MacBook Pro Nov 2024, Tahoe 26.5.1, Safari 26.5 (21624.2.5.11.4) wont delete cookies from certain web sites, about 20 of them. I have selectively deleted cookies for many years, and have never had such a problem. Tried safe mode, same problem.
MacBook Pro (M4 Max, 2024)
Craig MacKenna wrote:
Shift while starting Safari made no difference.
Undeletable sites include:
2mdn.net, acrpoker.eu, adsrvr.org, bgicdn.com, curatedly.co, extremereach.io, flashtalking.com, googlevideo.com, imghosts.com, innovid.com, licdn.com, mdhv.io, media-amazon.com, rpctrk.com,
service-now.com, srbwzcesydbehpgubqqm.suprabase.co, tiktok.com, trvdp.com, vidazoo.com
I visited several of those links provided— and I can delete all associated cookies in Safari like normal, no issue.
Verify you are not running or installed third party apps that are Cleaners/Optimizers/VPN/Anti-Virus
all known to cause issues on the macOS
If no insight or resolve—
You can get a good look at your User/System config. and reveal conflicts or issues, you can download/run this trusted utility
If you need help interpreting the report you can post it here in its entirety in the "Additional Text" box in the editing toolbar below, in your reply.
How to use the Add Text Feature when posting an Etrecheck Report—OldToad
How to use the Add Text Feature When Post… - Apple Community
Craig MacKenna wrote:
On my wife's MacBook Air, Safari will not delete the first cookie (2mdn.net) either. Both machines have 26.5.1 and thus Safari 26.5. What can anyone conclude from this?
google turns the up
2mdn.net is a legitimate internet domain owned and operated by Google. It acts as a content delivery network (CDN) used primarily to load, host, and track digital advertisements across the Google Ads and DoubleClick infrastructure.
googles tentacles run deep
try enabling Safari's tracking protections or using a third-party content blocker
Reading your post closely it sounds like you are trying to only delete these sites' cookies selectively. Have you tried "Remove all" to see is that actually removes them or if they still persist? It is possible that once fully cleared you will regain the ability to selectively delete again. It may be time to clear everything and start anew.
Craig MacKenna wrote:
MacBook Pro Nov 2024, Tahoe 26.5.1, Safari 26.5 (21624.2.5.11.4) wont delete cookies from certain web sites, about 20 of them. I have selectively deleted cookies for many years, and have never had such a problem. Tried safe mode, same problem.
Can you give at least one example of a recalcitrant website ...?
Did you try quitting Safari and relaunch it holding the Shift key down to compare your results.
ref: Clear your cache and cookies in Safari on Mac
ref: Manage cookies and website data using Safari
I ran EtreCheck a second time after enabling full disk access.
EtreCheckPro version: 6.8.14 (68088)
Report generated: 2026-06-28 14:46:42
Download EtreCheckPro from https://etrecheck.com
Runtime: 2:03
Performance: Excellent
Problem: Other problem
Description:
Safari wont delete certain cookies.
Major Issues:
Anything that appears on this list needs immediate attention.
Unsigned files - There are unsigned software files installed that could be malicious and should be reviewed.
Minor Issues:
These issues do not need immediate attention but they may indicate future problems or opportunities for improvement.
No Time Machine backup - Time Machine backup not found.
Apps with heavy CPU usage - There have been numerous cases of apps with heavy CPU usage.
Clean up - There are orphan files that could be removed.
System modifications - There are a large number of system modifications running in the background.
Kernel extensions present - This computer has kernel extensions that may not work in the future.
Hardware Information:
MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2024)
Status: Supported
MacBook Pro Model: Mac16,5
Apple M4 Max (m4 max) CPU: 14-core
36 GB RAM - Not upgradeable
Battery: Health = Normal - Cycle count = 32
are:
macOS Tahoe 26.5.1 (25F80)
Installed 2026-06-02
Time since boot: About 3 hours
Notifications:
EtreCheckPro.app
one notification
Security:
Gatekeeper: App Store and identified developers
System Integrity Protection: Enabled
Secure Boot: Reduced Security
Antivirus software: Apple and Malwarebytes
Unsigned Files:
I deleted the "ProbablyOK" items
Launchd: /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.aviatainc.p3.epson.plist
Command: /Library/Epson PowerENGAGE/Epson PowerENGAGE.app/Contents/MacOS/Epson PowerENGAGE scheduled-run
Details: Gatekeeper bypass
Apps: 7
Kernel Extensions:
/Library/Extensions
[Not Loaded] tap.kext - foo.tap (20111101)
[Not Loaded] tun.kext - foo.tun (20111101)
Startup Items:
tun Path: /Library/StartupItems/tun
tap Path: /Library/StartupItems/tap
System Launch Daemons:
[Not Loaded] 42 Apple tasks
[Loaded] 199 Apple tasks
[Running] 187 Apple tasks
[Other] One Apple task
System Launch Agents:
[Not Loaded] 21 Apple tasks
[Loaded] 233 Apple tasks
[Running] 225 Apple tasks
Applications:
449 Apple apps
249 3rd party apps
40 x86-only apps
7 unsigned apps
App Extensions:
Widgets:
[Loaded] ChatGPT - /Applications/ChatGPT.app
Safari extensions:
[Loaded] manuals - /Applications/manuals.app
Backup:
Time Machine Not Configured!
