In Safari what is the difference between websites listed in History and websites listed under System Preferences/Privacy

Question

In Safari what is the difference between websites listed in History and websites listed under System Preferences/Privacy

I have a MacBook and have the most up to date OS software. My question is what is the difference between websites listed under History on the main safari screen, and the websites listed under System Preferences, Privacy, Cookies and other website data Here you have the option to delete the website data or you can also review it. When I reviewed it I saw many sites that were not listed under the History tab. Is the listing for Cookies and other website data referring to actual sites visited?

Thank you

Mac Pro, iOS 10.0.3

Posted on Oct 25, 2016 5:44 AM

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Answer 1

Eric Root

Level 10

685,287 points

Oct 25, 2016 6:21 AM in response to Vermontgirl2554

The Safari/Preferences/Privacy cookies can contain cookies from websites you never visited. One reason this happens is when you visit a website that has advertising on the visited webpage, often the advertisements will deposit cookies in the Privacy tab, in addition to the cookie the actual website deposits. The advertisement may be a link to another website, so even though you didn't visit the second website directly, it still loaded on the page you loaded and left a cookie(s).

History only contains the actual website visited.

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Answer 2

Oct 25, 2016 6:37 AM in response to Eric Root

Thank you. Is it safe to say the sites referenced in Preferences/Privacy would be like sites that you've visited?

Also is it possible that if browsing history is deleted under the History tab it wouldn't appear?

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Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

685,287 points

Oct 25, 2016 9:13 AM in response to Vermontgirl2554

You are welcome. The sites in Privacy are the sites you visited, plus any sites that loaded on the website you are visiting. I'm not sure I totally understand your second question, but deleting browsing history doesn't affect the cookies in Privacy.

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