Cookies are small data files that are stored on your iPhone when you visit different websites. They can be useful for remembering login information and website preferences, but some users may want to Disable Cookies on an iPhone for privacy reasons or to help their iPhone run faster. Luckily, disabling cookies on an iPhone is easy – this guide will walk you through the steps for both Safari and Chrome browsers.
An Introduction to Cookies
Before diving into the steps to disable cookies, it helps to understand exactly what cookies are and how they work.
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What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that websites store on your iPhone. They contain bits of data that help websites remember information about you. Common uses of cookies include:
- Remembering login credentials so you don’t have to sign in every time
- Recording website preferences like theme or font size
- Keeping track of shopping cart contents
- Storing data for analytics to improve the website
- Serving targeted advertising
Cookies set by the website you are currently visiting are called first-party cookies. Cookies set by other websites are third-party cookies. For example, many websites contain embedded content like ads or social media buttons that set third-party cookies.
How Long Do Cookies Last?
Cookies can be session cookies or persistent cookies. Session cookies only last while your browser is open and are deleted when you close the browser. Persistent cookies have an expiration date and can last for hours, days, weeks, or years depending on the lifespan set by the website.
Are Cookies Safe?
In most cases, cookies are safe and beneficial for website functionality. However, some users prefer to disable cookies for increased privacy and security. Cookies can store personal data like usernames and IDs. Disabling cookies prevents this data from being collected when you visit websites.
Blocking cookies also prevents tracking across multiple websites for targeted advertising. Some malicious cookies can be used for security exploits, so disabling cookies can add an extra layer of protection as well.
How to Disable Cookies in Safari
Safari is the default web browser on iPhones. Follow these steps to disable cookies in Safari:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap Safari.
- Under the Privacy & Security section, tap Block All Cookies.
- Toggle the Block All Cookies switch ON.
This will prevent all cookies from being set in Safari, including first and third-party cookies. Existing cookies will also be removed.
You can also manage cookies through the Privacy section:
- In Safari, tap the AA icon in the search bar.
- Scroll down and tap Privacy & Security.
- Tap Manage Website Data.
- Tap Remove All to clear existing cookies.
- Toggle off Cookies to prevent future cookies from being set.
If you only want to allow cookies from certain websites, follow these steps:
- In Safari, tap the AA icon in the search bar.
- Scroll down and tap Privacy & Security.
- Tap Manage Website Data.
- Search for and select the website you want to allow cookies for.
- Toggle Cookies on for that website.
Repeat steps 4-5 for each website you want to allow cookies for. All other websites will have cookies blocked.
Disabling Cookies in Chrome
If you prefer using the Chrome browser on your iPhone, here is how to disable cookies:
- Open the Chrome app.
- Tap the three-dot More icon in the bottom right.
- Select Settings from the menu.
- Tap Privacy and security.
- Turn on the Block third-party cookies switch.
This prevents non-Google third-party cookies from being set. To block all cookies including first-party ones:
- Follow steps 1-4 above.
- Tap Clear browsing data.
- Select Cookies, site data from the list.
- Tap Clear data.
Existing cookies will be wiped and new ones blocked until you clear this setting.
To allow specific sites to use cookies in Chrome:
- Follow steps 1-4 in the initial Chrome instructions.
- Tap Add under “Allow” to add exceptions.
- Enter the website URL you want to allow.
Repeat to make exceptions for any other websites you want to allow cookies for.
Managing Cookies on the iPad and iPod Touch
The process for managing cookies on an iPad or iPod Touch is very similar to the iPhone.
For Safari:
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap Safari.
- Toggle Block All Cookies on.
For Chrome:
- Open the Chrome app.
- Tap the three-dot More menu.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Cookies.
- Turn Block third-party cookies on.
Follow the additional steps outlined above to clear existing cookies, allow specific sites, and block all first-party cookies as well. The settings menus are just in slightly different places between iPhone and iPad/iPod Touch.
What Happens When Cookies Are Disabled?
Disabling cookies can impact your web browsing experience in a few key ways:
- You’ll get logged out of websites and need to re-enter login credentials frequently as you won’t stay logged in between visits.
- Websites may not remember your preferences like themes or font sizing.
- Shopping carts will empty each time you leave the site.
- Some website features like commenting may not work properly.
- Analytics performance will degrade for websites you visit often.
- You may see more generic ads instead of targeted ads.
The vast majority of websites will still work despite having cookies disabled. The functionality may just be slightly limited in the ways mentioned above.
Other Ways to Limit Cookie Tracking
Beyond fully disabling cookies, there are a couple other ways you can limit cookie tracking and usage:
- Use private browsing – Private browsing modes in Safari and Chrome don’t save any browsing history or cookies after the session ends.
- Clear cookies regularly – Wipe your cookies every so often to prevent too much data accumulation.
- Use tracker blockers – Content blockers like 1Blocker can block ad trackers and analytics scripts that use cookies.
- Adjust cookie lifetimes – Safari allows you to limit persistent cookie lifetimes to days or weeks instead of months or years.
Disabling Cookies on Other iOS Devices
The methods described above work for disabling cookies on iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches when using Safari or Chrome browsers.
Cookies can also be disabled on Mac computers running iOS by adjusting Safari and Chrome browser settings there as well.
For non-Apple devices like Windows PCs or Android phones, you will need to consult the cookie settings for whatever browser you use on that device. The settings menus may be in slightly different places, but all major browsers give you a way to block or delete cookies.
Conclusion
Cookies are useful for enhancing website functionality, but can also pose privacy risks. Luckily, blocking cookies on iPhone is straightforward – just a few quick tweaks to Safari or Chrome settings can disable all tracking cookies or just third-party ones.
Take the time to consider your own priorities regarding convenience, functionality, speed, and privacy to decide if limiting cookies is right for you. With the step-by-step instructions in this guide, you can easily disable cookies on your iPhone to take control of your web browsing data.
