Enable and disable cookies that websites use to track your preferences

Cookies are stored on your computer by websites you visit and contain information such as site preferences or your login status. This article describes how to enable and disable cookies in Firefox.

How do I view or change my cookie settings?

Note: Cookies are enabled by default in Firefox.
  1. Click the menu button New Fx Menu Fx57Menu and choose Options.Preferences.
  2. Select the Privacy & Security panel and go to the Cookies and Site Data section.
  3. Select Accept cookies and site data from websites (recommended) to enable cookies. To disable cookies, select Block cookies and site data (may cause websites to break).
    Fx60Settings-CookiesAndSiteData Fx61settings-CookiesAndSiteData
  4. Choose how long cookies are allowed to be stored:
    • Keep until:
      they expireThey expire: Each cookie will be removed when it reaches its expiration date, which is set by the site that sent the cookie.
      I close FirefoxFirefox is closed: The cookies that are stored on your computer will be removed when Firefox is closed.
  5. Close the about:preferences page. Any changes you've made will automatically be saved.
  1. Click the menu button New Fx Menu Fx57Menu and choose Options.Preferences.
  2. Select the Privacy & Security panel and go to the Cookies and Site Data section.
    Fx63settings-AcceptCookies
  3. Select Accept cookies and site data to enable cookies. To disable cookies, select Block cookies and site data and use the drop-down menu next to Type blocked to choose the type of cookies to block.
  4. Choose how long cookies are allowed to be stored:
    • Keep until:
      They expire: Each cookie will be removed when it reaches its expiration date, which is set by the site that sent the cookie.
      Firefox is closed: The cookies that are stored on your computer will be removed when Firefox is closed.
  5. Close the about:preferences page. Any changes you've made will automatically be saved.

Click the menu button fx57menu and select Content Blocking. The Privacy & Security panel of Firefox OptionsPreferences will open. This is where you can view your settings for Content Blocking, which includes cookies.

fx65ContentBlocking
  • If Standard is selected, it means that you are using the default settings for content blocking and cookies are enabled.

To block cookies: Select Custom and check mark Cookies.

Fx65Custom-ThirdPartyCookies

Third-Party Trackers is the default setting for blocking cookies. Use the drop-down menu to change the type of cookies blocked. Note that disabling cookies can cause problems with websites. See this article to learn more about third-party cookies.

To enable all cookies, do one of the following:

  • Select Custom and clear the Cookies check mark.
  • Alternatively, select Standard to restore the default settings.

To learn more about these settings, see the Content blocking article.

Clear cookies when you close Firefox

To remove all cookies and site data when Firefox is closed:

  1. Click the menu button New Fx Menu Fx57Menu and choose Options.Preferences.
  2. Select the Privacy & Security panel and go to the Cookies and Site Data section.
    Fx65CookiesAndSiteData
  3. Check mark Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed.

Each time you close Firefox, the cookies that are stored on your computer will be removed.

Websites report cookie errors

If a website gives you an error message that cookies must be enabled, make sure that you have not blocked cookies for the website. See Block websites from storing cookies and site data in Firefox and Websites say cookies are blocked - Unblock them for more information.

// These fine people helped write this article:AliceWyman, Chris Ilias, philipp, Cheng Wang, novica, Tonnes, Michael Verdi, scoobidiver, Swarnava Sengupta, soucet, Miranda, Lan, scootergrisen, Joni, Artist, Random121. You can help too - find out how.

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