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How to clear Safari’s cache and cookies on Mac

There are a handful of situations when clearing Safari’s cookies or cache–one of the places where Safari stores website data to avoid having to download it afresh each time you access a site–can help improve your browsing experience.

The first is when websites simply stop working when you access them on Safari. Perhaps Facebook stops updating with new posts, for example, or the images on a site don’t appear as they should. If this happens, it’s likely the cache has become corrupted.

Alternatively, if you find that personal info automatically completed on sites isn’t correct, deleting cookies can help. These are small files that sites use to save data about you and what you do on the site.

Even if none of these problems affect you, periodically cleaning browser data can help protect your privacy from snoops who want to discover what you’ve been up to online. In this article, therefore, we explain how to clear Safari’s cache and cookies on Mac.

We also have an article that explains How to clear cache on a Mac.

How to clear Safari cookies and cache for websites

Cleaning cookies and the cache data for individual sites can be done via Safari’s Settings/Preferences.

• Open Safari
• Click on Safari in the menu at the top of the screen.
• Click on Settings or Preferences (depending on the version of macOS you are running).
• Go to the Privacy tab.
• Click on Manage Website Data…
• Choose Remove All or select websites individually to remove.

After the data is loaded you’ll probably see a long list of websites. You can choose to Remove All or just select individual websites you want to remove from this list. If you want to select a number of different sites you can click on one and then press and hold the Command key to select a second, third or fourth and so on. We recommend that you don’t select hundreds this way – it’s better to delete in batches just in case you have to start over.

If you would prefer to select all and then deselect the ones you want to keep you can do so. Use Command + A to select all, then press and hold Command while clicking on any website you are happy to keep in this list. Just click Remove afterwards, not Done, as that will just undo all your hard work.

There’s a search field you can use to track down individual sites.

Bear in mind that deleting cookies might remove autocompleted login usernames and passwords for sites, and will almost certainly log you out of that site if you’ve configured it to automatically log in each time you visit.

How to clear Safari cache

The hidden Safari Developer menu can be used to clear just the cache, leaving cookies and the browser history in place. This is a very useful diagnostic step to take before removing those two items if a website behaves badly.

If you just want to clear all your cache you can do so by following these steps:

• Open Safari.
• Click on Safari in menu bar at top of screen.
• Click on Settings/Preferences (depending on the version of macOS you are running).
• Click on the Advanced tab.
• Check the box beside Show Develop Menu in Menu Bar.
• Now there will be a new Develop tab in the menu at the top of your screen. Click on this.
• Click on Empty Caches.

Alternatively click on Option/Alt + Command + E.

Close any open Safari windows and select Empty Caches on the Develop menu. Then click File > New Window to start Safari with a clean cache.

How to remove autocomplete data from AutoFill

Safari’s AutoFill tool can fill in username and password details on websites as well as credit card details and other elements like your address and email details.

This can be really useful, but it can also be annoying if the data it fills in is incorrect or out of context. It’s also a problem when AutoFill helpfully enters old or incorrect passwords or emails and addresses.

You can change this data, or delete it by following these steps:

• Click on Safari.
• Click on Settings/Preferences.
• Choose the AutoFill tab.
• Here you can edit contact information, usernames and passwords, credit cards and other data. Click on Edit beside the category you want access to.
• You’ll need to enter your password or use Touch ID to gain access.

Delete incorrect data: If you are finding that Safari is autofilling incorrect data about you–your address, for example–click Edit beside Using information from my contacts. This will open up your Contacts app. Your card will be at the top or under My Card. You can add and amend data about you here.

Delete incorrect passwords and site logins: If you wanted to delete incorrect passwords, for example, you can just click on the Passwords tab. If you know which password you want to remove search for the website or service and then find the older password option (if there is more than one) and select it and then click on the – below the column to remove it. You can then select Delete Password. If that means there is no password saved for that website, you can then recreate the entry for the site by clicking the Add button. You’ll first need to provide the URL of the site (that is, something like https://facebook.com ), and then type the username and password alongside (hit the Tab key to move from field to field).

