How to Disable Cookies in Chrome, Firefox, and Other Browsers
Learn how to block third-party cookies or all cookies in Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, and what to do when a site stops working.
To limit cookie-based tracking between websites, block third-party or cross-site cookies. To stop sites from storing any cookies, block all cookies—but expect more sign-in, preference, and embedded-content problems. The browser controls below change rules for future cookies; clearing cookies already stored is a separate action.
Menu names can vary by browser version and platform. These steps cover Chrome on a computer, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. For Safari or another browser, use its current official support instructions. Blocking cookies can reduce some cross-site tracking, but does not prevent every kind of tracking.
1. Choose which cookies to block
A first-party cookie is associated with the site you are visiting. Sites use cookies for functions such as keeping you signed in or remembering preferences. A third-party cookie comes from a different site embedded or involved in the page; cross-site cookies can be used to follow activity across sites.
| Setting | What it changes | Likely trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Block third-party or cross-site cookies | Restricts cookies associated with other sites. | Some embedded services or site features may fail; first-party sign-ins may continue to work. |
| Block all cookies | Prevents sites from saving first-party as well as third-party cookies. | Sign-ins, preferences, and more site functions can stop working. |
| Clear stored cookies | Deletes cookie data already saved by sites. | You may be signed out. This does not by itself block future cookies. |
For a narrower privacy change, start with third-party or cross-site cookies. If one site breaks, use its site-specific exception or protection control where available rather than broadly disabling privacy settings.
2. Disable third-party cookies in Chrome on a computer
- Open Chrome and select More (the three-dot menu).
- Choose Settings.
- Open Privacy and security, then Third-party cookies.
- Choose the option to block third-party cookies.
Chrome blocks cookies from other sites under this setting unless the site is on your exceptions list. In Incognito, third-party cookies are blocked by default. Google warns that sites may not work as expected when cookies are disallowed. These are computer instructions; do not assume the same menu appears in every Chrome mobile version. See Google Chrome’s cookie settings help if the labels differ.
Allow a site in Chrome when it breaks
In Settings > Privacy and security > Third-party cookies, add the affected site to the allowed list or use Chrome’s temporary allowance when it offers one. Google says a temporary allowance can apply to the current site and, in regular browsing, remain for 90 days or until the setting is turned off. Recheck the site after changing the exception; remove it when it is no longer needed.
3. Disable cross-site cookies in Firefox
- Open the Firefox menu and choose Settings.
- Select Privacy & Security.
- Under Enhanced Tracking Protection, choose Custom.
- Check Cookies and choose the cookie types to block. To block all third-party or cross-site cookies, select All cross-site cookies (may cause websites to break).
Firefox’s Total Cookie Protection is a separate protection: it partitions third-party storage into a separate cookie jar for each site. Mozilla says it is enabled by default worldwide. Partitioning is not the same as blocking every cookie. Read Mozilla’s cookie and tracking protection guidance for the current choices and explanations.
Fix a site that fails in Firefox
For a site that malfunctions, select the shield icon beside the address bar and turn off Enhanced Tracking Protection for that site. Firefox reloads the page with trackers enabled there. This is a site-specific exception; the protection remains in place elsewhere. Mozilla notes that cookie protections can be associated with broken embedded content, functionality that fails after login, or an unsuccessful login, but a site failure can have another cause too. Test the site-specific control before concluding that cookie blocking caused the problem. See Mozilla’s site troubleshooting guidance.
4. Disable cookies in Microsoft Edge
- Open Edge Settings.
- Choose Privacy, search, and services, then Cookies.
- Turn on Block third-party cookies to restrict third-party cookies.
To block all cookies, turn off Allow sites to save and read cookie data (recommended). Edge also supports site-specific allowed and blocked cookie lists, so you can make an exception for a site that needs cookies. Blocking may prevent some pages from displaying correctly or cause a prompt to allow cookies. Consult Microsoft Edge’s cookie guidance for current controls.
Delete cookies or clear them when Edge closes
To remove existing data, open Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data and select Cookies and other site data. Edge says this signs you out of most sites. You can also configure Edge to delete cookies and site data each time it closes; that also signs you out of most sites. Clearing stored data is useful for a one-time cleanup, while a blocking setting controls future storage.
5. Safari and other browsers
Safari’s controls and labels depend on whether you use an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Use Apple’s current Safari cookie guidance and select instructions for your device rather than following guessed menu paths. Blocking cookies can affect site functionality.
For Samsung Internet, Opera, and other browsers, use the browser’s current support site. USAGov’s browser privacy page links to cookie-blocking instructions for Safari, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Samsung Internet, and Opera. Browser protections differ: some block or limit cross-site cookies, while others partition storage or expose user-configurable controls. Those differences alone do not establish that one browser is universally the most private.
6. If the change causes a problem
| What you notice | Possible cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| You are signed out or a site forgets your preferences | Cookies were blocked or existing cookie data was cleared. | Allow cookies for that site, or add a narrow site exception. Sign in again if stored data was deleted. |
| An embedded video, login, payment, or other component fails | The component may rely on cross-site storage or cookies. | Test a site-specific exception: Chrome or Edge cookie allow list, or Firefox’s shield control for that site. |
| A page displays incorrectly after changing the setting | The site may need cookies, or the failure may have another cause. | Reload the page after a site-specific allowance. If it still fails, investigate the site or another browser issue rather than assuming cookies are responsible. |
| You cannot find the described menu | Browser version, device, or platform differs from these instructions. | Search the browser’s current official support page for its cookie settings. Chrome’s steps here apply to desktop; Safari steps vary by device. |
| Cookie prompts return after cleanup | Clearing cookies deleted saved data but did not necessarily change the future-cookie rule. | Set the browser’s blocking preference separately if that is your goal. Some sites may still ask for consent. |
7. Privacy, compatibility, and maintenance
- Start with scope: blocking third-party or cross-site cookies is narrower than blocking all cookies.
- Expect exceptions: embedded content, login flows, and remembered preferences may need cookies. Prefer an exception for one site over weakening the setting everywhere.
- Keep deletion distinct from blocking: deleting cookies removes saved state and can sign you out; blocking changes what can be stored going forward.
- Do not treat cookies as the only tracking mechanism: blocking them reduces some cookie-based cross-site tracking, but does not stop all tracking.
- Review exceptions occasionally: remove site allowances you no longer need and check the browser’s current help when an update changes labels.
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FAQ
Does blocking third-party cookies block every kind of tracking?
No. It reduces some cookie-based tracking across sites, but other tracking methods may still work.
Will blocking all cookies make me safer without affecting anything?
It is a broader restriction, but it can disrupt sign-ins, preferences, embedded services, and other site features. Choose it only if that trade-off fits your needs.
Should I clear cookies after blocking them?
Only if you also want to remove data already stored. Blocking and clearing are different actions, and clearing can sign you out.
Do Chrome’s desktop steps apply to Chrome on my phone?
Not necessarily. The steps here are for Chrome on a computer; check current support instructions for your mobile device.
