turn cookies on safari

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How to Enable Cookies in Safari

Last Updated: March 16, 2024 Tested

This article was written by Luigi Oppido and by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA . Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years. The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. This article has been viewed 580,234 times.

Cookies are enabled by default in Safari on your Mac, iPhone, and iPad. If the features of a certain website aren't working properly or you're getting errors about cookies, you may have disabled cookies in your settings. This wikiHow article will teach you how to allow cookies in Safari, and show you what to do if cookies aren't working properly.

Things You Should Know

• Open Safari on your Mac. Go to Safari > Preferences… > Privacy and uncheck "Block all Cookies".

• Try clearing your cookies if you are having trouble loading websites—sometimes old cookies get in the way of saving the new version of a cookie.

Enabling Cookies on a Mac

• In most cases, you'll probably want to leave a checkmark in front of this option to preserve your privacy. However, if websites aren't loading properly or you can't use the features of certain sites, you may need to enable this option.

Enabling Cookies on iPhone and iPad

• In most cases, you'll probably want to leave this switch on, as this protects your privacy. However, if websites aren't loading properly or you're unable to use features of certain sites, you can enable this option and see if it resolves the problem.

Troubleshooting

• Mac: Click the Safari menu, select Preferences , click Privacy , and then remove the checkmark from "Prevent cross-site tracking."
• iPhone/iPad: Open your Settings , tap Safari , and then toggle the "Prevent Cross-Site Tracking" switch to the Off (white) position.

• First, check to make sure private browsing is not always set to turn on—click the Safari menu, select Preferences , click General , and click the "New windows open with" menu. [6] X Research source If "A new private window" is selected, choose A new window instead.
• Then, to open a new window, just close the currently open Safari window, click the File menu, and then select New Window .
• iPhone/iPad: Open Safari and tap the overlapping squares at the bottom. [7] X Research source Tap Private at the bottom (if you see it), select (number of) Tabs , and then tap Done .

• Mac: Click the Safari menu, click Preferences , click Privacy , click Manage Website Data , and then click Remove All .
• iPhone/iPad: Open Settings , tap Safari , tap Advanced , select Website Data , and then tap Remove All Website Data . [8] X Research source

Community Q&A

• Enabling cookies can often allow you to view and have access to a larger number of websites that require cookies in order to function or display properly. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Despite their poor reputation, cookies aren't inherently malicious. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/manage-cookies-and-website-data-sfri11471/mac
• ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/105082
• ↑ https://support.ewu.edu/support/solutions/articles/10000057364-how-do-i-disable-prevent-cross-site-tracking-in-safari-
• ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/use-private-browsing-ibrw1069/mac
• ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203036

About This Article

1. Open Safari. 2. Click the Safari menu 3. Click Preferences... . 4. Click the Privacy tab. 5. Remove the checkmark from "Block all cookies." Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Manage cookies and website data

Websites often store cookies and other data on your Mac. This data may include information that you have provided, such as your name, email address, and preferences. This data helps websites identify you when you return so the site can provide services for you and show information that might be of interest to you.

By default, Safari accepts cookies and website data only from websites you visit. This helps prevent certain advertisers from storing data on your Mac. You can change options in Safari preferences so that Safari always accepts or always blocks cookies and other website data.

Open Safari for me

Important: Changing your cookie preferences or removing cookies and website data in Safari may change or remove them in other apps, including Dashboard.

Choose Safari > Preferences, click Privacy, then do any of the following:

Change which cookies and website data are accepted: Select a “Cookies and website data” option:

Always block: Safari doesn’t let any websites, third parties, or advertisers store cookies and other data on your Mac. This may prevent some websites from working properly.

Allow from current website only: Safari accepts cookies and website data only from the website you’re currently visiting. Websites often have embedded content from other sources. Safari does not allow these third parties to store or access cookies or other data.

Allow from websites I visit: Safari accepts cookies and website data only from websites you visit. Safari uses your existing cookies to determine whether you have visited a website before. Selecting this option helps prevent websites that have embedded content in other websites you browse from storing cookies and data on your Mac.

Always allow: Safari lets all websites, third parties, and advertisers store cookies and other data on your Mac.

Remove stored cookies and data: Click Manage Website Data, select one or more websites, then click Remove or Remove All.

Removing the data may reduce tracking, but may also log you out of websites or change website behavior.

See which websites store cookies or data: Click Manage Website Data.

