Clear cookies in Edge through Settings in under a minute

Open Microsoft Edge and select the three-dot menu in the top right corner. Choose Settings, then Privacy, search, and services from the left sidebar. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear. A window will appear with checkboxes for different data types — make sure Cookies and other site data is checked. Set the time range to All time if you want to remove everything, or pick a specific range like Last hour or Last 7 days. Click Clear now and the cookies are gone.

If you want this to happen automatically every time you close Edge, go back to Settings > Privacy, search, and services and scroll down to Clear browsing data. Toggle on Choose what to clear every time you close the browser. Edge will then ask you what to delete each time you shut it down, or you can pre-select Cookies and other site data to clear those automatically without being asked.

Key Takeaways

  • The fastest way to clear cookies is Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data > Choose what to clear, then check Cookies and other site data and click Clear now.
  • You can clear all cookies ever stored, or just cookies from the last hour, day, week, or month — choose the time range that fits what you want to remove.
  • Turning on automatic clearing means Edge will delete cookies (and other data you select) every time you close the browser, without you having to do it manually.
  • Clearing cookies logs you out of most websites, so you will need to sign back in the next time you visit them.

What happens when you clear cookies

When you clear cookies, Edge removes the small files that websites store on your computer to remember you. This means websites will no longer know you visited before, and you will be logged out of accounts like email, social media, and online banking. The next time you visit those sites, you will need to sign in again.

Clearing cookies does not delete your browsing history, saved passwords, or autofill information unless you specifically check those boxes too. If you only want to remove cookies and leave everything else alone, uncheck the other options before clicking Clear now.

The difference between clearing all cookies and clearing from a specific time range

When you select All time, Edge removes every cookie stored on your computer, going back to whenever you first installed the browser. This is the most thorough option and is useful if you want a complete fresh start or if you are concerned about old tracking data.

Choosing a shorter range like Last hour, Last day, or Last week removes only cookies from that period. This is helpful if you visited a website you do not trust recently and want to remove just that session's data, while keeping cookies from sites you use regularly and want to stay logged into.

Clearing cookies from specific websites only

If you want to remove cookies from just one or two websites instead of everything, Edge lets you do that. Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services and scroll to Clear browsing data. Click Manage site data to see a list of every website that has stored cookies on your computer.

Type the website name into the search box — for example, "facebook.com" or "amazon.com" — and click the trash icon next to it. That website's cookies are deleted, but cookies from other sites stay. This approach is useful when you want to log out of one account without affecting your login status everywhere else.

Automatic cookie clearing vs. manual clearing

Manual clearing gives you control over when it happens. You decide to clear cookies right now, or once a week, or whenever you think about it. This works well if you want to keep most cookies but occasionally remove them for privacy or troubleshooting reasons.

Automatic clearing removes cookies every time you close Edge, which means you start fresh each session. The downside is that you will be logged out of everything when you close the browser, even sites you visit every day. Many people use automatic clearing if they share a computer or use Edge on a public device, and manual clearing if it is their personal machine.

Why you might want to clear cookies regularly

Websites use cookies to track your activity across the internet — not just on their own site, but on other sites too. Clearing cookies removes that tracking data and can slow down the amount of targeted advertising you see. It also removes login information, so if someone gains access to your computer, they cannot automatically sign into your accounts.

Clearing cookies does not make you anonymous online, and it does not stop your internet service provider or your employer from seeing what you do. It only removes the data stored locally on your device. If you want stronger privacy, you can use Edge's InPrivate browsing mode, which does not save cookies, history, or autofill data at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing cookies delete my saved passwords?

No. Passwords are stored separately from cookies. When you clear cookies, you can choose to keep passwords checked or unchecked — they are not automatically deleted. If you want to remove a saved password, go to Settings > Passwords and remove it individually.

Why am I still logged into websites after clearing cookies?

Some websites use tokens or other methods instead of cookies to keep you logged in. Edge may also have cached your login information. If you want to be fully logged out, you can also manually sign out of each account, or use InPrivate mode to browse without any stored login data.

Can I clear cookies without clearing my browsing history?

Yes. When you open the Clear browsing data window, uncheck everything except Cookies and other site data, then click Clear now. Only cookies will be removed, and your history, downloads, and autofill data will stay.

What is the difference between clearing cookies and using InPrivate mode?

Clearing cookies removes data that was already stored. InPrivate mode prevents Edge from storing cookies, history, and autofill in the first place — it is like browsing in a temporary session that disappears when you close the window. InPrivate is useful for one-time browsing, while clearing cookies is useful for cleaning up after regular browsing.

Do I need to clear cookies if I use a VPN?

A VPN hides your internet traffic from your internet service provider, but it does not affect cookies. Websites can still see and store cookies on your device. If you want privacy from websites, you need to clear cookies separately from using a VPN.