What is a Cookie on Your Computer and How Do You Delete Them?

When a user visits a website, the browser (internet explorer, firefox, etc...) can store a small bit of text known as a cookie on the browser's computer. This is needed for legit reasons by many websites to store user preferences, user session identifiers, and remembering information about the user. Other not so friendly uses may be third party tracking cookies that keep logs of all the websites the user visits. For the most part cookies are not dangerous are not viruses or spyware as it is commonly thought of. Cookies do not carry password information for secure log in sites like your online banking or credit card sites.

Should I clear my cookies?

Usually there is not a real necessity in clearing your browser cookies. Doing so will effect some of your internet activity. For example, I visit one newspaper website that requires a free user registration. When I clear my cookies, I have to log in again in order to use the website. Since I never have to sign in normally, I have no idea what the username and password was that I used when I signed up. With that said, you will not damage your computer by deleting your cookies.

Tracking cookies or what some refer to as the "bad cookies" can be deleted using most good anti virus programs. With the anti virus program, the tracking cookies should be deleted with the automatic scan or you can do a manual scan yourself. If you are not using a good anti virus program to scan your computer, you really should be. There are many good programs out there and some of them are absolutely free. Two free programs that I have had good luck with is AVG Free and Super AntiSpyware Free. Both of those programs as well as many others will delete the tracking cookies from your computer.

How do I delete my cookies manually?

If you decide that you need to delete your cookies, it is a real simple process that varies a little depending on which browser you are using.

Firefox 3.5 Browser

1. Click on Tools.
2. Click on Options.
3. Click on Privacy.
4. Click on Remove Individual Cookies.
5. Click Remove All Cookies to delete all cookies or you can select individual cookies for deletion.

FireFox 3.0 Browser

1. Click on Tools
2. Click on Options
3. Click on Privacy
4. Click on Show Cookies
5. Click on Remove All Cookies (to delete individual cookies click on View Cookies and select those you wish to remove)

Internet Explorer 8 Browser

1. Click on Tools
2. Click on Delete Browsing History
3. Make sure that Cookies is checked and uncheck anything that you do not want to delete. Default option is a check on preserving cookies from websites in your favorites. So if you really want to delete every cookie you must uncheck this box as well.
4. Click on Delete.

Internet Explorer 7 Browser

1. Click on Tools
2. Click on Internet Options
3. Click on General
4. In Browsing History section click Delete
5. Click on Delete Cookies
6. Click Yes

Internet Explorer 6 Browser

1. Click on Tools
2. Click on Internet Options
3. Click on General
4. In the Temporary Internet Files section click on Delete Cookies
5. Click OK

Opera 9.6 Browser

1. Click on Tools
2. Click on Delete Private Data
3. Click on Detailed Options
4. Make sure Delete All Cookies is selected and uncheck anything you do not wish to delete. To delete specific cookies, click on Manage Cookies
5. Click on Delete