How to delete cookies on your Android device: complete guide and advanced settings

If you regularly browse the internet on your Android phone , websites and some apps leave behind small traces in the form of cookies. While these help remember sessions and preferences, they can also affect your privacy and performance . Therefore, it's helpful to know how to delete them, how to manage them, and when it makes sense to perform a thorough cleanup and enable cookies on your Android phone.

In this guide, you'll find step-by-step instructions on how to delete cookies in the main Android browsers (Chrome, Samsung Internet, and Firefox), how to block or allow third-party cookies, how to add temporary exceptions, and what changes when you clear these cookies and the cache . You'll also find tips for clearing app data, configuring your Google account , and, in extreme cases, resetting your phone.

What are cookies and why are they of interest to you?

Cookies are small files that websites store on your device to remember settings, automatically log you in, or personalize content and ads. There are two main types: first-party cookies (from the site you're visiting) and third-party cookies (from other domains that load within that site) . The latter often come with embedded elements such as ads, images, or widgets.

Many websites will ask you to choose between accepting or rejecting cookies; the button to reject them has long been required, although sometimes the option is somewhat hidden and requires more clicks . There are also ad personalization features that reduce the information shared by websites and their partners, so you can adjust these settings if you want to further limit tracking.

It's worth noting that some browsers and recent versions of Chrome are increasingly restricting third-party cookies. In fact, Google is testing a default restriction of these cookies with user groups, except when they are essential for basic website functions. If you're in that group, you'll see specific options for managing them.

What happens when you delete cookies (and how they differ from cache)

When you delete cookies, you lose saved preferences and sessions; you'll likely have to log in again to many sites. On the other hand, you gain privacy and can fix loading or formatting issues on some pages . If you sync with your Google account, you won't have to log in to Google services again just because you clear local data in Chrome.

Cookies and cache should not be confused. The cache saves page elements (such as images) so they load faster the next time you visit. Clearing it may temporarily cause some websites to take a little longer to display their content , but it helps resolve display errors and frees up space.

Delete cookies in major Android browsers

The process is very similar across mobile browsers , although menu names vary slightly. Here are the steps for Chrome, Samsung Internet, and Firefox for Android, and how to display cookies in Chrome.

Google Chrome (Android)

1. Open Chrome on your mobile.
2. Tap the menu icon (three dots) and go to Settings.
3. Access Privacy and security.
4. Go to Clear browsing data.
5. Check Cookies and site data if you wish, You can also include Cache and History.
6. Confirm with Delete data.

If you do this frequently, you will reduce the trace you leave on the web, although in return, some pages will ask you for your username and password again.

Samsung Internet

1. Open Samsung Internet.
2. Press the menu (three lines) and go to Settings.
3. Go to Personal Browsing Data.
4. Choose Clear browsing data.
5. Check Cookies and site data and any other data you want to clear.
6. Finish with Delete data and confirm.

In a few seconds you will free up space and, with that, you will be able to resolve strange access or display errors on some websites.

Mozilla Firefox (Android)

1. Open Firefox on your mobile.
2. Tap the menu (three dots) and select Settings.
3. Go to the Delete private data section (or similar).
4. Check Cookies and active logins.
5. Confirm with Delete data.

In Firefox you can fine-tune what to delete and what to keep, so you don't have to redo your entire browsing environment every time you clean up.

Advanced Control: Third-Party Cookies in Chrome for Android

In addition to deleting cookies, Chrome lets you decide whether third-party cookies (those not belonging to the domain you're visiting) are allowed, blocked, or restricted. This impacts the functionality of advertising, embedded content, and interconnected services. More restrictions mean greater privacy but also a higher risk of website malfunctions.

Allow or block third-party cookies by default

1. Open Chrome and go to Settings.
2. Go to Privacy and security.
3. Look for third-party cookies.
4. Choose between allowing or blocking. If you choose to block, some sites may break. unless you add them as an exception.

In Incognito mode, third-party cookies are blocked by default, which provides an additional layer of privacy in specific sessions.

Create exceptions for specific sites

If blocking third-party cookies causes a website to stop working correctly (for example, it won't log you in when integrating a third-party provider), you can add it to a list of allowed sites. On those websites, third-party cookies will then work again in both normal and Incognito modes.

1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Third-Party Cookies.
2. Under Sites that may use third-party cookies, click Add.
3. Enter the address. To allow an entire domain, use a wildcard before the name (for example, mydomain.com).
4. Save with Add. You can remove the exception whenever you want..

On devices managed by your company or educational institution, certain options may be blocked by the administrator. If you don't see the setting, contact your IT administrator.

Temporarily allow third-party cookies using the address bar

Chrome displays an indicator in the status bar when third-party cookies are blocked or restricted on a page. If something isn't working (unresponsive buttons, logins that fail), you can temporarily enable them. This restores functionality without permanently opening the door.

1. Tap the cookie indicator next to the address bar.
2. Enable third-party cookies for that site if you need to allow them; or disable them if you want to block or restrict them.
3. Close the box and reload. You'll see the updated status (allowed, blocked, or limited).

