How To Disable or Enable Cookies in Safari, Chrome, Firefox, & More [2026 Guide]

In every major browser, cookie controls live in the same place: the Privacy section or the Privacy and Security section of your settings. Turning cookies on fixes sites that won't load or keep you logged in, while turning them off gives you more privacy. 

Cookies are easy to misunderstand. Our internet cookies study found fewer than 40% of people know what cookies actually do, yet 1 in 4 blindly accept them.

Below, you’ll learn how to enable or disable cookies in all major browsers on both desktop and mobile devices, including Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.

Where are cookie settings in each browser?

Browser	Where to find it	What to select
Chrome (desktop)	Settings → Privacy and security → Third-party cookies	Block third-party cookies
Safari (Mac)	Safari → Settings → Privacy	Prevent cross-site tracking
Edge	Settings → Cookies and site permissions	Block third-party cookies
Firefox	Settings → Privacy & Security	Enhanced Tracking Protection
Samsung Internet	Settings → Sites and downloads → Site permissions → Cookies	Allow / block cookies
Opera	Settings → Privacy & security	Third-party cookies

How to disable or enable cookies in Chrome

Managing your Chrome cookies is fairly straightforward unless you have an iOS device. Here’s how to enable and disable your browser cookies, plus a workaround for managing cookies on your iPad or iPhone.

Desktop

You can access your settings in Google Chrome by going to the drop-down menu under the vertical dots in the upper-right corner of the screen. Then follow these steps:

1. From the drop-down menu, click Settings.
2. Click the Privacy and security tab on the left-hand menu.
   

   

3. Select Third-party cookies.

From there, you'll be able to choose from the following cookie settings:

Allow all cookies	Allows sites to use third-party cookies to personalize content and ads, but blocks sites from using third-party cookies in incognito mode
Block third-party cookies	Blocks sites from using third-party cookies to personalize content and ads

Bonus: Selecting See all site data and permissions lets you see which websites have your saved data and how many cookies are stored.

Android

The steps for enabling or disabling cookies in Chrome on your Android device are similar to the desktop version.

1. Tap the three vertical dots in the top right of the browser window, then choose Settings.
2. Tap Site Settings and choose Third-party cookies.
3. From here, you can choose to allow or block third-party cookies.

iPhone and iPad

Google Chrome on iOS devices doesn’t let you modify cookie settings, so cookies remain enabled by default. You can, however, clear your cookies by doing the following:

1. Open Chrome and tap the three horizontal dots in the bottom-right corner of your screen.
2. Scroll to the right and find the Settings option.
3. Tap Privacy and security, then Delete Browsing Data.
4. Choose the items you want to clear, such as Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, and Cached images and files. Then set the time range.
5. Tap Confirm at the top-right corner of your screen.

How to disable or enable cookies in Safari

Learning how to disable or enable cookies on Safari is straightforward:

Desktop

1. Open Safari, click Safari in the top navigation bar, and choose Settings.
2. Select the Privacy tab.
3. Turn on Prevent cross-site tracking to block third-party cookies.
4. Under Advanced settings, you can completely disable Safari cookies by selecting Block all cookies.

iPhone or iPad

If you’re using an iOS device, you’ll find cookies under your iPhone’s or iPad’s Settings.

1. Go to your Settings app on your device.
2. Scroll down and tap Apps.
3. Select Safari.
   

   

4. The pop-up lets you choose a time range. Select the period you'd like to clear, then tap Clear History.
5. The pop-up provides a time range. Select the period you'd like to clear, then click the Clear History button.
   

   

6. While you're there, you may opt to Prevent Cross-Site Tracking and Hide IP Address from Trackers and Websites for enhanced security.

How to disable or enable cookies in Edge

To manage how your data is tracked in Microsoft Edge, follow these steps:

1. Click the three dots and scroll to find Settings.
2. Select Privacy, search, and services from the left-hand side. 
3. Click Tracking prevention and select your tracking preference: Basic, Balanced, or Strict.

To enable or disable cookies in Microsoft Edge, follow these steps:

1. In your Settings, select Privacy, search, and services. 
2. Click Cookies.
3. Enable or disable the toggle to Block third-party cookies. 

Bonus: Selecting See all cookie and site data lets you see which websites have your saved data and how many cookies are stored.

How to disable or enable cookies in Firefox

To manage cookies in Mozilla Firefox, follow these steps:

1. From the Firefox menu, go to Settings.
   

   

2. Select Privacy & Security.
   

   

3. Under Enhanced Tracking Protection, click Advanced Settings. 
4. Firefox has Standard protection enabled by default, but you can enable Strict protection to block even more trackers. 