Change how often websites ask to use your location information: Select a “Website use of location services” option:

Prompt for each website once each day: Safari prompts you once each day for each website you visit that requests use of location services.

Prompt for each website one time only: Safari only prompts you once for each website you visit that requests use of location services.

Deny without prompting: All websites are denied access to location services and Safari does not prompt you.

Ask websites not to track you: Some websites keep track of your browsing activities when they serve you content, which enables them to tailor what they present to you. You can have Safari ask sites and their third party content providers (including advertisers) not to track you.

With this option turned on, each time Safari fetches content from a website, Safari adds a request not to track you, but it’s up to the website to honor this request.

Enable Cookies in Safari

Updated at: Feb 19, 2022

This guide will step you through the process of getting Cookies enabled in Safari on macOS.

Enable Cookies

Click the "safari" menu.

Make sure you have a Safari window open and active; you will see the "Safari" menu in the top left of your screen. Click it and it will expand to show Safari specific options.

Click the "Preferences" menu item

Now that you have expanded the Safari menu, you will see the Preferences item - click on it.

The Safari Preferences screen will now appear.

Click the "Privacy" tab

The Safari Preferences screen has a number of sections, indicated by the various options along the top of the screen (General/Tabs/AutoFill etc). Click the Privacy item to see privacy related options.

Choose your preferred Cookies and tracking settings

On the Privacy Preferences tab, you will see the " Website tracking: " and " Cookies and website data: " checkboxes.

Enabling Prevent cross-site tracking blocks third-party cookies from being set as well as third-party websites from storing data on your computer. Enabling this option is a good step in helping prevent companies from tracking your activity online.

Enabling Block all cookies will prevent block First-Party cookies, as well as Third-Party cookies. Enabling this may cause websites to not work properly, and Safari will warn you about this if you choose this option.

A good balance of settings is to enable Prevent cross-site tracking and disable Block all cookies .

If you click the Manage Website Data button you'll see a list of website domains which have stored data on your computer. You can remove some or all of them.

Close the Preferences window

Once you have configured your cookie blocking preferences, you can simply close this window and continue using Safari.

Congratulations, you just configured Cookies in Safari. Click here to check if Cookies are enabled.

You may also want to take a moment to clear your cookies and history in Safari .

Safari and Third-Party Cookies

After extensive testing and debugging, we have found that when you enable Block cross-site tracking in Safari it will still hold on to the third-party cookies and keep using them until you restart Safari.

So if you choose to enable Block cross-site tracking in Safari, make sure you restart (and preferably Reset Safari) to ensure that it doesn't keep using any third party cookies it may have cached.

More guides and help for Safari

Need more help with Safari? Read our other Safari guides .

Clear cache & history

Do i need to clear my cache.

Not sure why you've been asked to clear your cache? We can explain. Why you need to clear your cache

What is a cache?

Before you consider clearing your browser cache, you should know what it is! Learn a little bit about browser caches

Is it safe to clear my cache?

Are there any risks to clearing your cache? Find out if it's ok to clear your cache

Update my web browser

Do i need to update my browser.

Find out if your browser is out of date Is my browser out of date?

Why should I update my browser?

There are very good reasons to, find out here! Why update your browser?

Is it free to update Chrome?

Find out about the cost of updating Chrome... Does Chrome cost anything?

What does "Update browser" mean?

What does it actually mean? What does it mean to update your browser

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How to enable javascript.

Change your JavaScript settings Guide to enabling Javascript

How to enable Cookies

Configure your cookie settings for privacy Guide to enabling cookies

Related articles

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We've got a detailed guide to help you solve login problems How to fix website log in problems

Why do websites use cookies?

Why are cookies useful? Do you need them? What's the deal with cookies?

How to update your browser

Old software puts you at risk. Keep your browser fresh and up to date

Clear Cache, Cookies and History

How to reset your browsing history How to reset your browser

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Different web browsers have different features - try a different one to see if you prefer it. Experiment a bit!

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We recommend NordVPN to hide your IP address or to unblock websites. Hide your IP Address

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How to Manage Cookies in the Safari Browser

Excessive cookies can slow down any web browser

Tom Nelson is an engineer, programmer, network manager, and computer network and systems designer who has written for Other World Computing,and others. Tom is also president of Coyote Moon, Inc., a Macintosh and Windows consulting firm.

What to Know

• Open Safari > select Preferences > Privacy tab.
• In the Cookies and website data section, select Manage Website Data > select website(s) > Remove .

