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General information | Enable cookies | Disable cookies | Delete cookies | View cookies | Cookies settings
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Computer Cookies
Everything you want to know about computer cookies
Here are answers to some common questions about cookies.
Computer Cookies FAQ
What are cookies?
How long are cookies stored on my PC?
What are persistent cookies? What are persistent cookies used for?
What are session cookies (Temporary cookies)? What are session cookies (Temporary cookies) used for?
How can I vew cookies
How long do cookies live?
Can cookies read information from a user's hard drive?
How do web sites use cookies?
Can cookies be used maliciously?
Can cookies be encrypted?
How to delete Cookies
How to delete cookies in Internet Explorer
- delete cookies Internet Explorer 7.0
- delete cookies Internet Explorer 6.x
How can I delete cookies index.dat file in Internet Explorer?
How to delete cookies in Firefox
- delete cookies Firefox 2.0
- delete cookies Firefox 1.x
How to delete cookies in Mozilla
How to delete cookies in Opera
- delete cookies Opera 9.0
- delete cookies Opera 8.x
How to delete cookies in Netscape
- delete cookies Netscape 8.x
- delete cookies Netscape 7.x
How to enable cookies / disable cookies
How to disable cookies in Internet Explorer
- disable cookies Internet Explorer 7.0/6.x
How can I enable cookies in Internet Explorer?
- enable cookies Internet Explorer 7.0
- enable cookies Internet Explorer 6.x
How can I disable cookies in Firefox?
- disable cookies Firefox 2.0
- disable cookies Firefox 1.x
How can I enable cookies in Firefox?
- enable cookies Firefox 2.0
- enable cookies Firefox 1.x
How can I disable cookies in Mozilla?
How can I enable cookies in Mozilla?
How can I disable cookies in Opera?
- disable cookies Opera 9.0
- disable cookies Opera 8.x
How can I enable cookies in Opera?
- enable cookies Opera 9.0
- enable cookies Opera 8.x
How can I disable cookies in Netscape?
- disable cookies Netscape 8.x
- disable cookies Netscape 7.x
How can I enable cookies in Netscape?
- enable cookies Netscape 8.x
- enable cookies Netscape 7.x
When you surf the Internet, websites you visit collect and record usage information about your computer such as your IP address, browser type, operating system you are using, web pages last visited, etc. This information automatically comes from your browser to identify you and track your browsing habits and activities.
As you surf the web, most web sites send cookies to your computer to track your Internet usage. Most cookies are "good" cookies, used for legitimate purposes, such as storing preferences, account information and remembering the choices you have made on the site. But some cookies are "bad". For example, cookies from one site might track your visits to different web sites to know your browsing habits, purchase history, etc.
This article provides general information about computer cookies:
General information about computer cookies
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 What are cookies?
A computer cookie is a piece of data which often includes an unique identifier, that is sent to your browser from a web site you visit, stores as a file on your computer, identifies you as a unique user and track your web usage.
What are cookies used for?
To offer personalized experience to users
The primary purposes of cookies is to recognize user and retain his/her personal preferences when he/she returns to a website.
If you personalize web pages, or register for products or services, cookies helps to recall your specific information. This may be useful to simplify the process of recording your personal information, such as billing address, shipping address, etc. Cookies allow websites to store user preferences and retrieval of this information for viewing customization of movie listings, weather and other local information.
Many websites also use cookies to store information that provides a consistent experience between sections of the site, such as a shopping cart or customized pages. With a trusted website, cookies can enrich your experience by allowing the site to learn your preferences or allowing you to skip having to sign in every time you go to the website. However, some cookies, such as those saved by banner ads, might put your privacy at risk by tracking sites you visit.
To gather information about website use
Computer cookies can do everything from monitoring your visit throughout web sites, tracking how many times you've visited the site, how long you've been on the site, your log-in information at a particular page to remembering important information about your computer.
Cookies can do everything from monitoring your visit throughout web sites, tracking how many times you've visited the site, how long you've been on the site, your log-in information at a particular page to remembering important information about your computer. Cookies allow websites to track their visitors so that they can know how many visitors have viewed the site, how many repeat visitors they have received.
