deleting cookies

Hi Linc,

Would like to see the way to delete Safari Web browser cookie database files. Do not want them. Should not have to have them. Should have an option to delete them from within the application. Some are for vendors that I do not want tracking me, such as financial organizations or add software tracking.

What files in the file system can be deleted, even if that means loosing top sites?

Thanks,

Don

.

Safari automatically checks certain sites for updates:

Top Sites

Subscribed feeds

Sites that you've selected for Quick Website Search

Pages that turn up as Top Search Hits

Pinned tabs

Cookies and databases from those sites will be reloaded even if you don't visit them. If there are particular sites that you don't want to accept cookies from, follow the instructions in the support articles linked above to exclude them. Note that if you visit a page often, it may be added to your Top Sites unless all the available slots are already occupied by pinned sites.

Cookies can also be created by elements, such as ads and invisible "web bugs," that come from a different web server than the one you browsed to. You can block some of those cookies in the Privacy tab of the Safari preferences window.

To block all cookies from a site selectively, you'll need to use third-party software or a different browser. I don't have a specific recommendation.

The file in which web cookies are stored may also be used by third-party applications that use the same mechanism as Safari for communicating with web servers. Those apps may add cookies from sites that you've never visited in Safari.

Please back up all data before proceeding.

Triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:

~/Library/Cookies

Right-click or control-click the line and select

Services ▹ Reveal in Finder (or just Reveal)

from the contextual menu.* A folder should open with an item selected. Quit the application if it's running. Move the selected item to the Trash. Relaunch the application and test.

*If you don't see the contextual menu item, copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. In the Finder, select

Go ▹ Go to Folder...

from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You may not see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.

Try the app Cookie, by SweetPea. Amazing amount of control…download a trial, it is so good, has worked for years, and is far too versatile to briefly describe.

Some of what you're seeing may be HTML5 databases and/or Flash "ccokies," neither of which are cookies in the usual sense. Regardless, if you don't like the way Safari manages cookies, you should either use another browser or research third-party cookie managers. I don't have a specific recommendation.

I don't understand why you are unable to empty the cookie data from Safari. Seems you have a problem there. If you do decide to go with a cookie manager, Cookie as suggested by humoro works well. But get Cookie 5 instead of version 4. Cookie 5 was created for El Capitan and later OS. It is also half price in the app store at the moment.

Cookie 5 will give you greater control of your cookies and you will be able to see all the sub info within the domain itself. You will be able to tell what type of cookies are being stored with this app. I use it myself and is well worth it to me.

What happens if you start Safari in Private Mode?

I.E. Once you clear out cookies etc.

Click on the "Safari opens with" menu and select "A new private window".