This article explains how to manage and delete cookies and caches in the Safari web browser. Information applies to Macs with macOS High Sierra (10.11) and later.

Delete Cookies and Cache in Safari

You can choose to delete all your stored cookies and caches or only specific data you want to remove, leaving the others behind.

Launch Safari, go to the Safari menu, then select Preferences .

In the window that opens, go to the Privacy tab.

In the Cookies and website data section, select Manage Website Data to open an alphabetical list of the websites for which your computer is storing data, including cookies and caches.

To delete a single website, scroll through the alphabetical list, or use the search field. Select it, then choose Remove to delete any data your computer stores for that website. This can be helpful when you have problems with a specific website.

Select multiple sequential websites using the Shift key. Select the first cookie, then hold the Shift key and select the second website. Any websites in between the two are selected.

Use the Command key to select noncontiguous websites. Select the first cookie and then hold the Command key as you select each additional cookie.

Select Remove to delete the selected cookies.

Select Remove All to delete all the websites on the list. No selection is necessary. You are prompted to confirm that you want to delete all the data stored by the websites. Confirm by selecting Remove Now in the pop-up window.

Delete Safari Caches

If you prefer to leave the cookies in place and delete only the caches, do so through the Developer menu on the Safari menu bar. The Developer menu isn't enabled by default. You turn it on in the Safari preferences menu and then clear the caches:

In the window that opens, go to the Advanced tab.

Select the Show Develop menu in menu bar check box and close the preference screen.

Select Develop in the Safari menu bar, then select Empty Caches .

Alternatively, press Option + Command + E on the keyboard.

This is an all-or-nothing option. You can't select individual caches to remove in the Develop menu.

Corrupt Cookies Affect the Safari Experience

When a web browser accumulates cookies over a long time, bad things can happen. Cookies eventually become out of date, consuming space while serving no benefit. Cookies can also become corrupt from Safari freezes, power outages, unplanned Mac shutdowns, and other events. Eventually, you may find that Safari and some websites no longer work well together, if at all.

Troubleshooting the reason Safari and a website fail to work well together is challenging. A corrupt cookie or cached data may be the culprit.

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How to enable cookies on iPhone to personalize your web browsing experience

• You can enable cookies for the iPhone's Safari browser in the Settings app.
• Many websites require the use of cookies for better performance.
• While cookies help personalize and stream your web browsing experience, you can manage how third-party companies track you.

You sometimes hear advice from security- and privacy-minded individuals suggesting that you should block or disable all cookies in your web browser . But is that really the best advice?

While third-party cookies are used by ad companies to track you as you go around the internet, first-party cookies are actually practical. First-party cookies allow browsers to remember important user info — like usernames, passwords, and language preferences — so you have a better user experience. 

Generally speaking, it's a good idea to leave first-party cookies enabled to personalize and streamline your web browsing. That said, there are measures you can take so third-party content providers do not collect your personal data. 

How to enable cookies on iPhone in Chrome and Firefox

If you use a third-party browser like Chrome or Firefox, cookies are enabled by default, and you do not have the option to disable them.

You do, however, have the option to disable third-party cookies. Here's how to manage cookies for Chrome and Firefox:

• Chrome: On your iPhone, go to Settings , and then select Chrome . From there, make sure Allow Cross-Website Tracking is disabled.
• Firefox: On your iPhone, go to Settings , and then select Firefox . From there, make sure Allow Cross-Website Tracking is disabled.

• Main content

iOS 17 – How to Allow iPhone Safari Cookies

You can allow cookies on your iPhone in iOS 17 by going to Settings > Safari > Advanced > and turning off the Block All Cookies option.

Our tutorial continues below with more information on the iPhone Safari cookie setting, including pictures of these steps.

You can also watch this video about how to allow cookies on iPhone in iOS 17 for more on this topic.

How to Stop Blocking Cookies in iOS 17 (Guide with Pictures)

The steps in this article were performed on an iPhone 14 Plus in the iOS 17 operating system.

The see steps will work for more other iPhone models that are using iOS 17.

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

Step 2: Scroll down and choose the Safari option.

Step 3: Scroll to the bottom of the screen and select the Advanced option.

Step 4: Tap the button to the right of Block All Cookies to turn it off.

Note that this will not affect cookies in other browsers that you might have on your iPhone, such as Chrome or Firefox.

