iOS 10.3 Safari cookies won't delete

Hey. I have the same issue with one special little twist. Now, as though to appease the cookie clearers, they're being grouped stored in history. Not individual cookies. I can clear the little buggers and I always clear history as well. But when I go into the data storage window ~ there they are. Grrr.

It sounds like most people, like me, understand the basics. How turn on & off cookies. Turning off cookies is ridiculous because some sites won't work without them. Yet, when they stay, they interfere with using other sites.

It is necessary to keep cookies on as well clear them. I cannot get them off my phone.

Please, anyone with useful information beyond screens shots of where things are located, please help.

Thank you.

I Don't have the issue on my phone but I had not updated to 10.3.1 only on my iPad, they're obviously not interested even though it's causing major headaches for some people, how about focusing on current customers and not who you're hoping to get with the iPhone 8 or edition or X or whatever you're going to call it, I think it might be time to go back to android, apple ain't what they used to be

OK tried that as well and still no joy this is pi$$ing me off now, it's obviously an issue but nothing on here says apple are listening or have acknowledged the problem, I've sent the issue via the settings etc and nothing anyone has said works for me but then again they shouldn't have to because it's apples problem, great that you spend all that money and yet again they find a way to screw up your device??? iOS hasn't been right since 8 or above can we please go back to 7 when I had 0 issues? Thanks to everyone for trying and posting but I'm still back where I started

Initially, I was relieved to see I was not alone. What I neglected to say was that I started with Apple by chat and then through email. While they were quick to respond and thorough with step by step instructions, ultimately I asked them to cut to the chase because I didn't want to loose days of my life just getting my devices to work as they should. Yes, that's to say that for the problem that began with my iPad, once I abandoned my back up to rid it of the issue, the same then happened to my iPhone. I lucked out there as there was a backup available from before the problem appeared, but it's only a matter of time and of course the persistent little monster has since reappeared on my iPad. If you're not afflicted, you haven't upgraded to 10.3.1. That's a good thing unless you're simply not bothered by issues like these. My point herein is that top level techs at Apple either don't know what to do, or are at least as out of the loop as we are. Having lost four days of my life that I thought would make a difference, but did not, it may be Apples fault for setting the bar as high as they have, but Android has a ring to it I've not entertained until now. This is whatever it is, but my time is valuable enough that this is nothing short of unacceptable. Don't even get me started with OS X!

The only way I've been able to clear the cookies has been through an "untainted" iTunes back up. In other words the back up that has no zombie cookies.

Have you tried loading a back pre 10.3.1? That's what I did and the cookies were cleared. Once I verified a clean phone I backed it up only using the "newer" back up.

I hope that works.

Thanks for posting this. My "i" devices with 10.3.1 are experiencing the same issue of not being able to clear all the cookies. This needs to be fixed before I upgrade my devices in the near future or I'll have to try to find an Android device which I'm not looking forward to.

Are there any moderators around here?!

This thread has multiple, repeated entries! The same posts reappear -- and reappear. Please delete the extras!

THe persistent cookie issue needs needs to be fixed -- pronto!

Also, what's wrong with Apple's comment box entry system?!

1. No blinking insertion point when you begin.

2. Double capitalization of first letters of the first paragraph.

3. No auto-capitalization of first word in new paragraphs!

4. Persistent capitalization when unwarranted-- see "THe" above!

It's these kind of ridiculous avoidable glitches that spoil the iPad experience. Toss in the miserably dumb auto-correct system -- especially its poor handling of apostrophes -- and one starts to wonder (even if momentarily) why they still have allegiance to the platform and the company!

Please fix all this, Apple!

Doesn't look like they're interested, maybe that's why it's called the community and not support, though some on here seem to have a better idea than apple support itself??? I see nothing that shows they are listening to these issues and the verification thing still isn't working, I still have to get a code each time I log on??? Looks like they can't do anything right at the mo

To be sure this is Apple's normal way of handling problems in the forums. They hardly ever respond to a real problem.

If they can't fix your "problem" with a link to an instruction guide they rarely say a thing.

They are very helpful? If the get impatient? They don't even let you contact them so how helpful is that. And I requested a password reset to access my locked apple account and FOUR weeks later still never received it. After trying to contact them for a week I got someone and was told "it takes time to email you to reset your account so just keep waiting". So Yeah I'd say they are impatient and flat out too! They are useless and don't care about helping anyone at all.

You'll probably continue to get replies to questions you didn't ask because often times when respondents do not know the answer to the question you did ask, they like to provide an answer they do have. It's like listening to Question Period in the House of Commons. Meanwhile, if I may, here's the definitive question on the matter and one I can answer.

Question: Given that the removing website data command doesn't always remove the website data, and no one seems to have a fix for removing the data Apple is now permitting to be left on my device, what should I do?

Answer: Go to; Settings/General/Restrictions/Enter passcode/Toggle Safari off. Then go to App Store/Search Firefox/Install/Use until Apple gets its act together.

Thanks, DontFailMeApple. I decided to give Tor a shot. Got the download for my PC from their web site but the App Store versions aren't as pure. Do you have a recommendation? I'd like to have an app that shows you the data collected (like Safari) as well as reliably deletes it (unlike Safari).

Good point about dollar votes. I switched my support from BlackBerry to Apple about a year ago after getting stiffed on the PlayBook. But I'm becoming increasingly fed up with the iBS.

My take on this for Safari on both iOS and macOS is that the cookies in question are those variously described as "zombie" cookies, "ever cookies" or "super cookies". They are essentially intended to be persistent even after the user clears all caches, history, and cookies.

The fact is, however, that the companies that do this are both violating the user's wishes and exploiting security flaws in the browser. This was widely reported in 2015 (e.g. http://www.businessinsider.com/super-cookies-hsts-security-private-2015-1) and still hasn't been fixed by apple. In the meantime, the exploits are getting worse.

For myself, I've encountered numerous sites that I may have visited once but never signed up for anything on that create "drive-by" zombie cookies. Using every known method short of a complete clean install, these cookies regenerate after having been cleared. These include trulia.com, weather.com, identity.com, acs.org, fantast.cc, zapier.com and others. And these cookies are also likely the ones that can still track you on all sites you visit even in private browsing mode.

This is not unique to Safari, but Apple hasn't given users a way to win the battle against this kind of malfeasance on the part of companies that want to know everything you do on the internet - often without you accepting any terms of service, just by accidentally visiting their site once.

There are three main things that should be done by Apple to improve the security and privacy of their users:

1. There should be a way to clear these cookies once and for all by clearing the HSTS flag on cookies or other means

2. There should be a way to globally block zombie cookie attack vectors like HSTS

3. Once you have a super cookie, the user should be able to essentially blacklist the super cookie, preventing it from being regenerated or reset -- ever.

There are still other things that need to be done. Like with the Verizon super cookie, there must be a price to pay for companies that choose to try to do this to Apple users, at least without their express agreement. IMHO Apple has a role to play there by identifying those companies that are doing this to their users on Safari, tracking them all over the internet without their permission. And I think Apple should publish a blacklist to Safari that its users can choose to enable.