See: How to autofill passwords, bank cards, names and addresses for more.

Delete logins and passwords system-wide

Pruning site logins can also be done via the Keychain Access app, which you’ll find in the Utilities folder of the Applications list in Finder, although you should be very careful using this app because it pretty much controls the entire security operation of your Mac! However, by removing errant username and password entries here you’ll stop virtually all of your Mac apps using them, and not just Safari.

Just type the name of the site into the Search field, and look in the list of results for entries of the kind Web Form Password. Right-click the entry and select Delete.

If you want to delete your Chrome or Firefox cache, cookies or browsing history read: How to delete your Mac browsing history . For alternative web browsers take a look at: Best web browser for Mac.

How-To Geek

How to clear safari's browsing history and cookies on macos.

To clear your history on Safari, click the "History" button at the top, then select "Clear History.

Quick Links

How to delete your browsing history in safari, how to automatically delete your browsing history on safari, how to clear your cookies on safari, key takeaways.

To clear your history on Safari, click the "History" button at the top, then select "Clear History." You can also set Safari to clear your browsing history automatically by going to Preferences > General, then set "Remove History Items" to the time frame you want.

You may not have anything to hide when we surf the Internet, but you still may want to clear your history every now and then. Here's how you can clear your browsing history in Safari on MacOS.

On Safari, all you do is click the "History" button at the top of the screen then select "Clear History" at the bottom of the list.

Once you do this, you will be given a choice: you can select "the last hour," "today," "today and yesterday," and "all history" from a drop-down menu. Once you've decided, click the "Clear History" button and the history will be clear per your preference.

If you simply want to clear part of your history, you can click "Show History" ("Command + Y").

Click on the site or use the "Command" key to select several sites, then press the "Delete" key. You can also click "Clear History" in the upper right corner to remove everything all at once.

You can also right-click a history entry to delete it.

Related: How to Clear History, Cache, and Cookies in Safari on iPhone or iPad

You can also set Safari to automatically clear your history every so often. When you open up the Safari preference ("Command + ,"), click the "General" tab, and select the "Remove History items" option.

You can decide when or if your history is automatically deleted after one day, one week, two weeks, one month, one year, or you can keep your history indefinitely by selecting the manual option.

To clear cookies in Safari, while you're in Safari's preferences, click on the "Privacy" tab and click "Manage Website Data."

On this page, you will see all the cookies stored on your Mac. You can right-click a specific cookie and select "Delete" to remove it, or you can hold the "Command" button and select several at once.

If you want to remove all of your cookies, click "Remove All" at the bottom of the window.

You will be asked to confirm you want to "remove all data stored by websites on your computer."

Keep in mind that, if you do this, any websites you might have personalized will be removed, and you will be logged out of all websites (though it should be easy to log back in if you've saved your username and password).

Related: How to Block Third-Party Cookies in Every Web Browser

Clearing your history and cookies isn't necessarily sneaky. It's good to be privacy-conscious because there are often times when someone will ask to use your computer for a minute. You may not be looking at anything untoward or scandalous, but then again, you don't necessarily want just anyone knowing what you've been looking at or reading.

How to clear Safari cache, history, and cookies on Mac

You may want to clear Safari history, cache, and website data on Mac to prevent others from seeing what you were browsing. Removing these helps make the browser responsive . It also comes handy when Safari lags or takes ages to load webpages. The steps to delete website data of Safari in macOS is easy. Let us see how.

Consequences of clearing Safari History and Website Data

• Records of visited web pages are deleted.
• A list of the frequently visited sites is also cleared.
• It may reduce tracking by websites. (a good thing)
• You may be logged out of websites.
• Records of blocked or allowed location access, notification, etc. are also reset. So, if you visit a website, it will again ask your permission for these.
• The download list is deleted. (Actual downloaded files are not.)
• If you have several Apple devices that sync via iCloud, the changes will reflect on all.

How to clear Safari history on Mac

You can choose to clear all history in a few clicks. Or choose to delete them date-wise or by specific pages. Let me show you how.