If you are using a version of iOS prior to iOS 17, then you can read this article about enabling cookies on an iPhone .

Video About the iOS 17 Safari Cookie Setting

Summary – Allowing iPhone Cookies

• Open Settings .
• Select Safari .
• Choose Advanced .
• Turn off Block All Cookies .

Related: iPhone Guide to Updating Apps

Additional Information About iPhone Cookies

Let’s talk about cookies. No, not the kind you eat with milk! I’m talking about the tiny pieces of data websites store on your device. If you’ve got an iPhone, you’ve probably seen messages about cookies popping up while browsing. So, what’s the deal? Are they good, bad, or just plain confusing? Let’s break it down.

A Crumbly Introduction to Cookies

Imagine walking into your favorite store and the salesperson remembers your name, what you last bought, and even your favorite color. It feels pretty special, right? That’s sort of what cookies do for websites. They help sites remember stuff about you, making your online experience smoother. When a website remembers your login details, shopping cart items, or settings, that’s cookies working their magic.

Why Would I Want to Allow Cookies on My iPhone?

Smooth Sailing : Websites use cookies to make things faster and easier. Hate typing in your username and password every single time? Cookies have your back!

Personal Touch : Ever noticed ads or content that seem like they were picked just for you? Cookies help websites tailor things to your taste.

Remember the Details : Whether it’s saving items in a shopping cart or keeping track of your progress in a game, cookies store these little details.

Sounds Great, But Are There Any Downsides?

Of course, like everything, cookies have a flip side. Sometimes, they can be a tad nosy. If you’re someone who values privacy, you might not like the idea of websites tracking what you’re up to. And let’s be real, nobody likes too many ads. Cookies can lead to a lot of personalized ads, which can sometimes feel overwhelming.

What happens if I block all cookies?

When you block all cookies, websites may not function as intended. You might need to sign in every time or some features might not work.

Can I choose which websites save cookies?

Yes! Safari on iPhone lets you choose which sites you trust. This is a middle ground between blocking all cookies and allowing them everywhere.

Do cookies harm my iPhone?

Cookies themselves are harmless. They’re just data. But, if a website is shady, it might misuse cookies. It’s always good to only allow cookies from sites you trust.

How often should I clear cookies from my iPhone?

Clearing cookies is like spring cleaning. You can do it whenever you feel your browsing is getting cluttered. Some folks do it monthly, while others, only when there’s an issue.

What’s the difference between cookies and cache?

While cookies store details about your interactions, cache is like a memory bank that helps websites load faster. They’re both there to make your life easier, but they do different things.

More About Cookies

For those who dive deep, there’s more to cookies than meets the eye. There are various types like session cookies, which vanish once you close your browser, and persistent cookies that hang around longer. Plus, there’s a difference between first-party cookies (from the site you’re on) and third-party cookies (from advertisers or others). You can even dive into settings on your iPhone to tweak these specifics if you’re feeling adventurous.

In conclusion, cookies on your iPhone can be friends or foes – it all depends on how you see them. They sure make life online easier, but if privacy is your jam, you’ve got controls in your hands. Either way, now you’re equipped with the knowledge to make an informed choice. So, to allow or not to allow? The cookie crumbles in your court!

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

Read his full bio here.

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How to Enable Cookies on iPhone: A Step-by-Step Guide

Enabling cookies on your iPhone is a simple process that allows websites to save your preferences, login information, and other data to make your browsing experience more personalized and convenient. By following a few quick steps, you can ensure that your iPhone is set up to accept cookies from the websites you visit.

You can also watch this video about how to enable cookies on iPhone for additional information.

Step by Step Tutorial: How to Enable Cookies on iPhone

Before we dive into the steps, let’s understand what we’re aiming for. Enabling cookies on your iPhone will allow websites to store information on your device. This can make your web experience smoother, as you won’t have to log in every time you visit a site, for example. Now, let’s get to the steps.

Step 1: Open the Settings App

Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

This is the app with the gear icon, usually found on your home screen or in the App Library. It’s where you can adjust all sorts of preferences on your device, from your wallpaper to privacy settings.

Step 2: Scroll Down and Tap Safari

Scroll down and tap on “Safari,” which is the default web browser for iPhone.

You might have to scroll a bit to find it, but it’s there. Tapping Safari brings up a host of options related to your web browsing experience.

Step 3: Go to the Privacy & Security Section

In the Safari settings, go to the “Privacy & Security” section.