Where are cookies stored?
Cookies are stored is in a folder named Cookies which is stored inside the Documents and Settings folder. By default, the path is C:\Documents and Settings\your user name\Cookies.
How long are cookies stored on my PC?
It depends on the type of cookies. There are two different types of computer cookies:
Session cookies
Session cookies ("non-persistent cookie") are cookies that only exist as long as your session on the web site lasts and expires as soon as you leave the website. The primary purpose of session cookies is to help with navigation, such as by indicating whether or not you've already visited a particular page and retaining information about your preferences once you've visited a page. So session cookies are used to facilitate your activities within that site.
Persistent cookies
The second type of cookies is "persistent cookies". Persistent cookies are stored on your computer in order to recognize user and retain his/her personal preferences when he/she returns to a website. E.g. because of persistant cookies a website remembers your name and password on protected login pages, your email address appears by default when you open your Yahoo! or Hotmail email account, or your personalized home page appears when you visit your favorite online merchant. Persistent cookies exist beyond the life of your Internet session and may live for months or years. In most browsers, you can adjust the length of time that persistent cookies are stored.
Session and persistent cookies
What are persistent cookies? What are persistent cookies used for?
Persistent cookies are stored on your computer in order to recognize user and retain his/her personal preferences when he/she returns to a website. E.g. because of persistant cookies a website remembers your name and password on protected login pages, your email address appears by default when you open your Yahoo! or Hotmail email account, or your personalized home page appears when you visit your favorite online merchant. Persistent cookies exist beyond the life of your Internet session and may live for months or years. In most browsers, you can adjust the length of time that persistent cookies are stored.
What are session cookies (Temporary cookies)? What are session cookies (Temporary cookies) used for?
The primary purpose of session cookies (also known as Temporary cookies) is to help with navigation, such as by indicating whether or not you've already visited a particular page and retaining information about your preferences once you've visited a page. So session cookies (Temporary cookies) are used to facilitate your activities within that site.
First-Party and Third-Party Cookies
What are first-party cookies?
First-party cookies are cookies that are associated with the host domain. First-party cookies come from the website that you're viewing and can be either persistent or temporary. Websites might use these cookies to store information that they'll reuse the next time you go to that site.
What are third-party cookies?
Third-party cookies are cookies from any other domain.
Third-party cookies come from other websites' advertisements (such as pop-up or banner ads) on the website that you're viewing. Websites might use these cookies to track your web use for marketing purposes.
How websites use cookies
Internet offers a wide variety of useful services such as free e-mail accounts, online forums, and e-commerce sites. The use of cookies is essential for these sites. Without cookies, for example, the sites would have no way to track the items that you placed into your virtual shopping cart as you browsed about the site.
Session cookies are stored only until you close your browser. This type of cookie is mainly used to remember choices that you make as you navigate through a web site.
Persistent cookies allow web sites to recognize you when you return to these sites. Persistent cookies are used by websites to store your for preferences, maintain state information as you navigate different pages on a website or return to the website later, for identifying purposes, demographic statistics and also when you are shopping online ecommerce sites may use them to remember what you have in your shopping basket.
Can cookies be used maliciously?
In one of their malevolent forms, cookies from one web site might track your visits to a different web site. For example, most of the ads that you see on web sites do not come from the site that you are viewing, but from sites that provide ads to many sites. When the advertising site displays the ad, it can send cookies on your computer. This lets the advertising company track your web usage over a range of sites and profile your browsing habits.
Cookies and privacy
Every time you visit a website, it will look for its cookie on your hard drive. It uses the information stored within the cookie to know your name, your shopping preferences, etc.
Most browser offer advanced cookie management options that allows to accepte or reject cookies depending on if they are first-part or third-party cookies and/or particular domain of the issuer. So you have the ability to enable or disable cookies, or have your browser prompt you before accepting cookies. But be careful as disabling cookies may prevent some websites from working correctly. There is one very simple step for more privacy and to make sure that other sites are not collecting personal information about you without your knowledge, choose to only allow cookies for the web site you are visiting; block or limit cookies from a third-party.