• Open Safari on Mac.
• Click on History from the top menu bar

• Dropdown menu will show all history . Click on it if you want to select another option, like the last hour, today, today, and yesterday.

Now, if you don’t want to clear the entire history but just a few specific pages, here’s what you need to do.

How to delete specific webpage from Safari history on Mac

• From the top menu bar, click on History .

• Or, click on the tiny triangle arrow ▶ to expand.

How to clear Safari cache and cookies on Mac

To clear cache and cookies of your existing Safari profile, you need to delete all of its Website Data. Here’s how you can do that:

• Launch the Safari browser .

The above-mentioned method will only delete website data for a particular profile in Safari.

If you’re like me and enjoy using multiple profiles on Safari to maintain a separation between your personal and professional activities, then I’d like to notify you about something.

However, if you wish to clear the cookies and cache for all your Safari profiles, then you must employ the following method.

How to clear cache of all Safari profiles on Mac

• Launch Safari → Click Safari in the menu bar → Select Settings .

How to block all cookies for Safari on Mac

Cookies are tiny data packets that a website saves on your device. It helps the site know that you are revisiting it. (If this is your first visit to iGeeksBlog, you might have seen a banner at the bottom asking for your cookie consent.)

When you clear history and website data, cookies are also deleted. However, here is how you can remove cookies (cache, etc. too) individually and how you can block them from accumulating further.

• Launch Safari browser → Click Safari in the menu bar → Select Settings .

No, clearing your Safari history will not lead to the removal of your bookmarks or saved passwords.

Yes, clearing cookies will log you out from websites and services where you were previously signed in. This process removes stored login credentials.

Yes, clearing cache, history, and cookies might have a temporary impact on your browsing experience. Websites could a bit slowly.

If you want to remove the Safari cache, history, and cookies on your Mac, just follow the instructions above. Furthermore, I’d highly recommend our complete guides if you’re thinking of changing your default search engine for normal and private windows in Safari.

Did you find this guide helpful? Let me know in the comments!

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Manage cookies and website data

Websites often store cookies and other data on your Mac. This data may include information that you have provided, such as your name, email address, and preferences. This data helps websites identify you when you return so the site can provide services for you and show information that might be of interest to you.

By default, Safari accepts cookies and website data only from websites you visit. This helps prevent certain advertisers from storing data on your Mac. You can change options in Safari preferences so that Safari always accepts or always blocks cookies and other website data.

Open Safari for me

Important:   Changing your cookie preferences or removing cookies and website data in Safari may change or remove them in other apps, including Dashboard.

Choose Safari > Preferences, click Privacy, then do any of the following:

Change which cookies and website data are accepted: Select a “Cookies and website data” option:

Always block: Safari doesn’t let any websites, third parties, or advertisers store cookies and other data on your Mac. This may prevent some websites from working properly.

Allow from current website only: Safari accepts cookies and website data only from the website you’re currently visiting. Websites often have embedded content from other sources. Safari does not allow these third parties to store or access cookies or other data.

Allow from websites I visit: Safari accepts cookies and website data only from websites you visit. Safari uses your existing cookies to determine whether you have visited a website before. Selecting this option helps prevent websites that have embedded content in other websites you browse from storing cookies and data on your Mac.

Always allow: Safari lets all websites, third parties, and advertisers store cookies and other data on your Mac.

Remove stored cookies and data: Click Remove All Website Data, or click Details, select one or more websites, then click Remove.

Removing the data may reduce tracking, but may also log you out of websites or change website behavior.

See which websites store cookies or data: Click Details.

Ask websites not to track you: Some websites keep track of your browsing activities when they serve you content, which enables them to tailor what they present to you. You can have Safari ask sites and their third party content providers (including advertisers) not to track you.

With this option turned on, each time Safari fetches content from a website, Safari adds a request not to track you, but it’s up to the website to honor this request.

How to clear cache on Mac in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox

Looking to tidy up the browser on your Mac or fix some issues you’re seeing with websites? Read on for how to clear cache on Mac, as well as history, and cookies in Safari , Chrome, and Firefox.