3rd party backup: Carbon Copy Cloner
Performance:
System Load: 1.72 (1 min ago) 1.48 (5 min ago) 1.47 (15 min ago)
Nominal I/O usage: 0.74 MB/s
File system: 6.10 seconds
Write speed: 6131 MB/s
Read speed: 5357 MB/s
CPU Usage Snapshot:
Type Overall
System: 2 %
User: 3 %
Idle: 95 %
Virtual Memory Information:
Physical RAM: 36 GB
Free RAM: 9.50 GB
Used RAM: 15.70 GB
Cached files: 10.80 GB
Available RAM: 20.30 GB
Swap Used: 0 B
Diagnostics Information (past 60 days):
2026-06-25 17:30:03 spotlightknowledged - High CPU Use (4 times)
First occurrence: 2026-06-22 17:00:18
Executable: /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreSpotlight.framework/spotlightknowledged
2026-06-25 16:10:03 knowledgeconstructiond - High CPU Use (2 times)
First occurrence: 2026-06-23 18:36:51
Executable: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/IntelligencePlatformCore.framework/Versions/A/knowledgeconstructiond
2026-06-22 17:14:41 apfsd - High CPU Use
Executable: /usr/libexec/apfsd
End of report
Temporarily rename this file:
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.aviatainc.p3.epson.plist
to, say:
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.aviatainc.p3.epson.plist-disabled
Restart, and see if the cookies can be cleared. If not, rename that plist back.
Craig MacKenna wrote:
Leroy Douglas, I was not saying there was anything wrong about 2mdn.net. It just happens to be the alphabetically-first of the ~20 cookies that Safari cannot delete. How can tracking protections or content blocking fix inability to delete cookies?
That probably wasn’t where Leroy Douglas was likely headed with that comment, either. Like LD, I inferred from the mention from LD, I’d wonder if these cookies are from Google apps and services in use here, and from other installed apps. Google tends to be very good at this stuff, and their tracking activities very persistent, and their apps will routinely use HTTPS-related access protocols.
One potential remaining option is to delete all cookies, and see if that clears this.
The next option is to look some sort of a corruption, boot into Safe Mode, and retry the delete all.
Failing that, next is manually delete the cookies directly. The following shows the cookie files, and does not delete them. Maybe check he ownership and related protection settings for someof the immortal cookies.
ls -ale@ ~/Library/Cookies/
EtreCheckPro version: 6.8.14 (68088)
Report generated: 2026-06-28 14:09:10
Download EtreCheckPro from https://etrecheck.com
Runtime: 2:02
Performance: Excellent
Problem: Other problem
Description:
Safari wont delete certain cookies.
Major Issues:
Anything that appears on this list needs immediate attention.
Unsigned files - There are unsigned software files installed that could be malicious and should be reviewed.
Minor Issues:
These issues do not need immediate attention but they may indicate future problems or opportunities for improvement.
Apps with heavy CPU usage - There have been numerous cases of apps with heavy CPU usage.
Clean up - There are orphan files that could be removed.
System modifications - There are a large number of system modifications running in the background.
Kernel extensions present - This computer has kernel extensions that may not work in the future.