Despite cookies are useful, they can also store such informattion as your name and password on protected login pages, preferences, account information and choices you have made on the site. So, even if you delete browser history, cookies like a map will show your surfing preferences, habits, passwords, etc. So to protect your privacy, you should constatly delete cookies.
In Internet Explorer and MSN Explorer even if you delete cookies manually, cookies index.dat file stores Internet surfing information. Cookies index.dat file can't be deleted manually as it is used by Windows all the time.
Using Clear All History you cannot only delete cookies in Internet Explorer, MSN Explorer,Maxthon (MyIE2), Mozilla, Mozilla Firefox, Netscape and Opera but also delete cookies index.dat file. And the best thing - you can do it automatically.
Important: But disabling cookies does not make you anonymous or prevent web sites from tracking your browsing habits as websites you visit collect and record usage information about your computer such as your IP address, browser type, operating system you are using, web pages last visited, etc. This information automatically comes from your browser to identify you and track your browsing habits and activities.
Can I block cookies?
Yes, you can block or allow cookies on all websites or you can choose which websites' cookies are allowed.
Should I block all cookies?
Not necessarily. Blocking all cookies can help protect your privacy, but it might limit your experience on some websites. Be selective about which websites you allow cookies for. You can start by blocking all cookies, then allow cookies as needed for websites that you trust.
What cookies can't do....
Can cookies "read" information from a hard drive?
No. Cookies are just harmless files. Cookies cannot look into information stored on your hard-drive. It is technically impossible for cookies to read personal information. Cookies can only store data that is provided by the server or generated by an explicit user action.
Can cookies be used to run programs and deliver viruses on your PC?
No. Cookies cannot be used to run programs or to deliver viruses to your computer.
How do I delete cookies?
To delete cookies in Internet Explorer:
To delete cookies in Internet Explorer 7.0
• Select "Tools"
• Select "Internet Options".
• Open the "General" tab.
• In "Browsing history" area click the "Delete" button.
• In "Delete browsing history" window click "Delete cookies" button and then click "Yes".
• Click Close and then click OK.
To delete cookies in Internet Explorer 6.x
• Select "Tools"
• Select "Internet Options".
• Open the "General" tab.
• Click the "Delete cookies" button.
• Click OK.
Note:
1. In Internet Explorer even if you erase cookies manually, cookies index.dat file stores Internet surfing information. This file can't be deleted manually as it is used by Windows all the time.
2. Some websites store your member name, password, or other information about you in a cookie. If you delete cookies, you might need to enter your personal information again the next time you visit the site.
How can I delete cookies index.dat file in Internet Explorer?
Index.dat files are system files and they can't be deleted manually as they are used by Windows all the time (index.dat files are locked by Windows). Their content is not deleted even if you clear browser history, cache and cookies. Using Clear All History you can easily delete index.dat files content or delete index.dat files.
How to delete cookies in Firefox
To delete cookies Firefox 2.0
1. Select "Tools"
2. Select "Options".
3. Select "Privacy".
4. In Private area click "Clear Now".
5. In "Clear Private Data" window put the check mark for "Cookies" and click "Clear Private Data Now".
6. Click OK.
To delete cookies Firefox 1.x
1. Select "Tools"
2. Select "Options".
3. Select "Privacy".
4. Open "Cookies" tab and click "Clear Cookies Now".
5. Click OK.
How to delete cookies in Opera
To delete cookies Opera 9.0
1. Open the Tools menu.
2. Select Delete private data
3. Click the "Details" button
4. Select Delete cookies.
5. Click "Delete".
To delete cookies Opera 8.x:
1. Open the Tools menu.
2. Select Preferences to open Dialog box.
3. Open the Advanced tab.
4. Select "Cookies".
5. Click the "Manage Cookies" button.
6. Select one or more cookies you want to delete and click the "Delete" button.
How to delete cookies in Netscape
To delete cookies Netscape 8.x
1. Select Tools -> Options.
2. Select "Privacy".
3. Click the "Clear" button next to "Cookies" area.
If you want to delete certain cookies, click the "View cookies" button. Select one or more cookies you want to delete and click the "Remove" button.
