How to Clear Cookies in Windows

To clear cookies in Windows, use the settings in the browser where they are stored. Windows does not have one setting that clears cookies from every browser. In Microsoft Edge, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete, choose a time range, select Cookies and other site data, then choose Clear now.

These steps apply to Edge on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Chrome and Firefox have their own cookie controls, covered below. Clearing cookies usually signs you out of websites.

1. Clear cookies in Microsoft Edge

Open Edge and select the three-dot Settings and more menu.
Choose Settings, then Privacy, search, and services.
Beside Clear browsing data now, select Choose what to clear.
Choose the Time range you want. Pick All time to remove all available cookies, or a shorter range to limit the clearing.
Select Cookies and other site data. If you only intend to clear cookies, leave other categories unchecked.
Select Clear now.

You can also use Ctrl+Shift+Delete to open the clear-data workflow, then choose the time range and cookie data. Microsoft notes that clearing cookies signs you out of most sites. See Microsoft’s Edge cookie instructions.

Choose the right scope

One website: remove only that site’s stored data using the steps in the next section.
Some recent cookies: choose a limited time range in the clear-data dialog.
All available cookies: choose All time.

Edge shows other browsing-data categories separately. Do not select history, cached files, saved passwords, or autofill data unless you want to remove those as well.

2. Clear cookies for one website in Edge

If one site is misbehaving, deleting just its data is a narrower troubleshooting step than clearing cookies everywhere. It also avoids signing out of unrelated sites.

In Edge, open Settings > Privacy, search, and services.
Find Cookies and choose See all cookies and site data.
Search for the website’s domain.
Expand the matching entry and select Delete.

Reload the site and sign in again if prompted. The exact setting labels can change; Microsoft’s cookie guide describes managing and deleting site data.

3. Clear cookies whenever Edge closes

To make clearing automatic, go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services. Under Clear browsing data, choose Choose what to clear every time you close the browser, then turn on Cookies and other site data.

This applies when Edge closes. It can sign you out of most websites, so you may need to sign in again the next time you use them. Choose this only if that trade-off fits how you use the browser. See Microsoft’s instructions for clearing cookies on close.

4. Clear cookies in Chrome or Firefox

Cookies belong to a browser profile, so clearing Edge cookies will not clear cookies stored by Chrome or Firefox. Open the browser you actually use and follow its current official instructions:

Google Chrome: Delete, allow, and manage cookies in Chrome.
Mozilla Firefox: Clear cookies and site data in Firefox. Firefox’s guide includes clearing data for a current website or for all sites.

Browser menus and labels may change. Use the browser’s help page if a setting has moved, and make sure you are editing the profile where the affected website is open.

5. Understand what clearing cookies changes

Sign-ins: expect to be signed out of most sites after clearing their cookies.
Scope: deleting one site’s data affects that site; clearing all cookies affects many sites.
Other data: cookies are a separate category from browsing history, cached files, saved passwords, and autofill data.
Sync: Edge sync can affect whether synced browsing data is removed across devices. Check sync status if you intend to clear data on just one device. Microsoft’s browsing-data and sync guidance distinguishes device data from data handled through the privacy dashboard.
Blocking is different: blocking cookies is not the same as clearing existing ones, and Microsoft warns that blocking can prevent some pages from displaying correctly.

6. Troubleshooting

Problem	Likely cause	What to do
The site still shows the same error	You cleared cookies in a different browser, profile, or time range.	Check which browser and profile has the site open. In Edge, try removing only that site’s data, or choose a broader time range if appropriate.
You were signed out of websites	Cookies store site data used to keep sessions.	Sign in again. This is an expected consequence of clearing cookies for those sites.
You cannot find “Cookies and other site data”	The browser’s interface or help instructions may have changed.	Open the browser’s current official cookie help page and follow its labels. In Edge, the clear-data dialog is under Privacy, search, and services.
Cookies seem to return	You revisited the site, or Edge sync may be involved.	Check sync status and the site-specific cookie list. A website can store new cookies when you visit it again.
A page works worse after clearing	The site may rely on stored data for its session or preferences.	Reload and sign in again. If needed, use site-specific deletion next time instead of clearing all cookies.
A website looks unchanged after clearing	The issue may involve cached files or another site setting rather than cookies.	First confirm the correct site’s cookies were removed. Consider clearing another data category only if you intend to remove it; these categories have separate effects.

7. Or skip the browser setup

If your goal is capturing a clean screenshot of a website, you do not need to clear cookies in your own Windows browser or configure a browser automation setup. ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server. Send one GET request with a URL to receive a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation.

curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webp

import requests

r = requests.get(
    "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot",
    params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"},
    timeout=90,
)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)

const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Screenshot request failed: ${res.status}`);
const fs = await import('node:fs/promises');
await fs.writeFile('shot.webp', Buffer.from(await res.arrayBuffer()));

ScreenshotNeo accepts cookie and consent banners as a visitor and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each cleanup step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts, and cache hits are not billed, and the response identifies the page verdict and billing status in headers. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000, and all features are available on every plan.

Create a free ScreenshotNeo account for 1,000 screenshots a month, with no card required.

8. Frequently asked questions

Does Windows Settings clear cookies from every browser?

No. Clear cookies in each browser that stores them, such as Edge, Chrome, or Firefox.

Will clearing cookies delete saved passwords?

Cookies and saved passwords are separate browsing-data categories. In Edge, select only the cookie category if that is all you want to remove.

Should I block cookies after clearing them?

Not necessarily. Blocking is a separate choice and can stop some pages from displaying correctly.

Can I clear cookies for one site without affecting others?

Yes. Edge lets you search its stored cookies and site data, then delete an individual site’s entry.