System Software:
macOS Tahoe 26.5.1 (25F80)
Installed 2026-06-02
Time since boot: About 2 hours
Security:
Gatekeeper: App Store and identified developers
System Integrity Protection: Enabled
Secure Boot: Reduced Security
Antivirus software: Apple and Malwarebytes
Launchd: /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.aviatainc.p3.epson.plist
Command: /Library/Epson PowerENGAGE/Epson PowerENGAGE.app/Contents/MacOS/Epson PowerENGAGE scheduled-run
Details: Gatekeeper bypass
Apps: 7
Startup Items:
tun Path: /Library/StartupItems/tun
tap Path: /Library/StartupItems/tap
System Launch Daemons:
[Not Loaded] 42 Apple tasks
[Loaded] 199 Apple tasks
[Running] 187 Apple tasks
[Other] One Apple task
System Launch Agents:
[Not Loaded] 21 Apple tasks
[Loaded] 236 Apple tasks
[Running] 222 Apple tasks
Applications:
449 Apple apps
249 3rd party apps
40 x86-only apps
7 unsigned apps
3rd Party System settings:
ChronoAgent (Econ Technologies, Inc. - installed 2026-03-05)
Flip4Mac WMV (? - installed 2024-12-02)
FUSE for macOS (Benjamin Fleischer - installed 2024-12-02)
Java (? - installed 2023-10-04)
Performance:
System Load: 1.94 (1 min ago) 1.97 (5 min ago) 2.17 (15 min ago)
Nominal I/O usage: 0.11 MB/s
File system: 5.97 seconds
Write speed: 5862 MB/s
Read speed: 5322 MB/s
CPU Usage Snapshot:
Type Overall
System: 1 %
User: 2 %
Idle: 97 %
Virtual Memory Information:
Physical RAM: 36 GB
Free RAM: 10.23 GB
Used RAM: 14.92 GB
Cached files: 10.85 GB
Available RAM: 21.08 GB
Swap Used: 0 B
Clean up:
/Library/LaunchAgents/com.wdc.WDTrashObserver.plist
/Applications/WD Discovery/WD Discovery.app/Contents/WDTrashObserver
Executable not found
/Library/LaunchAgents/com.brother.LOGINserver.plist
/Library/Printers/Brother/Utilities/Server/LOGINserver.app/Contents/MacOS/LOGINserver
Executable not found
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.microsoft.EdgeUpdater.update.system.plist
/Library/Microsoft/EdgeUpdater/109.0.1518.107/EdgeUpdater.app/Contents/MacOS/EdgeUpdater
Executable not found
/Library/LaunchAgents/com.microsoft.update.agent.plist
/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0/Microsoft AutoUpdate.app/Contents/MacOS/Microsoft Update Assistant.app/Contents/MacOS/Microsoft Update Assistant
Executable not found
/Library/LaunchAgents/com.wdc.WD-Discovery.plist
/Applications/WD Discovery/WD Discovery.app/Contents/MacOS/WD Discovery
Executable not found
/Library/LaunchAgents/Wlan.Software
/Applications/Wireless Network Utility.app/Contents/MacOS/Wireless Network Utility
Executable not found
Diagnostics Information (past 60 days):
2026-06-25 17:30:03 spotlightknowledged - High CPU Use (4 times)
First occurrence: 2026-06-22 17:00:18
Executable: /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreSpotlight.framework/spotlightknowledged
2026-06-25 16:10:03 knowledgeconstructiond - High CPU Use (2 times)
First occurrence: 2026-06-23 18:36:51
Executable: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/IntelligencePlatformCore.framework/Versions/A/knowledgeconstructiond
2026-06-22 17:14:41 apfsd - High CPU Use
Executable: /usr/libexec/apfsd
End of report
re: com.aviatainc.p3.epson is a background file or system extension related to Aviata P3, a desktop communications and marketing automation platform...???
Have no idea what this is — but remove them from start up and compare your results
Startup Items:
tun Path: /Library/StartupItems/tun
tap Path: /Library/StartupItems/tap
re: Antivirus software: Apple and Malwarebytes
I would also disable / uninstall Malwarebytes and compare your results.
There is no need to have this running all the time...
Third party AntiVirus is not recommended— it typically does nothing but add issues to the macOS and competes directly with Apple’s own built in security:
macOS antivirus - Protecting against malware in macOS - Apple Support
Security and your Apple Account Security and your Apple Account - Apple Support
Protecting against malware in macOS—Protecting against malware in macOS - Apple Support
Shift while starting Safari made no difference.
Undeletable sites include:
2mdn.net, acrpoker.eu, adsrvr.org, bgicdn.com, curatedly.co, extremereach.io, flashtalking.com, googlevideo.com, imghosts.com, innovid.com, licdn.com, mdhv.io, media-amazon.com, rpctrk.com,
service-now.com, srbwzcesydbehpgubqqm.suprabase.co, tiktok.com, trvdp.com, vidazoo.com
leroydouglas,
tap includes a Unix executable (EXEC) and a text file that contains "ethertap device kernel extension".
tun includes a Unix executable (EXEC) and a text file that contains "ip tunnel device kernel extension"
I copied both folders to my Desktop and then deleted then from /Library/Startup Items.
Still could not delete the first undeletable cookie.
So I have now moved them back to /Library/Startup Items.
Leroy Douglas, I was not saying there was anything wrong about 2mdn.net. It just happens to be the alphabetically-first of the ~20 cookies that Safari cannot delete. How can tracking protections or content blocking fix inability to delete cookies?
No, the first cookie still could not be deleted.
I had Malwarebytes uninstall itself, restarted, and Safari still could not delete the first undeletable cookie.
Fishing Addict, I don't want to do that because there are cookies that I want to keep for their effect on other websites.
MacBook Pro Safari: Won't delete some cookies