4. Click OK
To delete cookies Netscape 7.x
1. Click the Tools menu and choose Cookie Manager
2. Choose Manage Stored Cookies from the submenu. The Cookie Manager window opens with a list of all the cookies stored on your computer.
3. Select one or more cookies and click Remove Cookie, or click Remove All Cookies.
4. Click OK.
Cookies and Privacy
Cookies are files that are stored on your computer by some websites. Cookies are usually used to keep track of information about you (for example, your user name, password, or the contents of your shopping cart).
Most browsers allow you to specify which cookies you want to store on your PC. You can adjust your browser to block or limit cookies. To protect your privacy, make sure that other sites do not collect personal information about you without your knowledge, choose to only allow cookies for the web site you are visiting; block or limit cookies from a third-party.
If you are using a public computer, you should make sure that cookies are disabled to prevent other people from accessing or using your personal information.
Privacy settings in Internet Explorer
Privacy settings let you specify which cookies you want to allow to be stored on your computer.
To change your privacy settings
In Internet Explorer, click the Tools button, and then click Internet Options.
Click the Privacy tab, and then move the slider to the level of privacy you prefer.
Select this To specify this
Block All Cookies
- Cookies from all websites will be blocked.
- Cookies that are already on your computer cannot be read by websites
High
- Blocks all cookies from websites that do not have a compact privacy policy
- Blocks cookies that save information that can be used to contact you without your explicit consent
Medium High
- Blocks third-party cookies that do not have a compact policy.
- Blocks third-party cookies that save information that can be used to contact you without your explicit consent.
- Blocks first-party cookies that save information that can be used to contact you without your implicit consent.
Medium
- Blocks third-party cookies that do not have a compact policy.
- Blocks third-party cookies that save information that can be used to contact you without your explicit consent.
- Restricks first-party cookies that save information that can be used to contact you without your implicit consent.
Low
- Blocks third-party cookies that do not have a compact policy.
- Restricks first-party cookies that save information that can be used to contact you without your implicit consent.
Accept All Cookies
- Blocks third-party cookies that do not have a compact policy.
- Restricks first-party cookies that save information that can be used to contact you without your implicit consent.
Accept All Cookies All websites will be allowed to save cookies on your computer.
Cookies that are already on your computer can be read by the websites that created them.
The Privacy settings available with the slider are:
•
• Medium High: Blocks third-party cookies that do not have a compact privacy policy or that use personally identifiable information without your explicit consent. Blocks first-party cookies that have a compact privacy policy which specifies that personally identifiable information is used without your implicit consent. First-party cookies that do not have a compact privacy policy and cookies that were already on your computer before you installed Internet Explorer 6 are leashed (restricted so that they can only be read in the first-party context). Per-site privacy actions override these settings.
• Medium (default level): Blocks third-party cookies that do not have a compact privacy policy or that have a compact privacy policy which specifies that personally identifiable information is used without your implicit consent. First-party cookies that have a compact privacy policy which specifies that personally identifiable information is used without your implicit consent are downgraded (deleted when you close Internet Explorer). First-party cookies that do not have a compact privacy policy are leashed (restricted so that they can only be read in the first-party context). Cookies that were already on your computer before you installed Internet Explorer 6 are also leashed. Per-site privacy actions override these settings.
• Low: First-party cookies that do not have a compact privacy policy are leashed (restricted so that they can only be read in the first-party context). Cookies that were already on your computer before you installed Internet Explorer 6 are also leashed. Third-party cookies that do not have a compact privacy policy or that have a compact privacy policy which specifies that personally identifiable information is used without your implicit consent are downgraded (deleted when you close Internet Explorer). Per-site privacy actions override these settings.
• Accept All Cookies: All cookies will be saved on your computer, and existing cookies on your computer can be read by the Web sites that created them. Per-site privacy actions do not override these settings.
NOTE: Changing your privacy preferences does not affect the cookie acceptance policy for cookies that have already been set unless you move the slider to Accept All Cookies or Block All Cookies.
