How to Delete Cookies on Mac

You definitely have seen the term “cookies” when browsing online. What does that mean exactly? Here, “cookies” do not go with coffee or tea, but have to do with internet security. In this article, we will explain to what “cookies” are, what can they do to your mac and how to remove them from your browsers—Safari, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox, we all got you covered.

What are cookies?

Cookies are a type of mini text files that a website writes on your browser or hard drive. They are used to record information such as your browsing sessions, usernames, etc. Cookies can be very useful for remembering password or tracking your website visits. However, someone with bad intention can also use them to track your private information and steal your personal data. Malicious third party cookies actually exist, and you should be very careful with cookies on your Mac.

Should I delete cookies? Are they dangerous?

If your mac is used by multiple individuals and you do not want them to know your browsing history, you should definitely clear all the cookies after you used the computer.
If you have just browsed some websites that may be not safe enough, you should also clear all the cookies to prevent malicious third-party malware. Cookies are mostly harmless, but if they are taken advantaged by these kinds of malware, they can be dangerous to your Mac.

How to Clear Cookies from Safari, Chrome and Firefox on Mac:

It is not hard to clear cookies, just remember to clear them on every browser you have used. Here are the steps on how to remove cookies on different browsers:

Safari

1. Launch your Safari web browser.
2. Go to the Menu bar, then click Safari > Preference.
3. Go to the Privacy tab, then click Manage Website Data.
   Here, you will see a list of website cache and cookies stored in your Safari browser.
4. You can simply remove all the cookies and caches by clicking remove all, or just remove specific web browsing history.

Chrome

1. Launch your Google Chrome web browser.
2. Using a keyboard shortcut, go to your Google Chrome History by pressing ⌘ and Y keys at the same time.
3. Select Cookies and other site data, then click the Clear data button.
   

Firefox

1. Launch your Mozilla Firefox web browser.
2. Go to the Menu bar, then click Options.
3. Select the Privacy & Security panel, then go to the Cookies and Site Data section.
4. Click the Manage Data… button. The Manage Cookies and Site Data window will appear.
   
5. Click Remove All to remove all saved cookies and storage data. Click Remove Selected if you just want to remove a specific data.

Or, the easier way:

Although clearing website cookies is not that difficult, you still have to do it manually every time when you browse online. If you normally use more than one browser, the job might be even more time-consuming. There is, however, a more convenient way to do this. Professional anti-tracking apps will do that automatically for you so you do not have to go through every step yourself.

Antivirus One is one of the top-listed Cyber Security Apps in the Mac App Store and can prevent your Mac from being tracked by cookies. It can also scan and detect other potential threats such as viruses and adware, with a real time monitor that keeps your Mac safe all the time.