To manage cookies in Chrome on a computer, select More, then Settings, then Privacy and security, then Third-party cookies, where you can allow or block third-party cookies and see every site's stored data. To delete all cookies, select More, then Delete browsing data, choose a time range, tick Cookies and other site data and select Delete data.
Here's the catch. Deleting cookies can sign you out of sites that remember you, and your saved preferences on those sites can go with them. Google says that applies whenever a cookie is deleted, whether you clear everything or one site. So if you only want to fix one misbehaving website, delete that site's cookies, not the lot.
First-party and third-party cookies
Cookies are files created by the websites you visit. They save information about your visit so a site can keep you signed in, remember your preferences and show you locally relevant content. Chrome splits them into 2 types.
| Type | Who creates it | What it's used for, as of October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| First-party cookie | The site you're visiting, shown in the address bar | Keeping you signed in and remembering your settings on that site |
| Third-party cookie | Other sites whose images, ads or text are embedded in the page | Personalising content and ads, and learning about what you do on other sites |
Some sites ask you to accept or reject cookies when you arrive. Chrome also has other ways for sites to personalise content and ads, such as ad topics and site-suggested ads, which Google says limit what sites and their partners can learn about you.
How to delete all cookies in Chrome
- On your computer, open Chrome.
- At the top right, select More, then Delete browsing data.
- Choose a time range, like Last hour or All time.
- Select Cookies and other site data.
- Check any other items you want to delete.
- To confirm, select Delete data.
Remember that if you're signed in to Chrome, data you delete while signed in is removed from your other devices and your Google Account too.
How to delete one site's cookies
- At the top right, select More, then Settings.
- Select Privacy and security, then Third-party cookies.
- Select See all site data and permissions.
- At the top right, search for the website's name.
- To the right of the site, select Delete.
- To confirm, select Delete.
There's a shortcut when you're already on the site. Select View site information to the left of the web address, then Site settings, and you can change that site's permissions or delete its data. If a Reset permissions button shows, it puts back the preferences you changed.
Third-party cookie settings you can change
You can allow or block third-party cookies for any site. As of October 2026, Google's help lists these controls on the Third-party cookies page:
- Allow or block third-party cookies for every site.
- Allow third-party cookies for one specific site.
- Allow third-party cookies temporarily for one specific site.
- Allow related sites to access your activity.
- Manage embedded content, the images, ads and text one site places inside another.
The temporary option is the one I'd reach for first. If a checkout or login breaks because it relies on a third-party cookie, you can let that one site through without opening the door everywhere.
On-device site data: the setting behind it all
Chrome calls the data sites save on your computer on-device site data. It's what lets a site keep your shopping cart active after you leave. You pick one of three defaults.
| On-device site data option | What happens |
|---|---|
| Allow sites to save data on your device | Sites are more likely to work as you expect |
| Delete data sites have saved when you close all windows | Sites will probably work, but are less likely to remember you between visits |
| Don't allow sites to save data on your device | Not recommended by Google: sites may not work as you expect |
- At the top right, click More, then Settings.
- Click Privacy and security, then Site settings.
- Click Additional content settings, then On-device site data.
- Select a default behaviour.
The middle option is a good fit for a shared or family computer. You can browse normally, and when the last window closes, the sites' saved data goes with it.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Cookies and the other permissions a site asks for
Cookies sit in the same Site settings area as a site's other permissions. When a site asks to use features like your camera, location or microphone, Chrome gives you three answers. Allow this time lets it use the feature only during your current visit, and it has to ask again next time. Allow while visiting the site covers this visit and future ones. Never allow blocks it.
- To change a setting for every site, select More, then Settings.
- Select Privacy and security, then Site settings.
- Select the setting you want to update.
- To review permissions and data storage on every site you've visited, select View permissions and data stored across sites.
A site's own settings override your defaults. And to protect your data, Chrome removes permissions from sites you haven't used recently, so an old site may ask again.
My verdict on Chrome cookies
Don't clear every cookie to fix one site. Delete that site's data, or allow its third-party cookies temporarily, and keep everything else signed in. If pages still look broken after that, the problem's more likely cached files, so try clearing the cache in Chrome next. And if Chrome feels wrong across the board, here's what a full Chrome reset keeps and removes before you go that far.
Frequently asked questions
Will deleting cookies in Chrome sign me out?
It can. If you delete cookies, you may get signed out of sites that remember you, and your saved preferences can also be deleted.
How do I delete cookies for one site in Chrome?
Go to Settings, then Privacy and security, then Third-party cookies, select See all site data and permissions, search for the site and select Delete.
What's the difference between first-party and third-party cookies?
First-party cookies are created by the site shown in your address bar. Third-party cookies are created by other sites whose content is embedded in the page.
Can I allow third-party cookies for just one site?
Yes. Chrome lets you allow third-party cookies for a specific site, or temporarily for a specific site, without changing your default.
What is on-device site data in Chrome?
It's the data websites save on your device, like an active shopping cart. You can allow it, delete it when you close all windows, or block it.