Internet Explorer displays a Privacy dialog box the first time a cookie is restricted based on your privacy preferences. This dialog box is displayed only once unless you clear the Don't show this message again check box. The Privacy dialog box explains that a new status icon (the Privacy Report icon) is placed in the status bar when you visit a Web site that does not meet your privacy preferences. You can double-click this icon to view a privacy report that explains how the Web site either has privacy practices that conflict with your preferences or has no published privacy policy. You can also view a privacy report for any site by clicking Privacy Report on the View menu.
NOTE: The Privacy slider is designed to work only in the Internet zone. All cookies are automatically accepted from Web sites in both the Local Intranet and Trusted zones, and all cookies are automatically blocked from Web sites in the Restricted zone.
Per-Site Privacy Actions
You also have the option to define cookie management practices on a per-site basis. This overrides your default privacy preferences set with the slider for any sites that you add to the Per Site Privacy Actions dialog box, unless you move the slider to Accept All Cookies or Block All Cookies (in which case per-site privacy actions are ignored).
To override cookie handling for individual Web sites, click Edit on the Privacy tab to open the Per Site Privacy Actions dialog box. You can enter individual domains in the Per Site Privacy Actions dialog box with a policy of either Block or Allow. Existing cookies from sites which you elect to block will be deleted. NOTE: If you move the slider on the Privacy tab to Accept All Cookies or Block All Cookies, the Edit button becomes unavailable because per-site privacy actions are ignored in these cases.
Back to the top
Advanced Privacy Settings
You can override automatic cookie handling for all Web sites in the Internet zone by clicking Advanced on the Privacy tab. You can use the Advanced Privacy Settings dialog box to configure first-party and third-party cookies to Accept, Block, or Prompt, with a check box to always allow session cookies.
NOTE: Existing cookies on your computer can still be read by the Web sites that created them even if you specify to block cookies in the Advanced Privacy Settings dialog box.
For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
298780 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/298780/EN-US/) Any Existing Cookies Can Still Be Read by a Web Site Even When the 'Block' Option Is Selected
NOTE: Per-site privacy actions override Advanced Privacy Settings dialog box settings.
Notes
A first-party website is the website that you are currently viewing. A third-party website is a website other than the one you are currently viewing. Third-party websites usually provide some content on the website you are currently viewing. For example, many sites use advertising from third-party websites and those third-party websites might use cookies.
Some websites require cookies. If you select a privacy setting that does not allow cookies to be saved on your computer, you might not be able to view certain websites.
When you change your privacy settings, the changes might not affect cookies that are already on your computer. To help ensure that all of the cookies on your computer meet your privacy settings, you should delete all of the existing cookies on your computer. When you return to websites that previously had saved cookies on your computer, the websites that meet your privacy settings will save cookies on your computer again. The websites that do not meet your privacy settings will not be allowed to save cookies on your computer. For information about how to delete cookies, click Related Topics.
You can specify custom privacy settings for websites. For more information, click Related Topics.
Customize your privacy settings for an individual website
Cookies are files that are stored on your computer by some websites. They're usually used to keep track of information about you (for example, your user name, password, or the contents of your shopping cart). Internet Explorer privacy settings let you specify which cookies you want to allow to be stored on your computer.
To customize cookie settings for an individual website
In Internet Explorer, click the Tools button, and then click Internet Options.
Click the Privacy tab, and then click Sites.
In Address of website, type the complete address (URL) of the website for which you want to specify custom settings. For example, http://www.microsoft.com.
To specify that you want Internet Explorer to always allow cookies from the specified website to be saved on your computer, click Allow. To specify that you want Internet Explorer to never allow cookies from the specified website to be saved on your computer, click Block.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each website you want to block or allow. When you are finished, click OK twice.
Notes
Some websites require cookies. If you choose not to allow cookies to be saved on your computer, some websites might not display correctly.
When you change your privacy settings, the changes might not affect cookies that are already on your computer. To help ensure that all of the cookies on your computer meet your privacy settings, you should delete all of the existing cookies on your computer. When you return to websites that previously had saved cookies on your computer, the websites that meet your privacy settings will save cookies on your computer again. The websites that do not meet your privacy settings will not be allowed to save cookies on your computer. For information about how to delete cookies, click Related Topics.
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