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

In most browsers, cookie controls are found in Settings, usually under Privacy, Privacy & Security, or Site settings. Enabling cookies can help websites load properly, remember your logins, and save preferences. Disabling some or all cookies can reduce cross-site tracking and limit how much of your browsing activity is used for advertising. 

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?

Use this quick-reference table to find cookie controls in each browser. Keep in mind that some browsers focus on blocking third-party cookies rather than offering a simple on/off switch for all cookies.

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

To manage cookies in Chrome on desktop, open the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner, select Settings, and 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.
   
   

   

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
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

Chrome on iPhone and iPad doesn't currently offer a setting to block or enable cookies directly in the app. Cookies are generally allowed by default, but you can clear stored browsing data by following these steps:

1. Open Chrome and tap the three horizontal dots in the bottom-right corner of your screen.
2. Scroll right and tap Settings.
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 limit third-party tracking across websites.
4. For a stricter setting, turn on Block all cookies to stop websites from saving new cookies entirely.

For most people, blocking cross-site tracking is the better balance because fully blocking all cookies can cause websites to stop working correctly.

iPhone or iPad

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

1. Open your device's Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap Apps.
3. Select Safari.
   

   

4. To reduce tracking, turn on Prevent Cross-Site Tracking.

5. For more privacy, you can also set Hide IP Address to Trackers or Trackers and Websites, depending on your device and iOS version.

6. If you want to remove existing website data, go back to Safari’s Settings and select Clear History and Website Data. 

7. The pop-up provides a time range. Select the period you want to clear, then click Clear History.
   

   

On iPhone and iPad, Safari settings focus more on tracking prevention and clearing saved data than on a simple cookie on/off switch.

How to disable or enable cookies in Edge

Microsoft Edge separates tracking prevention from cookie controls, so review both settings.

1. Click the three dots, then scroll to 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 Settings, select Privacy, search, and services. 
2. Click Cookies.
3. Turn Block third-party cookies on or off, depending on your preference.

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, choose Standard, Strict, or Custom.
4. Standard is the default and blocks many cross-site trackers while allowing most websites to work normally.
5. Strict blocks more trackers and cookies, but it may cause some sites to break.
6. If you want more control, Custom lets you choose which trackers and cookies Firefox blocks.

How to disable or enable cookies in Opera

Opera lets you manage third-party cookies, clear saved site data, and review which websites have stored information in your browser. Here’s how to adjust those Opera settings:

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 to the cookie section. Use Delete browsing data to remove saved cookies, or open Third-party cookies to choose whether Opera allows or blocks them.
   

   

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

Samsung Internet comes preinstalled on many Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets. To manage cookie settings for all websites, follow these steps:

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?

Disabling some cookies can improve privacy, especially on shared devices or if you want to reduce how much advertisers and data brokers track your activity across websites. You can also combine stricter cookie settings with private browsing modes and other privacy tools for better protection.

Cookies can also create security risks in some situations. For example, if someone gains access to a session cookie, they may be able to sign in as you on a website without knowing your password. That’s one reason it can help to clear cookies on shared or public devices.

Clearing old cookies and site data can sometimes fix browser glitches, sign-in problems, or outdated site settings. However, cookies usually use very little storage, so disabling them typically doesn't provide a major performance boost on its own.

When should you enable cookies?

Enabling cookies can make websites more convenient to use. For example, cookies help sites keep you signed in, remember shopping cart items, save language preferences, and load pages with your preferred settings. 

You may also need cookies turned on for certain websites to function properly. Some login pages, streaming platforms, online stores, and paywalled sites won’t work as expected if essential cookies are blocked. 

If you want a balance between convenience and privacy, consider allowing first-party cookies while blocking third-party cookies where your browser gives you that option. According to our research, 87% of users notice hyper-personalized ads, thanks to cookies. 

Other ways to block cookies and trackers

If you want more privacy without changing cookie settings in every browser you use, other tools can help reduce tracking. Depending on the tool, they may block ads, limit trackers, hide your IP address, or reduce the number of consent pop-ups you see.

Ad blockers

Ad blockers can reduce many ads, scripts, and trackers before they load in your browser. Some also include privacy features that limit advertising-related tracking technologies, though they don't replace your browser’s own cookie controls.

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 skip cookie consent banners entirely. 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

A virtual private network (VPN) encrypts your internet traffic and hides your IP address from the websites and networks you connect to. That can improve privacy, especially on public Wi-Fi, but a VPN does not automatically block all cookies. For the best results, use a VPN alongside browser privacy settings or tracker-blocking tools. Two top-tested VPNs with ad-blocking features include NordVPN and Surfshark. 

NordVPN Threat Protection 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 blocks ads, malware, and trackers when you have an active VPN connection.

Secure browsers

Privacy-focused browsers can block many trackers by default and may offer stronger anti-fingerprinting and privacy protections than standard browsers. They can be a good option if you want more protection without manually adjusting every setting.

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

Bottom line

Learning how to enable or disable cookies gives you more control over how websites work on your devices and how much of your activity is tracked online. For most people, the best starting point is to allow necessary site cookies while blocking third-party tracking cookies when available.

If you want even more privacy, combine your browser’s cookie settings with tracker-blocking tools, a privacy-focused browser, or a VPN.

FAQs