How to Change Your Browser Cookie Settings

Web browser cookies:

If you don’t want to receive cookies, you can modify your browser so that it notifies you when cookies are sent to it or you can refuse cookies altogether. You can also delete cookies that have already been set.

Because cookies are used throughout our websites, disabling them may prevent you from using certain parts or features of the site.

If you wish to restrict or block web browser cookies which are set on your device then you can do this through your browser settings; the Help function within your browser should tell you how, or refer to the information below. Alternatively, you may wish to visit www.aboutcookies.org, which contains comprehensive information on how to do this on a wide variety of desktop browsers.

Internet Explorer | Firefox | Chrome | Safari

Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer 6.x

Changing your Cookie Settings

Within your browser, select Tools from the top menu bar, and then choose Internet Options. Click on the Privacy tab. Here, you can change settings for privacy control and elect how to accept cookies from sites you visit.

For more control options, select the Advanced button. This will bring you to an area that enables you to set your browser's cookie acceptance level.

Internet Explorer 7.x

Changing your Cookie Settings

Within your browser, select Tools from the top menu bar, and then choose Internet Options. Click on the Privacy tab. Here, you can change settings for privacy control and elect how to accept cookies from sites you visit.

For more control options, select the Advanced button. This will bring you to an area that enables you to set your browser's cookie acceptance level.

Firefox

To check or change your settings:

  1. 1. At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button (Tools menu in Windows XP) and then click Options
  2. 2. Select the Privacy panel
  3. 3. Set Firefox will:to Use custom settings for history.
  5. 4. Check mark Accept cookies from sitesto enable Cookies, and uncheck it to disable them.
    • If you are troubleshooting problems with cookies, make sure Accept third party cookies is also check marked. For more information, see Disabling third party cookies.
  8. 5. Choose how long cookies are allowed to be stored:
    • Keep until: they expire: Each cookie will be removed when it reaches its expiration date, which is set by the site that sent the cookie
    • Keep until: I close Firefox: The cookies that are stored on your computer will be removed when Firefox is closed.
    • Keep until: ask me every time: Displays an alert every time a website tries to send a cookie, and asks you whether or not you want to store it.
  10. 6. Click OK to close the Options window

Chrome

Adjust cookie permissions

  1. Click the wrench icon on the browser toolbar. Description: tools menu
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Click Show advanced settings.
  4. In the "Privacy" section, click the Content settingsbutton.
  5. In the "Cookies" section, you can change the following cookies settings:

Delete cookies
Click All cookies and site datato open the Cookies and Other Data dialog.

  • To delete all cookies, click Remove allat the bottom of the dialog.
  • To delete a specific cookie, select the site that issued the cookie, then the cookie, and click Remove.

You can also choose to remove all cookies created during a specific time period, using the Clear Browsing Data dialog.
If you want Google Chrome to automatically delete cookies when you close all browser windows, select the "Clear cookies and other site data when I close my browser" checkbox in the Content Settings dialog. You can also make exceptions so that specific sites’ cookies are deleted whenever you close your browser.
Block cookies by default

  • Block all cookies: Select "Block sites from setting any data." Keep in mind that selecting this setting will prevent most sites that require you to sign in from working. You'll see in the address bar whenever a cookie has been blocked.
  • Block only third-party cookies: Select the "Ignore exceptions and block third-party cookies from being set" checkbox. Even if you've added a site to the Exceptions list and have chosen to allow its cookies, the site's third-party cookies won't be accepted if this checkbox is selected.

Allow cookies by default
Make sure "Allow local data to be set" is selected to allow both first-party and third-party cookies. If you only want to accept first-party cookies, select the "Block all third-party cookies without exception" checkbox.
Make exceptions for cookies from specific websites or domains
To control how cookies should be handled for a few specific sites or domains, click Manage exceptions. To add a rule in the Cookie and Site Data Exceptions dialog that appears, follow these steps:

  • Click the "Add a new exception pattern" field and enter the domain name for which you want to create an exception.
    • To create exceptions for an entire domain, insert [*.] before the domain name (e.g. [*.]google.com).
    • You can also specify an IP address, an IPv6 address, or a non-http URL.
  • Use the menu to choose whether the site can set cookies. If you select Session only, its cookies are deleted every time you close your browser.

You can also edit or remove exceptions using this dialog.

Safari

If you want to disable cookies in the Safari web browser, go to Preferences and then to the Privacy pane and choose to block cookies. On your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch, go to Settings, then Safari and then to the Cookies section.