Here you can adjust settings that will impact how secure your browsing is, and how much privacy you have while online.

Step 4: Find the Block Cookies Option

Find the “Block Cookies” option and tap on it.

This option will be listed among others like “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking” and “Ask Websites Not to Track Me.”

Step 5: Select Your Preferred Cookie Setting

Select “Allow from Websites I Visit” or “Always Allow” to enable cookies on your iPhone.

Choosing “Allow from Websites I Visit” means that your iPhone will accept cookies from websites you’ve visited, which helps them remember you next time. “Always Allow” means that your iPhone will accept cookies from any site, which can be useful but might raise privacy concerns for some users.

After completing these steps, your iPhone will be able to accept cookies from websites. This means that your browsing experience should be more seamless, with less need to repeatedly sign in to your accounts or set up your preferences.

Tips: How to Enable Cookies on iPhone

• Always keep your iPhone’s iOS software up to date to ensure that your privacy settings, including cookies, work properly.
• Consider the privacy implications of allowing cookies, especially if choosing the “Always Allow” option.
• If you’re concerned about privacy, you can choose to block cookies again at any time by reversing the steps above.
• Clearing your history and website data in Safari settings will also clear your cookies.
• Some websites may not function properly without cookies enabled, so if you’re having trouble with a site, check your cookie settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are cookies.

Cookies are small files that websites put on your device to store information about your preferences. They help websites remember you when you come back.

Can I block cookies on my iPhone?

Yes, you can block cookies by choosing the “Always Block” option in the “Block Cookies” setting in Safari.

Will enabling cookies affect my privacy?

It can, as cookies store information about your browsing habits. However, they are also essential for a smooth browsing experience.

What happens if I clear my history and website data?

Clearing your history and website data will also remove cookies, which may log you out of websites and remove your preferences.

Can I enable cookies for specific websites?

As of now, iOS does not allow you to manage cookie settings on a per-website basis. It’s all or nothing.

• Open the Settings app
• Go to Privacy & Security
• Tap Block Cookies
• Choose “Allow from Websites I Visit” or “Always Allow”

Mastering how to enable cookies on iPhone is as easy as pie, and it’s a crucial skill in the digital age we live in. Cookies play a pivotal role in streamlining your online adventures, making them more personalized and efficient. Whether you’re an avid online shopper who wants to keep items in a shopping cart, a social media enthusiast who doesn’t want to log in every time, or a research buff who needs customized search results, enabling cookies is the way to go.

Remember to keep your privacy in check and only allow cookies from sites you trust. Technology is always evolving, and with it, the way we interact with our devices. Stay informed, stay safe, and most importantly, enjoy the convenience that enabling cookies on your iPhone brings to your everyday life. Happy browsing!

Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.

His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.

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• Activation Lock
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• Enforce password policies
• Use persistent tokens
• Use built-in network security features
• Managed Device Attestation
• Intro to certificate management
• Distribute certificates
• Intro to smart card integration
• Supported smart card functions on iPhone and iPad
• Use a smart card on iPhone and iPad
• Supported smart card functions on Mac
• Use a smart card on Mac
• Configure a Mac for smart card–only authentication
• FileVault and smart card usage
• Advanced smart card options
• Startup security
• System and kernel extensions in macOS
• Intro to FileVault
• Use secure and bootstrap tokens
• Manage FileVault with MDM
• Mac app security enhancements
• User Enrollment MDM information
• Device Enrollment MDM payload list
• Automated Device Enrollment MDM payload list
• Payload list for iPhone and iPad
• Payload list for Mac
• Payload list for Apple TV
• Payload list for Apple Watch
• Payload list for Apple Vision Pro
• Payload list for Shared iPad
• Restrictions for iPhone and iPad
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• Restrictions for Apple TV
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• MDM command list
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• Device information queries
• Device network information queries
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• Installed app queries
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• Declarative status reports
• Accessibility payload settings
• Active Directory Certificate payload settings
• AirPlay payload settings
• AirPlay Security payload settings
• AirPrint payload settings
• App Lock payload settings
• Associated Domains payload settings
• Automated Certificate Management Environment (ACME) payload settings
• Autonomous Single App Mode payload settings
• Calendar payload settings
• Cellular payload settings
• Cellular Private Network payload settings
• Certificate Preference payload settings
• Certificate Revocation payload settings
• Certificate Transparency payload settings
• Certificates payload settings
• Conference Room Display payload settings
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• Content Caching payload settings
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• Dock payload settings
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• Service configuration files declarative configuration
• Software Update declarative configuration
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• Join AppleSeed for IT
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Manage Safari cookies for Apple devices

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How to clear Safari’s cache and cookies on Mac

There are a handful of situations when clearing Safari’s cookies or cache–one of the places where Safari stores website data to avoid having to download it afresh each time you access a site–can help improve your browsing experience.

