How to Remove a Cookie

Cookies are a tiny little file that copies onto your computer hard drive.  Concerns for security and the desire to keep your personal information private has given cookies a bad name among internet users but there are actually good reasons for cookies to be used.

If you have ever signed up to use a message board and agreed to let it remember you for next time, you’ve accepted a good cookie.  When you revisit that website, it detects the cookie that it left on your computer and greets you by name.

The same is experienced on shopping websites like Amazon.com. 

Cookies remember your user name when you visit a favorite membership site, like your movie club site or even you college extension campus site.

There are also ‘bad cookies’.  Some websites that you visit use aggressive software to dig into your computer and pull out your email address.  They are automatically harvesting your information with permission.  You don’t want people tracking your internet use without your knowledge so it is a good idea to give your cookies some attention on a regular basis.

Go to ‘My Computer’ and double click on your hard drive (usually Drive C). Double click ‘Documents and Settings’ then select your identity. Now open the ‘Cookie’ folder. 

Don’t be surprised if you see literally thousands of files.  You may not wish to delete everything.  Read through the list.  If you see sites where you know you have created a membership, you’ll want to keep those.  Don’t worry though if you do delete them, you’ll just have to remember your own user name the next time you return.

Deleting the cookies is as simple as highlighting and clicking delete.