How to disable or enable cookies in Opera

Knowing how to turn cookies on or off in Opera gives you the ability to manage site referrals, redirects, and delete cookies at the end of each visit. Here’s how to turn your Opera cookies on and off:

1. Open Opera, then click the three horizontal bars in the top-right corner to open the Easy Setup menu.
2. Scroll down and click Go to Full Browser Settings.
   

   

3. Click the Privacy & Security tab.
   

   

4. Scroll down to manage cookie preferences. Clear cookies via Delete browsing data or select Third-party cookies to disable tracking cookies.
   

   

5. To delete all cookies, click See all site data and permissions.
   

   

6. Select which cookie data to delete by clicking the corresponding trash can.
   

   

How to enable or disable cookies on Samsung Internet

The free web browser, Samsung Internet, is included with Android smartphones and tablets and is most commonly used on Samsung Galaxy devices. Here is the easiest way to manage cookies for all websites on Samsung Internet.

1. Go to Settings or the Settings app and select Apps.
2. Locate and select Samsung Internet.
3. Tap Samsung Internet settings.
4. Select Sites and downloads.
5. Tap Site permissions and select Cookies at the top.
6. Select Allow all cookies, Block third-party cookies, or Block all cookies.

When should you disable cookies?

If you want more privacy, such as when sharing a device with others, disabling cookies can prevent the person who uses the machine after you from seeing your internet activity. Knowing how to browse online anonymously also helps mitigate the risk of others seeing your browsing activity.

Browser cookies may pose a security threat because hackers can hijack them to access your browser sessions. If the criminals get access, they can steal your personal information. They can use that to drain your bank accounts and steal your identity. Knowing how to change cookie settings will let you tweak your internet cookies anytime.

Sometimes, too many cookies can cause your device to get bogged down and run slowly. Since the pages you browse are saved to your hard drive, you could accumulate tons of cookies over time, slowing your computer. Learning to disable cookies will reduce storage consumption, potentially improving device performance.

When should you enable cookies?

When you accept cookies, you may have a better experience browsing the internet. According to our research, 87% of users notice hyper-personalized ads, thanks to cookies. 

In addition, online shopping sites use cookies to remember items you add to your shopping cart. Other sites use cookies to remember your login info — you probably don’t want to waste time logging in to the same websites you visit regularly.

You may also want to know how to turn on cookies to access specific websites. Some sites won’t let you view their content unless you accept cookies.

Other ways to block cookies and trackers

If you’re tired of cookie consent banners and opting out of tracking, you may want to use one or all of these options.

Cookie popups may seem like constant intrusions while you’re trying to work or shop online. To reduce the frequency of these annoying banners, you can use VPNs, ad blocker browser extensions, or a secure browser.

Ad blockers

Ad blockers can prevent websites from adding tracking cookies to your browser, helping keep some of your activities private. The best ad blockers can also block malicious websites and ads, and provide anti-phishing technology for enhanced security.

Total Adblock is one of the best ad blockers we tested for tracker blocking. It's easy to set up, works independently once you've installed the extension, and even gets around annoying YouTube ads.

Total Adblock also offers a feature called cookie consent cutter. In addition to blocking third-party cookies and hidden trackers, Total Adblock lets you completely skip cookie consent banners. During testing, we didn't have to "accept" any cookies because Total Adblock automatically rejected unwanted cookies and accepted the first-party cookies, which are the default cookies necessary for a smooth browsing experience. 

VPNs

If you want to have next-level cyber protection, you may want to use a virtual private network (VPN). A virtual private network helps establish a secure connection when using the internet. All your data gets routed through an encrypted tunnel, which disguises your IP address. That helps guard against cyber attacks.

Two top-tested VPNs with ad-blocking features include NordVPN and Surfshark. 

NordVPN is one of the best VPN services with ad and tracker-blocking capabilities. Its Threat Protection feature blocks risky websites, stops web tracking, removes ads, and protects your device from viruses.

Surfshark is one of the more affordable VPN services, making it a great option for users who need a digital security suite. Its CleanWeb feature helps block ads, malware, and trackers if you have an active VPN connection.

Secure browsers

Secure browsers are helpful because they block trackers and reduce intrusive pop-up ads. They may also provide incognito windows so you can search in private mode.

If you’re looking for a secure privacy browser, a few examples include Tor, Opera, Mozilla Firefox, DuckDuckGo, and Mullvad Browser.

Bottom line

If all you’ve read and heard lately about cookies causes some concern, rest assured, you can take control of your cookie settings. Learning how to enable and disable cookies gives you more options when browsing online.

The control is in your hands, and you can manage cookies as you see fit. Being able to make changes gives you more control over your data. If you need somewhere to start, try one of the best VPNs with an ad blocker to protect your online identity and encrypt your Wi-Fi.

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