Deleting Cookies From Your Internet Browser

Contributed by Jay Schroyer

If you visit the same web sites over and over, that require a username and password, more often than not there is a box that you can check to ask your computer to remember your name and password when you access that site. If this box is checked, the web site tells your computer to create a very small file that stores this information so that each time you return, the web site can access this file and log you straight in. This little file, called a cookie, is not only a time-saver, but can help those of us whose memories have a hard time retaining even the smallest amount of information for long periods of time.

As helpful as cookies are, they can also be used against you. Some unscrupulous web sites will use the information stored within your cookie to monitor your behavior and movement on their site and sell that information to other web sites for marketing purposes. For example, if you visit a large online retail site and have an enabled cookie with them, they can monitor what items you research. Let’s say you’re researching a book about eighteenth-century beer making. That retail site may then choose to sell your information to an online beer making supply site that would then tempt you with spam advertising their wares. This doesn’t happen all the time, but it’s something to be aware of as you learn Windows® and realize that most things are designed and implemented with good intentions, but can easily be used for devious purposes.

This being the case, there may come a time when you want to delete the current cookies that are on your computer and perhaps inform your computer that you do not want it to store them anymore. This process if very simple, but if you do get lost at any point in these instructions, you can take a look in your Microsoft® Windows XP help and search the index for cookies.

To delete the current cookies on your computer, you do not have to be online. Open up Explorer and allow it to load fully. From the menu at the top, choose the “Tools” menu and then the final option which should be labeled “Internet Options.” When you choose this option, the Internet options dialog box will appear and you will see an area in the center called “Temporary Internet Files.” Click on the first button on the left entitled “Delete Cookies” and you will be asked if you really do want to delete all your cookies. Answer yes and you will hear the hard drive go to work as the cookies are removed from your computer. It’s just that easy. If you have an older version of Windows, you may not see a button like “Delete Cookies.” If this is the case, just choose “Settings” in the temporary internet files section and click on the button that reads “View Files.” A list of the cookies and temporary internet files stored on your computer will appear in a long list. Choose the ones that are cookies and hit delete. If you want to delete multiple files at once, just hold down the “Control” button and choose the files you want to delete.

If you want to prevent your computer from collecting cookies at any time, there is a very simple procedure you can follow. Again, in Explorer, choose the “Tools” menu and “Internet Options” again. Under the “Privacy” tab, you can then choose the “Advanced” button to access the advanced privacy settings. Here, you will have the option to allow the computer to automatically choose what cookies to accept. Or, if you feel confident that you understand how it all works, you can choose the option of not receiving first and third party cookies.

You can see how cookies are there to save you time and trouble when you want to access a site quickly. However, with more and more pressure being placed on computer users to protect their identities from cyber thieves, it may be in your best interest to empty these files or not let your computer create them in the first place. If you perform online banking or credit card transactions, I would not recommend having your cookies enabled. However, some sites won’t even let you perform a transaction unless your cookies are enabled. If this is the case, enable them, perform your transaction, and then delete your cookies as soon as you can. One ounce of prevention may save you pounds of trouble when it comes to stolen personal information.

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About the Author:
Jay Schroyer has worked in the client and customer service end of business for over five years in retail, advertising, and printing. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in English writing and communication.

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