It’s a straightforward process to clear cache on Mac in Safari as well as third-party browsers like Chrome and Firefox. While the button in the menu bar for Safari is labeled “Clear History,” it also clears cookies and your cache.

For Chrome and Firefox, you get more detailed control of what data you’re deleting.

Whether you’re just wanting to do some regular maintenance or having some issues with browsing that you want to clear up, follow along below…

For how to clear your cache, history, and website data on iPhone and iPad, check out our tutorial here .

Table of contents

Google chrome, how to clear cache on mac.

• Open Safari
• In the menu bar (top left of your screen) click History
• You can also choose Safari > Clear History…
• Use the drop-down menu to pick what timeframe you want to clear history and cookies from Safari
• One last time, click  Clear History
• Keep in mind that means you may be logged out of websites, etc.

Now look at the bottom of the menu and click “Clear History…”

To fully clear your history, cache, and cookies, click the drop-down and select “all history.”

• For Google Chrome on Mac, click Chrome in the menu bar (top left corner)
• Choose “Clear Browsing Data”
• Pick a time range, or “All time”
• Choose what data to clear with the checkboxes
• Click Clear data
• For Firefox on Mac, click History in the menu bar (top left of your screen)
• Click Clear Recent History…
• Change the timeframe to what you’d like
• Choose what data to remove

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How to Delete Cookies Using the Safari Web Browser

Last Updated: August 2, 2023 Tested

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This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jack Lloyd . Jack Lloyd is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. He has over two years of experience writing and editing technology-related articles. He is technology enthusiast and an English teacher. The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. This article has been viewed 581,403 times. Learn more...

This wikiHow teaches you how to delete cookies in your Safari browser on a Mac or an iPhone. Cookies are bits of website data that help Safari remember your preferences, passwords, usernames, and more. Since cookies are downloaded onto your computer each time you open a new web page, you may wish to block cookies entirely to prevent them from being downloaded in the future.

• If you don't see this option, make sure that Safari is the front window by clicking it.

• You may be prompted to confirm this action.
• Keep in mind that some websites require cookies in order to load some features. Blocking all cookies will prevent some websites from working correctly.

• Unfortunately, you can't delete only cookies in Safari on an iPhone.

Community Q&A

• Cookies help websites remember who you are and what your preferences are. If you delete all of your cookies, you will need to log back in to any websites which previously had stored passwords or other account information. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1

• Blocking cookies will result in some websites not functioning properly, while a few websites may cease to load or work altogether. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://www.imore.com/how-enable-cookies-safari-macos-high-sierra

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How to Clear Safari Browsing History and Cache

Whenever you browse the web in Safari, the browser stores website data so that it doesn't have to download it again each time you revisit a site. In theory this should speed up your browsing experience, but there are some scenarios where you might want to clear the cache and start anew. Keep reading to learn how it's done on Mac, iPhone , and iPad .

If a site you regularly frequent has elements that have stopped working, or if a site has stopped loading completely, there may be a conflict between an older version of it that Safari has cached and a newer one.

Or perhaps you simply want to protect your privacy by wiping the slate clean and removing all the data associated with websites you've visited. Either way, here's how it's done on macOS and iOS.

How to Clear Safari's Cache on Mac

There are two ways to clear Safari's cache on a Mac. The first method outlined below deletes everything relating to a website you've visited, including not only the cached versions of the site, but also cookies and any other related data. The second method described offers a more targeted approach and clears only Safari's cache, but it does involve enabling a hidden menu.

• Launch Safari browser on your Mac.

How to Clear Safari's Cache on iPhone and iPad

Note that the following steps clear all history, cookies and website data on your device, regardless of when the sites were accessed.

• Launch the Settings app on your iOS device.
• Scroll down and select Safari .
• Scroll down and select Clear History and Website Data .
• Choose the timeframe to clear ( Last hour , Today , Today and yesterday , or All history ), choose the profile or select All Profiles , then tap Clear History .

