Cookies are small files that are automatically stored on your computer every time you visit any website using Chrome or any other web browser.
Typically, cookies are designed to store information about your browsing, site preferences, and other data that can help websites serve you relevant content and advertisements.
Like most web browsers, Google Chrome provides various options for managing cookies, including the ability to automatically clear cookies when you exit the Chrome browser.
Depending on your choice, you can enable or disable cookies in your Chrome browser for all websites, specific websites, or third-party websites.
Enable or Disable Cookies
For years, cookies have generated some controversy, since there are those who consider that their storage by companies may constitute a violation of the privacy of users.
For this reason, all websites are now obliged to inform users about their use of cookies and to request their express consent to place them in their browser.
In reality, cookies are not harmful in and of themselves. In fact, there are many web pages in which if the user does not accept cookies, they will not be able to navigate normally or access certain information.
Nowadays, web browsers offer different options when activating or deactivating cookies. Rather than activating or deactivating all cookies in bulk, it is best to go to the browser’s cookie settings and decide which ones you are interested in enabling, and which ones are not.
If you’ve previously blocked cookies on Chrome, you can follow these steps to enable cookies for all websites on your computer.
- Open your Chrome browser.
- Click on the 3-dot menu icon located in the upper right corner of the screen and click on Settings from the drop-down menu.
- On the Chrome settings screen, scroll down and tap Advanced.
- In Chrome Advanced Settings, scroll down and select the Site Settings option under Privacy and Security.
- Click on Cookies and Site Data under Permissions.
- Check the Cookies box and make sure the Block third-party cookies box is not checked.
Google chrome provides another option of enabling cookies only for certain websites and disabling cookies for all other websites.
- Click the Chrome menu icon > Settings> Advanced> Site Settings .
- On the Site Settings screen, tap on the Cookies and Site Data option located under the Permissions section.
- On the next screen, click on the Add option located next to Allow.
- In the pop-up window, enter the URL of the website you want to allow and click the Add button.
- Now only authorized websites will be able to store cookies on your computer.
Disable Cookies in Chrome Browser
Follow these steps to disable or prevent all websites from storing cookies on your computer.
- Click the 3-dot Chrome menu icon and click Settings from the drop-down menu.
- On the next screen, scroll down and tap on the Advanced option.
- In Chrome Advanced Settings, scroll down and select the Site Settings option under Privacy & Security.
- On the Site Settings screen, select the Cookies and Site Data option located under the Permissions section.
- On the next screen, move the toggle next to Allow sites to save and read cookies to OFF.
Instead of disabling cookies for all websites, you can prevent certain websites from storing cookies on your computer.
- Click the Chrome menu icon > Settings> Advanced> Site Settings .
- On the next screen, select the Cookies and Site Data option located under the Permissions section.
- On the next screen, click on the Add option located next to Block.
- In the pop-up window, enter the address of the website you want to block and click the Add button.
- The blocked site will now no longer store cookies on your computer.
If you don’t want to have anything to do with cookies, you can always delete them. You can do this by:
- Click on the three vertical dots at the top right of your browser and choose settings.
- Scroll to the bottom and click on the Advanced drop-down menu.
- Under the Privacy and Security option, you will find the Clear browsing data option. This option will include the choice to clear history, cookies, cache, and more.
- When you click on the option, a Clear browsing data window appears. Various options will already be checked, but if you only want to delete cookies, you can go ahead and uncheck what you don’t want to delete. Just below the Basic option, you will also see a Time Range option. This option will only erase the information from the time you specified.
- You can choose from the last hour, 24 hours, seven days, and all the time.
This setting allows cookies to be used when visiting websites and automatically deletes cookies when you exit your Chrome browser.
To use this setting, turn on Allow sites to save and read cookies (recommended) and turn on Delete cookies and site data when I sign out of Chrome.
Another option provided by Google chrome is to enable cookies for all websites you visit while blocking third-party cookies.
Third-party cookies are created by other sites that display images and advertisements on this site.
To use this setting, turn on Allow sites to save and read cookies (recommended) and turn on Block third-party cookies.
While this setting may reduce the amount of tracking performed by third parties, it does not prevent websites from showing you ads.
Conclusion
Before deleting all your cookies, it is advisable to read which cookies are good and which are bad. Cookies are there to make your browsing experience easier, but if they are giving you trouble, you know how to get rid of them.