The first is when websites simply stop working when you access them on Safari. Perhaps Facebook stops updating with new posts, for example, or the images on a site don’t appear as they should. If this happens, it’s likely the cache has become corrupted.

Alternatively, if you find that personal info automatically completed on sites isn’t correct, deleting cookies can help. These are small files that sites use to save data about you and what you do on the site.

Even if none of these problems affect you, periodically cleaning browser data can help protect your privacy from snoops who want to discover what you’ve been up to online. In this article, therefore, we explain how to clear Safari’s cache and cookies on Mac.

We also have an article that explains How to clear cache on a Mac.

How to clear Safari cookies and cache for websites

Cleaning cookies and the cache data for individual sites can be done via Safari’s Settings/Preferences.

• Open Safari
• Click on Safari in the menu at the top of the screen.
• Click on Settings or Preferences (depending on the version of macOS you are running).
• Go to the Privacy tab.
• Click on Manage Website Data…
• Choose Remove All or select websites individually to remove.

After the data is loaded you’ll probably see a long list of websites. You can choose to Remove All or just select individual websites you want to remove from this list. If you want to select a number of different sites you can click on one and then press and hold the Command key to select a second, third or fourth and so on. We recommend that you don’t select hundreds this way – it’s better to delete in batches just in case you have to start over.

If you would prefer to select all and then deselect the ones you want to keep you can do so. Use Command + A to select all, then press and hold Command while clicking on any website you are happy to keep in this list. Just click Remove afterwards, not Done, as that will just undo all your hard work.

There’s a search field you can use to track down individual sites.

Bear in mind that deleting cookies might remove autocompleted login usernames and passwords for sites, and will almost certainly log you out of that site if you’ve configured it to automatically log in each time you visit.

How to clear Safari cache

The hidden Safari Developer menu can be used to clear just the cache, leaving cookies and the browser history in place. This is a very useful diagnostic step to take before removing those two items if a website behaves badly.

If you just want to clear all your cache you can do so by following these steps:

• Open Safari.
• Click on Safari in menu bar at top of screen.
• Click on Settings/Preferences (depending on the version of macOS you are running).
• Click on the Advanced tab.
• Check the box beside Show Develop Menu in Menu Bar.
• Now there will be a new Develop tab in the menu at the top of your screen. Click on this.
• Click on Empty Caches.

Alternatively click on Option/Alt + Command + E.

Close any open Safari windows and select Empty Caches on the Develop menu. Then click File > New Window to start Safari with a clean cache.

How to remove autocomplete data from AutoFill

Safari’s AutoFill tool can fill in username and password details on websites as well as credit card details and other elements like your address and email details.

This can be really useful, but it can also be annoying if the data it fills in is incorrect or out of context. It’s also a problem when AutoFill helpfully enters old or incorrect passwords or emails and addresses.

You can change this data, or delete it by following these steps:

• Click on Safari.
• Click on Settings/Preferences.
• Choose the AutoFill tab.
• Here you can edit contact information, usernames and passwords, credit cards and other data. Click on Edit beside the category you want access to.
• You’ll need to enter your password or use Touch ID to gain access.

Delete incorrect data: If you are finding that Safari is autofilling incorrect data about you–your address, for example–click Edit beside Using information from my contacts. This will open up your Contacts app. Your card will be at the top or under My Card. You can add and amend data about you here.

Delete incorrect passwords and site logins: If you wanted to delete incorrect passwords, for example, you can just click on the Passwords tab. If you know which password you want to remove search for the website or service and then find the older password option (if there is more than one) and select it and then click on the – below the column to remove it. You can then select Delete Password. If that means there is no password saved for that website, you can then recreate the entry for the site by clicking the Add button. You’ll first need to provide the URL of the site (that is, something like https://facebook.com ), and then type the username and password alongside (hit the Tab key to move from field to field).

See: How to autofill passwords, bank cards, names and addresses for more.