For another way to protect your privacy while browsing the web, be sure to check out our guide on how to use Safari's Private Browsing Mode .

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• Clear Safari cache on Mac
• Clear Safari cache on iPhone or iPad
• How to save passwords when clearing your cache

How to clear your Safari browser cache on a Mac, iPhone, or iPad

• You can clear your cache on Safari in just a few steps on a Mac, iPhone, or iPad.
• Clearing your cache, as well as history and cookies, can help resolve your device's performance issues.
• Clearing your cookies will clear your passwords as well, unless you save them with keychain.

A cache is a store of data. When you visit a website on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad, the Safari browser keeps a snapshot of the pages you view.

If you go back to that website, Safari loads the cached page in an instant, instead of taking the time to retrieve the page from the internet again.

But an overloaded cache can take up storage space and cause your device to run inefficiently — and it could use a periodic clearing.

Here's what you need to know to clear your cache on Safari, as well as your cookies and browsing history.

How to clear Safari cache on Mac

You can either clear just your cache or your cache, history, and cookies. 

Clear your cache

1. Click on the Safari tab at the top left of your screen and choose Preferences from the dropdown menu.

2.  Click the Advanced tab of the menu that pops up.

3.  At the end of the tab, select the Show Develop menu in menu bar box and close the Preferences menu.

4. Click the Develop tab from the Safari menu at the top of the page.

5. Click Empty Caches from the dropdown menu.

Clear your cache, history, and cookies

You may also want to clear your browsing history and cookies in addition to emptying your cache. Here's how to do that.

1. Choose the History tab at the top of your screen.

2. At the very bottom of the dropdown menu, choose Clear History.

3.  A box pops up with a choice to clear the last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all history. Choose your time frame and click the Clear History button.  

Once you clear the history, it will also clear the cache and cookies associated with that time period.

How to clear Safari cache on iPhone or iPad

To clear your cache and browsing history:

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Tap Safari .

3. Tap Clear History and Website Data .

4. On the screen that pops up, choose Clear History and Data .

To clear your cache but not your browsing history:

3. Tap Advanced .

4. Tap Website Data .

5. Choose Remove All Website Data .

What happens to saved passwords when you clear your cache

When you clear your cache, history, and cookies, you may discover that Safari has logged you out of your favorite websites.

While clearing Safari's cache alone will not delete your passwords, clearing your history and cookies can. That's because when you empty your cookies, you will lose their password data saved in Safari as well. And keep in mind that clearing your history also clears its associated cookies.

Luckily, Apple has a solution to this problem. If you use iCloud, check your iCloud settings on your phone or computer.

Make sure that you've checked the box for Safari. As long as this box is checked, any passwords you save through your browser will stay safe in your keychain .

• Main content

How to Clear & Enable Cookies in Safari on Your Mac

What to know.

• Cookies are data saved by websites on your hard drive that include your name, login information, and preferred settings.
• You should enable cookies if you want to save data like your login information, site preferences, and recently viewed links.
• Disable or clear cookies if you dislike targeted ads and want to keep website hosts from tracking which pages you visit. 

So, what is a cookie anyway? A cookie is a small file of data about your interactions with a website. This packet of data is saved on your computer so that when you re-visit a website, it remembers your preferred settings, login information, and the pages you visited. Cookies can help to create a more convenient browsing experience. The downside? Cookies can also track your interests to show you targeted ads. Let's cover how to enable and clear cookies on your Mac.

How to Enable & Disable Cookies on Your Mac

Personally, I keep cookies enabled on my Mac because I've found the pros outweigh the cons. I like the convenience of having my login information and browsing settings saved, however, the preferred balance between privacy and convenience is different for each person. For now, here's how to allow cookies on your Mac:

If you change your mind later and want to disable cookies, follow the steps above and enable the "Block all cookies" setting. Also, if you're interested in learning more about your Mac features, check out our free Tip of the Day  Newsletter!