This permission is temporary. In normal browsing, it usually lasts up to 90 days or until you disable it; in Incognito mode, it only lasts for the duration of that session.

Embedded content and related sites: why it sometimes asks for your permission

Many websites integrate content from other services: an editor, a video, a weather widget, etc. For this content to function, it may request access to the information it has stored about you (usually through cookies). With your permission, this external service can verify your identity or save changes while you use the website where it's embedded.

There are also groups of related sites from the same company (for example, music.example and video.example). If they are configured as related and you allow it, they can share activity to maintain your session or personalize content . If you block third-party cookies, this connection between domains is usually blocked unless you authorize it.

When you see a notification asking for permission for embedded content to use stored information about you, you can Accept or Decline. If you accept, the connection is established for a limited time (for example, 30 days or while there is activity) and you can revoke it in Settings.

Additional privacy protections in Chrome

• Block all third-party cookies: maximum restriction, but some sites may stop working.
• Submit a Do Not Track request: Ask sites not to track you; you'll depend on the site honoring your request.
• Review and edit the list of sites that may use third-party cookies: useful for managing fine-grained exceptions.

Incognito Mode: When to Use It

Incognito mode deletes cookies and website data when you close all tabs in that session, which is helpful if you want to make purchases, searches, or log in without leaving a record on your device. It also blocks third-party cookies by default . However, it's not absolute anonymity: your internet provider, your employer, or the websites you visit can still see your activity.

If you're concerned about privacy and don't want to manually clear cookies often, combining normal browsing with occasional Incognito sessions is practical. However, some websites may perform worse if they rely on external services that require third-party cookies.

Differences between deleting cookies and clearing cache on Android

On Android, in addition to browser cookies, you can clear the system cache and the cache for each app. The cache stores temporary data to speed up processes; over time , it grows and can cause unusual behavior or use up storage space . Clearing it won't disconnect you from services; deleting cookies will.

To clear the system-wide cache (depending on version/layer): Settings > Storage > Cached data, and confirm. In many modern layers, this global option is no longer available and is managed app by app.

To clear the cache of a specific app: Settings > Apps > Storage > Clear cache. This helps if an app keeps closing unexpectedly, displays incorrectly, or is using more storage than usual.

Delete local data from apps (beyond the browser)

Many apps store local data (not just cache). Deleting this data can be useful for starting fresh, fixing bugs, or freeing up space. Note: Deleting data is more drastic than clearing the cache because it resets the app to its original state, as if you had just installed it.

1. Go to Phone Settings.
2. Go to Applications.
3. Open the app you want (for example, social networks).
4. Tap Storage.
5. Choose Clear data (and Clear cache if applicable).

When you reopen the app, you'll need to log in again, but your cloud data will be retained. This cleanup is useful if you notice an app is taking up a lot of space or running slowly.

Manage what Google saves about your activity

Beyond cookies and cache, your Google account records activity from apps and services if you have it enabled. You can view and manage what's being stored in My Activity. It's a good practice to review it from time to time.

1. Open your phone's Settings and go to Google.
2. Tap Manage your Google account.
3. Go to the Data & Privacy tab.
4. In My Activity, filter by date and product and delete what you don't want to keep.
5. Under Data about what you create and do, go to the Google Dashboard to view and manage data for each service.

You can also set up automatic deletion of activity and location data. If you're signed in to Chrome, your data will sync across devices , making it easy to recover everything if you reinstall the browser.

Practical Privacy: Tips for Everyday Life

If you frequently connect to public Wi-Fi networks, take extra precautions: some attacks attempt to exploit cookies to hijack sessions. Therefore, clearing your cookies after using open networks is a good idea , and even better if you use Incognito mode or a trusted VPN .

When visiting websites, take a few seconds to check the privacy banner: rejecting or limiting personalization cookies reduces advertising profiling. Keep in mind that, with its new policies, Google is increasingly restricting third-party cookies in Chrome, so you'll see less cross-site tracking over time.

If a page is displaying incorrectly or not loading, try clearing the cache and cookies for that site or your browser. In many cases, this is the quickest solution for random errors after an update.

When is a periodic cleaning advisable (and how often)?

It depends on your usage. If you value the convenience of not having to log in constantly, you might prefer to clear your cookies every few weeks. If privacy is your priority, you can clear cookies after completing a sensitive session (banking, shopping, travel). The cache, on the other hand, should be checked when you notice slowdowns or a lack of storage space.

A reasonable routine is to delete cookies and website data monthly and clear the cache when you notice problems. On Android, remember that deleting app data is drastic, so reserve it for when it's truly necessary.

Radical solution: reset your phone

If your phone has serious problems or you want to give it away or sell it, you can reset it to factory settings. This erases absolutely everything: apps, photos, accounts, and local data. Back up your data first, because you won't be able to recover anything that isn't in the cloud.

1. Open Settings.
2. Look for Reset (usually under System, Backup, or Advanced Settings).
3. Choose Factory Data Reset and follow the steps.

If you just want a less aggressive reset, some skins offer a Reset Settings option (without deleting your files). Even so, you'll notice that many customizations are lost.