Delete logins and passwords system-wide

Pruning site logins can also be done via the Keychain Access app, which you’ll find in the Utilities folder of the Applications list in Finder, although you should be very careful using this app because it pretty much controls the entire security operation of your Mac! However, by removing errant username and password entries here you’ll stop virtually all of your Mac apps using them, and not just Safari.

Just type the name of the site into the Search field, and look in the list of results for entries of the kind Web Form Password. Right-click the entry and select Delete.

If you want to delete your Chrome or Firefox cache, cookies or browsing history read: How to delete your Mac browsing history . For alternative web browsers take a look at: Best web browser for Mac.

Data Privacy: All the Ways Your Cellphone Carrier Tracks You and How to Stop It

Take control of your personal data by learning exactly what phone companies are tracking and how you can turn it off.

Most cellphone users in the US are served by three major wireless carriers. 

Data tracking in 2024 seems inevitable. Whether you're using an iPhone or Android phone , your carrier is likely gathering all sorts of data about how, where and when you use your cellphone. 

This month T-Mobile quietly began rolling out a new tracking method called "profiling and automated decisions." Spotted by Reddit users and The Mobile Report , the new option is enabled by default. While the company says it isn't using information gleaned from such tracking today, it could be used later on for "future decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects about you."

Read more:  Best Cellphone Plans of 2024

But the self-proclaimed "un-carrier" isn't alone. All three major US wireless providers collect data, here's what they gather and how you can turn it off. It is also worth noting that some of this you should want to keep on, particularly identity verification.

While we're focusing on the three main wireless carriers that make up a bulk of the US wireless market, it is likely smaller providers and even home internet services are engaging in similar collections. Heading to an account's profile or privacy page should help you figure out what is being collected and how you can adjust it. 

Read more: How to Adjust Your Streaming Stick or Smart TV's Privacy Settings

As we mentioned above, T-Mobile is not the only one collecting data about how you use their services. You can check your AT&T privacy settings by logging into your account and going to Profile followed by Privacy Choices .

The carrier has four main privacy toggles: 

• Personalized Plus:  This setting "uses data like web browsing and precise location for customization" including for offers and ads. This data includes your precise location, web browsing, viewership history, apps as well as data AT&T collects from advertisers like demographic information, ZIP code and age ranges. The carrier says this data "does not access or use the contents of your texts, emails or calls." 
• Personalized:  This option "allows the use of your data for automated decision making" including using AI to generate more customized ads and marketing tailored and "relevant to your interests." It's on by default. 
• Identity Verification: This "allows us to help non-AT&T companies perform identity verification and fraud prevention," such as a bank to "help protect your accounts from fraud, verify your identity and make sure you authorize certain transactions." AT&T says it does not let companies use this verification "for any other purpose than those services." This is on by default. 
• Share or sell my personal information: This lets AT&T "share limited information to create, deliver and measure advertisements for things you might like" including targeted ads. This is on by default. 

Of the four, you can easily toggle off all settings, though I would recommend keeping identity verification on for all lines on your account.

T-Mobile's privacy options are a bit more varied. To access the company's Privacy Center , log into your T-Mobile account and then click My account in the upper right corner, followed by Profile . From there scroll all the way to the bottom and select privacy and notifications and privacy dashboard . 

From there you will see the following: 

• Share data for public and scientific research:  T-Mobile says that this option allows it to "help support research initiatives for the public good, such as pandemic response and the development of new technologies." Created last year, the carrier says this program is in response to requests from "outside researchers or researching institutions." T-Mobile says this data will be "de-identified as much as possible before being shared" and will not include personal information such as your name, though it can share location, demographic and usage data. It also says that data shared here won't be given to law enforcement.    
• Analytics and reporting: This takes data from your device, including app usage information such as how often it was opened and zip code and combines it with "self-declared data like age range (e.g., 25 to 34) and gender, to prepare aggregated business and marketing reports," which T-Mobile can then use and share with other companies. The carrier says that these reports do not identify individuals. This is on by default. 
• Advertising options: This is for personalized ads , with the carrier collecting details about apps you download and how long you've used them, combining it with other data it collects such as your location and demographic. As with similar options from other providers and sites, turning this off doesn't stop you from seeing ads but the carrier says that you are "more likely to see ads about things you like" if you keep these options on. This is on by default. 
• Product development: This lets T-Mobile use your personal data, including your precise location, phone numbers you call, apps and websites you use, as well as helping advertisers "make the ads they show you better."
• Profiling and automated decisions: This is T-Mobile's seemingly latest privacy option that we mentioned above, and while the carrier says it isn't doing anything with this today, it appears to be giving itself the option to do so going forward. On its site it describes this as taking personal data it collects about you "to evaluate, analyze, or predict certain personal aspects about your performance at work, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behavior, location, or movements." It is on by default. 
• Do not sell or share my personal information:  This allows you to tell T-Mobile not to sell or share the data it has about you with other companies. The company notes on its site that it still may share "some personal information with our service providers so you can, for example, receive products and services from us." In an annoying extra step, the carrier notes on its website that you can limit what data third-party advertisers share with T-Mobile through its Magenta Advertising Platform, but to opt out of that you need to download a separate app .