How to Clear Cookies on Mac

If you've enabled cookies in your browser, but have been frustrated by targeted ads or have recently visited a shady website, it might be time to clear some or all of those cookies. Here's how to clear cookies in Safari:

Now you know how to change cookie settings in Safari on your Mac! You can try disabling and enabling cookies to see which works best for you. If you decide to allow cookies on your Mac, you can always delete all but your most frequently-visited website cookies for a happy medium level of privacy. Clearing cookies isn't just limited to your Mac; you can also learn how to delete cookies on your iPhone and iPad .

Author Details

Leanne Hays

Leanne Hays has over a dozen years of experience writing for online publications. As a Feature Writer for iPhone Life, she has authored hundreds of how-to, Apple news, and gear review articles, as well as a comprehensive Photos App guide. Leanne holds degrees in education and science and loves troubleshooting and repair. This combination makes her a perfect fit as manager of our Ask an Expert service, which helps iPhone Life Insiders with Apple hardware and software issues. In off-work hours, Leanne is a mother of two, homesteader, audiobook fanatic, musician, and learning enthusiast.

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Clear cookies on Mac 

Why should you clear cookies on Mac?

Clearing cookies on your Mac is an important practice for several reasons, including maintaining privacy, enhancing security, and optimizing your browsing experience. Let us explain these points in detail.

First and foremost, privacy is a major concern for many users these days. Cookies are small text files that websites use to store information about you and your preferences. Over time, these cookies can reveal a surprising amount of personal data, such as your browsing habits and the sites you’ve visited. By regularly clearing your cookies, you’re ensuring that websites and advertisers have less data to track your online activities.

Secondly, security plays a crucial role in our digital lives. While cookies can be helpful in remembering your login information and preferences, they can also be exploited by hackers to gain unauthorized access to your accounts. Clearing cookies can reduce the risk of this type of cyber attack, helping to keep your personal information and accounts safe from potential threats.

Another reason to clear cookies on your Mac is to resolve website issues. Sometimes, corrupted or outdated cookies can cause problems when loading websites or logging into accounts. Deleting these problematic cookies can often fix the issue and improve your browsing experience.

Moreover, clearing cookies can help you manage your storage space more effectively. Although cookies are typically small files, they can accumulate over time and take up a noticeable amount of space on your hard drive. By regularly deleting cookies, you can free up storage space and keep your Mac running smoothly.

In summary, regularly clearing cookies on your Mac is an important practice for maintaining privacy, enhancing security, resolving website issues, and optimizing storage space. Doing so will result in a better and safer browsing experience overall.

How to clear cookies on Mac Chrome

In order to clear the cookies on your Mac’s Chrome browser, you need to complete the following steps:

• Start by launch the Google Chrome browser from the Launchpad, the Applications folder, or from your Dock (or even by pressing together Command + Space , typing Chrome , and opening the first result).
• Click the Chrome menu from the menu bar or the three-dots in the top-right of the browser’s window.
• Select the Settings option.
• Go to the Privacy and security from the left panel.
• Choose Cookies and other side data .

How to clear cookies on Mac Safari

Clearing cookies on your Mac’s Safari can be a breeze when you follow these simple steps. This process not only makes your browsing experience more enjoyable but also helps maintain your online privacy.

• To start, open up Safari on your Mac. You can do this by locating the blue, white, and red compass icon on your desktop, in your applications list, or through your file explorer. Once Safari is open, you’ll see your homepage displayed.
• Next, head to the top left corner of your screen and click on the word “Safari.” A drop-down menu will appear, from which you should select “Preferences”.
• Upon opening the “Preferences” menu, you’ll want to find the “Privacy” tab, symbolized by a blue circle with a white hand in the center. Click on it to access a menu that provides options for managing cookies. Here, you can choose to “Prevent cross-site tracking” or “Block all cookies,” depending on your preferences. Simply click the white box next to your desired option to enable it.
• Now it’s time to delete any existing cookies. Within the “Privacy” menu, locate and click on “Manage Website Data.” A new window will open, presenting you with a list of websites storing cookies on your device. You can either click “Remove all” to delete all cookies or pick and choose individual websites by selecting them manually.
• Lastly, consider blocking all future cookies. To do this, go back to the “Privacy” tab and check the box next to “Block all cookies.” A pop-up window will appear, asking you to confirm your choice. Click “Block all” to finalize your selection. Moving forward, Safari will not generate any new cookies unless you decide to allow it later on.

