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Clearing your Safari cookies can give you a clean slate and keep your information more secure. Here’s how to disable (or enable) Safari cookies depending on your need, as well as some of the best ad blockers to block cookies entirely.
The steps to manage cookies on Safari may vary depending on your device, but we’ll walk you through how to manage Safari cookies on macOS or an OS device.
1. Go to your Safari browser on your Mac and select Preferences.
2. Click Privacy, then select Manage Website Data.
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3. Now click the Remove All button, and then click Done.
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4. You may get a message asking if you’re sure you want to delete all the cookies. Once you confirm, all the cookies will be deleted.
1. Go to your Settings app on your device.
2. Scroll down and tap Apps.
3. Select Safari.
3. Scroll down to the History and Website Data section to select Clear History and Website Data.
4. The pop-up provides a time range. Select the period you'd like to erase, and then hit the Clear History button.
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5. While you're there, you may opt to Prevent Cross-Site Tracking and Hide IP Address from Trackers and Websites for enhanced security.
If you want to disable cookies at specific times, you can easily do that in Safari, too. Here’s how to quickly disable cookies in Safari to prevent sites from tracking you.
1. Open your Safari browser and go to Preferences in the Safari menu.
2. Click on Privacy, then select Block all cookies.
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3. When the message opens to confirm, click Block All.
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1. Go to your Settings app on your device.
2. Scroll down and tap Apps.
3. Select Safari.
4. Scroll to the very bottom and tap Advanced.
5. Toggle on Block All Cookies.
6. The pop-up prompts you to Cancel or Block All, so select Block All.
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7. You may also opt for Private Browsing (under Advanced Tracking and Fingerprinting Protection) and toggle on Privacy Preserving Ad Measurement to reduce third-party trackers.
Cookies were originally designed to make your internet browsing better by remembering your personal information and browsing preferences, but they can also invade your privacy.
Some websites and advertisers use third-party cookies to track your information, such as demographics, shopping habits, and even your location. This is a big reason why many people decide to disable cookies in Safari.
Another plus of disabling Safari cookies is that you may not see as many targeted ads. If you get tired of those pop-up ads showing the latest item you viewed on Amazon, you’re not alone — and disabling your cookies could help. Lastly, disabling cookies could also lead to faster internet access because you won’t have as many files stored on your device.
Another method for disabling cookies is by using an ad and tracker blocker.
Instantly blocks distracting ads on millions of websites, including Facebook and YouTube ads
Blocks third-party trackers to protect your privacy and information
Improves page load times and enables faster browsing
Privacy concerns aside, there may be times you want to enable cookies in Safari. You may want to allow a website to keep you logged in or remember your settings and preferences. By accepting what’s called first-party cookies, you can often improve your online experience.
When you need to enable cookies in Safari, you can follow these simple steps.
1. Open your Safari browser menu and select Preferences.
2. On the Privacy tab, deselect Block all cookies beside Cookies and website data.
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3. If you enable Prevent cross-site tracking, it will block third-party cookies from tracking you.
1. Go to your Settings app on your device.
2. Scroll down and tap Apps.
3. Select Safari.
4. Scroll to the very bottom and tap Advanced.
5. Toggle off Block All Cookies.
Sometimes, you’ll need to enable cookies in Safari for different situations — there are even some websites that won’t load properly if your cookies aren’t enabled. Other reasons to enable cookies in Safari include:
Not all cookies are harmful, and there are good reasons to use cookies while you browse online.
If you delete all your Safari cookies, you can reduce tracking from third-party sites, improve your browser performance, and ultimately, see fewer targeted ads. But beware, clearing your cookies may also log you out of websites and erase any website preferences you have set.
Yes, deleting cookies erases all site data saved in your web browser, including your passwords. However, it’s safer not to use autofill or tools such as Safari password manager to remember your passwords. Instead, a dedicated password manager can provide an encrypted vault to store your saved passwords.
It’s a good idea to remove all your cookies if you want a clean slate and more privacy. Removing your cookies can also increase your internet speed, especially if you have lots of stored cookies taking up space.
When you want to manage cookies in Safari, you have the option of enabling, disabling, or deleting them. You may choose different actions based on what you’re trying to accomplish at the time. Luckily, it’s easy to change your Safari settings on any device.
If you want more privacy, disabling and deleting cookies is your best option. During times when you want a more personalized browsing experience, you can always enable cookies in Safari and then disable them again when you log off. We've also compiled a list of the best ad blockers for Safari if you want to block cookies altogether.
Instantly blocks distracting ads on millions of websites, including Facebook and YouTube ads
Blocks third-party trackers to protect your privacy and information
Improves page load times and enables faster browsing
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