Of these options, I would recommend turning all of them off. 

In addition to the dashboard, T-Mobile's Privacy Center website  details something called "phone privacy." T-Mobile says that it uses information gathered from here to "identify offers for T-Mobile calling plans, protect against fraud, and respond to emergencies" but that under this policy it is not collecting "your name, address, phone number or the content of your phone calls." It also says it's not sharing this data with other companies so that it could "help them market their stuff." 

Verizon 

Like T-Mobile, Verizon has a host of different options when it comes to privacy. This can be found by logging in, clicking on account then account overview . From there, select edit profile and settings and choose manage privacy settings . 

• Customer Proprietary Network Info:  This lets Verizon use the information it has about you to sell you other services beyond whatever you're already paying for. This is on by default. 
• Business and Marketing Insights:  This takes information about location, web browsing, "app/feature use" as well as your demographic and then combines that with information Verizon gets from other companies to help Verizon create "insights" like if many people are often traveling to a particular place at a particular time. The carrier says this information is collected "in aggregate" so that it can help it and "others better understand consumer actions." This is on by default. 
• Custom Experience: This takes information about "websites you visit and apps you use" to "help us better understand your interests" such as if you like sports or gaming. Verizon says it does not share or sell this information with others. It's on by default. 
• Custom Experience Plus: This combines the information gathered from the CPNI and Custom Experience sections so that Verizon can "personalize" its marketing and recommendations for you as well as "develop plans, services and offers" that would be "more appealing to you." This is an opt-in and the carrier says that it doesn't sell this data to other companies for their own respective advertising, though opting in here will automatically enable the Business and Marketing Insights . 
• Identity Verification:  This shares "certain account, device and profile data" with third parties to help "verify your identity and help protect you against identity theft and account takeover." This is on by default. 

There is also a Custom Experience tab that lets you reset your Custom Experience and Custom Experience Plus options, and doing so will have Verizon "stop using the web browsing and location data" that it previously collected as part of the program. 

Of all of Verizon's options, I would recommend turning off all but Identity Verification. That should remain on. 

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Turn cookies on or off

Cookies can impact how your Google Account works with other third-party apps and services.

Important: If you get a message that cookies are turned off, you need to turn them on to use your account.

Learn about cookies

The websites that you visit create files called cookies. By saving information about your visit, they make your online experience easier. For example, sites can:

• Keep you signed in
• Remember your site preferences
• Provide you locally relevant content

There are 2 types of cookies:

• First-party cookies: Created by the site you visit. The site is in the address bar. They are a type of on-device site data. Learn more about on-device site data.
• Third-party cookies: Created by other sites. The sites you visit can embed content, like images, ads, and text, from other sites. Any of these other sites can save cookies and other data to personalize your experience.

Google uses cookies to improve its services. Learn how cookies are used in the Privacy Policy .

You can allow or block third-party cookies by default.

• Tip: If you are part of the Tracking Protection test group, follow the “Tracking Protection” instructions instead .
• Allow third-party cookies .
• Block third-party cookies in Incognito mode .
• If you block third-party cookies, all third-party cookies from other sites are blocked unless the site is allowed on your exceptions list.

Learn how to change more cookie settings in Chrome .

In other browsers

For instructions, check the support website for your browser.

Fix problems

If you can't sign in to a third-party website with your Google Account, and get a message that cookies are turned off:

• Follow the steps above to turn on cookies.
• Try signing in again.

If you still get the error message, here are some possible solutions. Try each one, then try signing in.

• Open a new browser window.
• Clear your browser's cache and cookies. Learn how to clear cache and cookies .
• Browse in private. Learn how to browse privately in Chrome .
• Change your browser's privacy settings. Learn how to change privacy settings .

Need more help?

Try these next steps:.

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