By following these steps, you’re not only enhancing your online privacy and security but also ensuring a smoother browsing experience. Plus, you can always tweak your cookie settings as needed to suit your preferences. Remember that taking control of your online footprint is crucial in today’s digital world. So, keep your Mac free of unwanted cookies and enjoy a clutter-free browsing experience!

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Clear the history, cache and cookies from Safari on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

Find out how to delete your history, cookies and cache in Settings.

Delete the history, cache and cookies

Clear your cookies and the cache, but keep your history

Delete a website from your history, block cookies, use content blockers, delete history, cache and cookies.

Go to Settings > Safari.

Tap Clear History and Website Data.

Clearing your history, cookies and browsing data from Safari won't change your AutoFill information.

When there’s no history or website data to be cleared, the button to clear it will turn grey. The button might also be grey if you have web content restrictions set up under Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time .

To visit sites without leaving history, turn Private Browsing on .

Go to Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data.

Tap Remove All Website Data.

When there’s no website data to be cleared, the button to clear it will turn grey. The button might also be grey if you have web content restrictions set up under Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time .

Open the Safari app.

Tap the Edit button, then select the website(s) you want to delete from your history.

Tap the Delete button.

A cookie is a piece of data that a site puts on your device so that site can remember you when you visit again.

To block cookies:

Go to Settings > Safari > Advanced.

Turn on Block All Cookies.

If you block cookies, some web pages may not work. Here are some examples:

You'll likely not be able to sign in to a site even when using your correct user name and password.

You may see a message that cookies are required or that your browser's cookies are turned off.

Some features on a site may not work.

Content blockers are third-party apps and extensions that let Safari block cookies, images, resources, pop-ups and other content.

To get a content blocker:

Download a content blocking app from the App Store.

Tap Settings > Safari > Extensions.

Tap to turn on a listed content blocker.

You can use more than one content blocker. If you need help, contact the app developer .

Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Contact the vendor for additional information.

Related topics

Contact Apple Support

Need more help? Save time by starting your support request online and we'll connect you to an expert.

• The Inventory

How to Clear Your Browser Cache on MacBooks

Time to clean the cobwebs on your macbook to make sure it's running as smoothly as possible..

Every website you visit installs trackers onto your computer and slows it down subtly. These are called cookies and cached data, which work to track your activity if you regularly visit the same site. Just like on the iPad or iPhone , your favorite browser on your Mac or MacBook isn’t immune to these issues, so you should probably know the quick and easy way to finally clean out the drunk drawer that gets filled up with trash few want to see clogging up their computer.

Related Content

Every browser has its own cache, but unless you’re one of those Mac users who uses separate browsers for different purposes, you’ll probably only have to deal with clearing the cache on your primary internet browser. The process removes a lot of data, including cookies, site permissions, and login info. Unless you’re using a third-party or built-in password manager from the likes of Apple or Google, clearing your cache may mean you’ll need to re-enter your password on some websites and likely go through the entire 2PA or Captcha song and dance all over again. At the same time, it should make your browser run more smoothly and fix issues that make some websites load more slowly than they should.

On base Safari, when on macOS, look up to the top left, where you should see the Safari app next to the Apple symbol. Click on that, then select Settings , then Manage Website Data. You then can go through and select which website data you might want to remove or go whole hog and hit the Remove All button to eliminate all trackers.

If you’re using the Chrome browser, there are a few ways to access your cache. You can either click on the Chrome tab next to the Apple icon in the top right corner and hit Settings or click on the three dots in the top right corner of the page next to your Google profile and click on the Settings button toward the bottom of the list. Then click on the Privacy and security tab on the left and choose Clear browsing history. This gives you options to delete all browsing history, cookies, and cached images and files. Or, if you hit the Advanced tab, you can go through it and delete the browsing history and download history separately.

