topic Re: Clearing Cookies in Electronics

Clearing Cookies

Kachina624 — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 06:15:38 GMT

Can someone please tell me under what function on "settings" on a tablet does one find the option to erase cookies? I have both an iPad2 and a SamsungS2 that need this and I can't find a place to do it on either. I realize they probably have some techie language they use.

Re: Clearing Cookies

KLm — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 08:07:06 GMT

I have an older ipad. I go into settings then scroll down to safari on the left.Then scroll down on the right to clear history and website data. Then hit clear. I do this on my iphone too. I don't know anything about samsung. HTH

Re: Clearing Cookies

Kachina624 — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 08:50:32 GMT

Got it, thanks!

Re: Clearing Cookies

151949 — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 18:35:43 GMT

On my chromebook - android device - I go under settings and hit privacy - then clear browsing data.

On my android phone I go into settings - storage and from there you can see various choices to clear. Be careful - if you clear cached data you will take all your apps back to the brand new state - wiping clean things like your calender or your contacts.

Re: Clearing Cookies

Mz iMac — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 21:45:13 GMT

Be aware of what cookies you delete. Some hold your passwords & screen name(s).

Re: Clearing Cookies

KLm — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 22:15:08 GMT

I don't store names or passwords so this is not a concern for me. Thanks for pointing it out though.

Re: Clearing Cookies

dooBdoo — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 00:19:16 GMT

@Mz iMac wrote:
Be aware of what cookies you delete. Some hold your passwords & screen name(s).

The passwords and login info are stored elsewhere (how it's done varies depending upon your device, OS, and browser), so clearing cache and cookies won't affect those. (Just as an example, when Safari asks if you want to save login info on the iPad and you agree, it's then stored permanantly -- you can go to Settings/Safari/Passwords to see the login info that's been saved.) I delete all cache/cookies/website data on my iPad, iPhone, and Mac (for both Firefox and Chrome) at least once a day, and none of my saved login info is affected.

Re: Clearing Cookies

dooBdoo — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 00:13:44 GMT

@KLm wrote:
I have an older ipad. I go into settings then scroll down to safari on the left.Then scroll down on the right to clear history and website data. Then hit clear. I do this on my iphone too. I don't know anything about samsung. HTH

This is great advice! However, this single step won't always clear all cookies and website data. To be sure all of it is removed, either:

1 -- Close all apps running in background first and then tap the Settings/Safari/Clear History and Website Data

2 -- Leave apps running in background, then tap Settings/Safari/Clear History and Website Data,

then tap Advanced/Website Data, and tap "Remove All Website Data."

Re: Clearing Cookies

dooBdoo — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 00:17:19 GMT

@151949 wrote:
On my chromebook - android device - I go under settings and hit privacy - then clear browsing data.
On my android phone I go into settings - storage and from there you can see various choices to clear. Be careful - if you clear cached data you will take all your apps back to the brand new state - wiping clean things like your calender or your contacts.

Deleting cache or cookies doesn't affect data stored by mobile apps. At least not on an iPhone or an iPad. I'd be interested to know if Android devices have some sort of difference, but I'd be surprised. Cache and cookies, by definition, are temporary storage -- always open to be removed -- and normally don't affect anything considered to be more permanently saved.

Re: Clearing Cookies

Mz iMac — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 01:10:13 GMT

@dooBdoo

I am also on a Mac but use FF as my main browser. In it's Preferences>Privacy>History>Exceptions or Show Cookies. Is what I use to "control" cookies.

Re: Clearing Cookies

dooBdoo — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 01:36:36 GMT

@Mz iMac wrote:
@dooBdoo

I am also on a Mac but use FF as my main browser. In it's Preferences>Privacy>History>Exceptions or Show Cookies. Is what I use to "control" cookies.

I prefer Firefox on my Mac, too. (I prefer Safari on my iPad/iPhone). For Firefox, I have the Privacy Preferences set to "Clear history when Firefox closes," and everything is checked in the settings except "Site Preferences." That way, I can easily just quit Firefox and know it will do all the deleting for me. (We can view the saved login info in Firefox by looking at Preferences/Security/Saved Logins, by the way.) I like to delete all cache/cookies/website data (no exceptions) at least once a day... it really does help avoid a lot of odd glitches. Old cookies, in particular, can cause all sorts of problems.

Re: Clearing Cookies

Kachina624 — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 04:34:01 GMT

Thanks for the help everybody. I got the iPad cleared with @KLm 's suggestion I think. The Samsung was a little more gnarly but I found this screen:

and trustingly clicked on it. The part that says "device security" references clearing caches. Anyway it seems to cleared the problem I was having and I'm now good to go.

Looks like I need to insert the SD card I've got as I'm about out of memory.

Re: Clearing Cookies

KLm — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 05:42:23 GMT

@dooBdoo wrote:
@Mz iMac wrote:
@dooBdoo

I am also on a Mac but use FF as my main browser. In it's Preferences>Privacy>History>Exceptions or Show Cookies. Is what I use to "control" cookies.

I prefer Firefox on my Mac, too. (I prefer Safari on my iPad/iPhone). For Firefox, I have the Privacy Preferences set to "Clear history when Firefox closes," and everything is checked in the settings except "Site Preferences." That way, I can easily just quit Firefox and know it will do all the deleting for me. (We can view the saved login info in Firefox by looking at Preferences/Security/Saved Logins, by the way.) I like to delete all cache/cookies/website data (no exceptions) at least once a day... it really does help avoid a lot of odd glitches. Old cookies, in particular, can cause all sorts of problems.

I've always been leery of cookies ( being told by every tech person I know that they are harmless). I clear my cache every time I close safari. I'm glad to read your comment about cookies and have my point of view validated. 🌸 Thanks for the info,

Re: Clearing Cookies

dooBdoo — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 17:06:47 GMT

@KLm, You're welcome. Indeed, cookies can cause problems. One common error message we see reported on this forum is a good example:

"Bad Request

Your browser sent a request that this server could not understand.
Size of a request header field exceeds server limit.

Cookie

/n"

This particular error indicates we have one or more "corrupt cookies" on the device and we need to delete the browser cookies/cache/data, close the browser, and then relaunch it. (In rare cases, if clearing browser cookies doesn't work, we might have "supercookies" on the device -- usually Adobe Flash cookies -- needing removal.) It's so easy to clear these things on a regular basis, and this "housekeeping" can prevent a lot of odd internet site behavior.

Re: Clearing Cookies

Kachina624 — Fri, 24 Feb 2017 02:37:30 GMT

@dooBdoo That's exactly what I got all yesterday evening. Clicking on that screen I printed fixed the problem, however. Appreciate your help as usual.

👍

Re: Clearing Cookies

glb613 — Fri, 24 Feb 2017 12:04:15 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
Can someone please tell me under what function on "settings" on a tablet does one find the option to erase cookies? I have both an iPad2 and a SamsungS2 that need this and I can't find a place to do it on either. I realize they probably have some techie language they use.

I find the best program for clearing out cookies and internet history is CCleaner. I have it set (by unchecking) to only clear out data from Firefox and Safari. You have the option to include other programs but I decided I didn't want them to be included.

In the options category, you have the ability to exclude cookies if you want. I selected several sites so I don't have to reenter my saved password for certain sites. I don't clear out the history or cookies daily, I do it regularly as recommended.

It's also a good program for uninstalling programs and removing programs from the startup group. There is an option to erase free space. I've never used that feature so I can't comment on it.