How to Clear Cookies and Browser Data in Google Chrome

Clearing cookies and browser data can help resolve issues with website loading, improve browser performance, and protect your privacy. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to clear cookies and browser data in Google Chrome.

Step 1: Open Google Chrome

Ensure you have Google Chrome open on your computer.

Step 2: Access the Settings Menu

1. Click on the three vertical dots (menu) in the top-right corner of the browser window.
2. From the dropdown menu, select "Settings."

Step 3: Navigate to Privacy and Security

1. In the Settings menu, scroll down and click on "Privacy and security" in the left-hand sidebar.

Step 4: Clear Browsing Data

1. Under the "Privacy and security" section, click on "Clear browsing data."

Step 5: Choose Data to Clear

1. A new window will pop up with two tabs: "Basic" and "Advanced."
2. Select either tab based on your preference:
   • Basic: Allows you to clear browsing history, cookies and other site data, and cached images and files.
   • Advanced: Provides additional options such as download history, passwords, autofill form data, site settings, and hosted app data.

Step 6: Select Time Range

1. At the top of the window, choose the time range for the data you want to clear. Options include "Last hour," "Last 24 hours," "Last 7 days," "Last 4 weeks," and "All time."

Step 7: Select Data Types

1. Check the boxes next to the data types you want to clear.

   • Browsing history: Deletes your history of visited websites.
   • Cookies and other site data: Removes cookies, which are small files stored on your computer by websites.
   • Cached images and files: Clears cached images and files, which can free up storage space and potentially resolve loading issues.

2. If you selected the "Advanced" tab, you can choose additional data types to clear.

Step 8: Clear Data

1. Once you have selected the data types and time range, click on the "Clear data" button.
2. Chrome will start clearing the selected data. This may take a few moments depending on the amount of data.

Additional Tips

• Incognito Mode: Using Incognito mode in Chrome prevents cookies and browsing data from being saved during your browsing session. To open an Incognito window, click on the three vertical dots (menu) in the top-right corner and select "New Incognito window."
• Site-Specific Data: To clear cookies and data for a specific site, go to "Privacy and security" > "Site settings" > "Cookies and site data" > "See all cookies and site data," then search for the specific site and remove its data.

Clearing cookies and browser data periodically can help maintain your browser's performance and ensure your privacy. If you encounter any issues or need further assistance, refer to Chrome's Help Center for more detailed instructions.