This won’t actually delete your search history tied to your Google account, though it will get rid of the browsing history for that device specifically. You have the option to delete that separately through Google’s My Activity page, though there’s no guarantee that will speed up your Mac.

You should know Google is in the middle of trying to kill third-party cookies altogether, and you may already be part of a select group where that’s already the case . Google is also currently changing its Incognito Mode to actually delete browser history in the fallout of a class action lawsuit over the privacy mode’s limitations .

Other browsers will all have their own process for deleting your cache, not to mention how some browsers like DuckDuckGo and Brave all have different built-in privacy settings meant to keep some sites from tracking your activity.

Need more help?  

How to Screenshot on a MacBook How to Copy and Paste on a Mac, Plus Other Useful Shortcuts How to Clean Your MacBook Screen How to Screen Record on Macs and MacBooks How to Reset Your MacBook How to Keep Your Laptop or Desktop Well Maintained

Want more of Gizmodo’s consumer electronics picks? Check out our guides to the best phones , best laptops , best TVs , and best headphones . If you want to learn about the next big thing, see our guide to everything we know about the iPhone 16 .

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How can I quickly clear cookies for a specific site using Safari for Mac?

I know I can "Reset Safari". I know I can go to Cookies from Preferences and search for a site's cookies and delete those. But is there a faster/easier way to just clear cookies for one site (preferably one that I'm already navigated to)?

6 Answers 6

There you go!

Clearing a Specific Cookie on Safari: Safari makes you do a little more mousework to get to the listing of cookies in the system, and you have to specify which you want to remove. To get started, go to the preferences menu, and open the “Security” Options. Partway down the page is a button labeled “Show Cookies.” Click this.

Once you have clicked the “Show Cookies” button, you will be shown a listing of all of the cookies your browser has stored, along with a handy search box. Type the current domain name into this search to see a listing of cookies set by the current site. From here, you can select and delete the cookies.

• 1 Darn I realize you're looking for something simpler probably... –  Ivo Flipse Jul 30, 2009 at 13:14
• 1 Nothing bad with a complete answer, really. :) –  Isxek Jul 30, 2009 at 13:16
• 1 Oh Safari doesn't support plugins, that's going to make it hard... –  Ivo Flipse Jul 30, 2009 at 13:16
• 1 Note, the Remove All button will do the same thing, once you've entered the domain into the search box. –  jtbandes Aug 2, 2009 at 6:42
• 4 Safari 9 on El Capitan (OS X 10.11) no longer has this feature in the same place or the same way. Now you go to Safari / Preferences / Privacy and under the Remove All Website Data... button there's a small Details... button. When you click on that you can see the list of all domain names for which there are Cache, Cookies, and/or Local Storage saved. When you select that domain you can clear all of that data at once or not. There's no way to see individual cookies from Preferences any more, nor a way to remove only one. But at least you can still do this for a single site. –  user6297 Jan 20, 2016 at 12:21

As @user6297 says in his comment, the above answer no longer works as of El Capitan. You now need to go to Preferences > Privacy > Details as shown in the image. Note that the Details button might take a moment to appear.

Then enter the domain in the Search box, select the item you want to remove, and click Remove .

use Safari Cookies Tool

• the Safari Cookies tool is apparently dead. –  allanberry Apr 21, 2021 at 15:00

To clear all cookies, you can setup a keyboard shortcut (Option-Cmd-R) to Safari → Reset Safari

Go to the preferences menu, and open the “Security” Options. Part way down the page is a button labeled “Show Cookies.” Click this.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4839198_cookies-safari-mac-computer-beginners.html

source : http://www.vertster.com/blog/2009/07/4-ways-to-quickly-clear-the-cookies-for-just-one-site-or-domain.html

If someone using OS X or later comes across this post then you know that clearing cookies for a specific site has become much harder now.

Here are the steps as of Dec. 2023:

• There you can select an individual site and click on Remove on the bottom-left of the window.

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Not the answer you're looking for browse other questions tagged browser safari web cookies ..

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