cookies.”
You will be prompted to confirm this action. Select “Block all.”
Note: If you use Chrome on an iPhone, you can’t block third-party cookies in the settings.
Android (Google Chrome)
Settings to disable cookies on Android’s Chrome version follow the same path as on the desktop browser:
Tap the three dots at the top right corner of the app and select “Settings.”
Under “Basics,” select “Privacy and security.”
Tap “Third-party cookies.”
Select “Block third-party cookies.”
If you want to allowlist cookies of specific websites, tap “Add site exception” in the “Third-party cookies” page. If you are using a different mobile browser on your Android device, you can read our full guide on clearing cookies on Android-based browsers.
First-party and third-party cookies: What’s the difference?
Cookies are typically categorized by either essential and non-essential or first party and third party. The former categorizations are based on whether they require user consent — essential cookies are always on and are necessary for the site to run as intended, while non-essential cookies are optional, and rejecting them doesn’t significantly impact the user’s experience.
The first-party/third-party categorization is based on where the cookies come from. First-party cookies are embedded by the website itself to ensure your user experience is seamless between sessions. As soon as you close the site, the cookies go dormant until your next visit. First-party cookies won’t follow you outside the specific service.
Third-party cookies are embedded in the browser and track your activity as you go from website to website. This allows cookies to generate more extensive data about you, usually to monitor your activity and provide more personalized recommendations and ads. Third-party cookies are often seen as invasive due to the amount of user data they collect.
Google had plans to phase out third-party cookies completely by 2025. However, in 2026, the project was deprecated, and Google shifted to a user-choice model, allowing you to decide whether you want to consent to third-party cookies. The option to block all third-party cookies on different browsers acts as an alternative solution.
Beyond cookies: Other steps to improve online privacy
Blocking third-party cookies is an effective way to protect your digital private information from shady businesses. However, sometimes websites take extra steps to make cookie rejections harder by restricting certain features or even preventing you from seeing the content altogether. In these cases, you can use a few tools to keep browsing without revealing too much information:
Use incognito or private browsing mode. If the website makes accepting all cookies mandatory, you can get around this by using incognito mode. It starts a new temporary session that doesn’t save your browsing history and can’t be traced back to your previous browsing. You can then accept all cookies while using incognito and leave the site without a tangible trace.
Switch to a virtual private network (VPN). A service like NordVPN changes your IP address, making it harder for trackers to get your location data or follow your browsing habits when you start new sessions.
Review and adjust site permissions. Websites often require you to reaffirm your cookie consent. Review if the new requests are including or excluding your previous settings and revoke access as needed.
Clear your cache and cookies. Even if you block trackers, you should routinely clear the site data to reset tracking identifiers and ensure the websites you visit run smoothly.
Switch off your browser’s autocomplete option. If your browser uses autofill for information like your name, email address, or payment details, consider switching it off. Some third-party cookies can run malicious scripts that could harvest unencrypted autofill information.
Use a privacy-focused browser and search engines. Switch to a browser like Firefox or Brave, or use a search engine like DuckDuckGo. They have built-in privacy settings that block cookies and trackers as well as offer safe browsing that protects you from spoofed websites.
Store credentials in a standalone password manager. If you decide to frequently clear your browser cookies, you’ll need to log in to new websites a lot. Use a password manager like NordPass to create, store, manage, and autofill login details without worrying about mistyping or forgetting them.