How to Remove Cookies in Microsoft Edge Browsers
It is not uncommon to see hundreds, or thousands, of cookies stored on a Microsoft Edge browser. Learn what cookies are and why you need them; also, see why you might want to block and remove cookies in Microsoft Edge Browsers.
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that store website information onto your computer. A website, like Driver Support, would forget user data without cookies. Cookies, when used correctly, can help provide a better browsing experience. Cookies can:
- Store website preferences – without cookies, you would not be able to keep track of personalized information such as your name, theme, and other settings.
- Remembers your login state – Some sites use cookies to track your login state exclusively. Session management cookies let sites keep track of authorized users. These session management cookies can also keep track of shopping carts, game scores, or anything else that would require tracking.
- Provides Personalized Content – shopping websites, like Amazon, provide personalized content based on cookie usage. The cookies keep track of previously browsed products to recommend similar products that might interest you.
Cookies are meant to provide a good online experience; however, there’s the chance of privacy abuse from unscrupulous sites.
Why Remove Cookies?
Lack of privacy and the possibility of getting your information leaked, sold, or stolen are of major concern when it comes to cookies.
Cookies and Privacy
Privacy tends to be the biggest concern in regard to cookies, as cookies can be used to track your behaviors across the internet. More commonly, advertising networks can use cookies to follow and track your browsing behavior across different websites. This information can then be used to target you. For example, if you search for movies or games then later browse for cars: you may see targeted gaming ads on a completely different site. Tracking networks may also sell your data to advertisers for revenue.
Popular search engines, such as Google and Bing, allow you to opt out of targeted ads on their preferences page; however, this will not stop all ad targeting. To stop advertisers from tracking – block all third-party cookies or block all cookies.
Hijacked Cookie sessions
Websites can only access their own cookies. Each website must install its own cookie to remember your preferences, which prevents other websites from stealing your personal session information; however, Session hijacking (or cookie hijacking) is a session exploit whereby a specialized software intercepts your session information.
Stealing your session ID cookies enables the hacker to browse visited sites as if they are you. Credit card and password information can be compromised in this manner. HTTPS websites encrypt session information to prevent this behavior, but HTTP sites remain vulnerable. To safeguard your personal information it is best only to visit secured sites or remove your cookies as detailed in the next section.
How To Remove Cookies In Microsoft Edge
Follow these steps to remove your cookies in Microsoft Edge quickly:
- Select the Menu Button (it has three horizontal dots) located on the top right corner of the browser
- Select Settings
- Navigate to Clear browsing data and select Choose what to clear
- Check box the Cookies and saved website data
- Select Clear
Note: You will be logged off your websites upon cookie removal. Cookies can still be installed after clearing them. To permanently block cookies continue reading.
How to Keep Cookies Blocked
Follow these steps to keep cookies blocked in Microsoft Edge:
- Select the Menu Button (it has three horizontal dots) located on the top right corner of the browser
- Select Settings
- Scroll to View advanced settings
- Scroll to Cookies where you can select: Block all cookies or Block only third-party cookies or Don’t block cookies
You will not be able to white-list or blacklist specific cookies on Microsoft Edge; however, Block only third-party cookies gives good middle ground to block advertisers. You can also Block all cookies to keep your browsing habits more private.
Are you using a different browser? Here are some help articles to help you remove cookies:
