In Microsoft Internet Explorer for Windows, how do I view and control cookies?

On this page:

• Viewing cookies
• Changing cookie settings
• Deleting cookies

How you view and control your cookies depends upon your operating system as well as your browser. To view your cookies and control your browser's cookie settings using Internet Explorer in Windows, follow the appropriate directions below:

Viewing cookies

Internet Explorer 7 and 8

1. From the Tools menu, or the Tools drop-down at the upper right, select Internet Options.
   
   
2. Under "Browsing History", click Settings.
   
   
3. Click View Objects or View Files.

Internet Explorer 6.x

1. From the Tools menu, select Options or Internet Options... .
   
   
2. From the General tab, click Settings... .
   
   
3. Select View Files... . You can identify your cookie files by looking beneath the "Name" or "Internet Address" column for filenames that begin with Cookie:.

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Changing cookie settings

Internet Explorer 7 and 8

1. From the Tools menu, or the Tools drop-down at the upper right, select Internet Options.
   
   
2. Click the Privacy tab.
   
   
3. Click Advanced.
   
   
4. To override the automatic cookie settings, click the Override automatic cookie handling box, and then make your selections from the radio buttons below.
   
   
5. Click OK to close each of the open dialog boxes.

Internet Explorer 6.0

1. From the Tools menu, select Internet Options... .
   
   
2. Click the Privacy tab.
   
   
3. You can click and slide the slider bar to one of six cookie acceptance settings. For example, slide the bar all the way to the top to block all cookies. You can also click Sites... to control cookies for individual sites.
   
   
4. When finished, click OK to close any open options windows.

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Deleting cookies

Internet Explorer 8

1. From the Tools menu, or the Tools drop-down at the upper right, select Internet Options.
   
   
2. Under "Browsing History", click Delete... .
   
   
3. Check Cookies, and then click Delete.

Internet Explorer 7

1. From the Tools menu, or the Tools drop-down at the upper right, select Internet Options.
   
   
2. Under "Browsing History", click Delete... .
   
   
3. Under "Cookies", click Delete Cookies.

Internet Explorer 6.0

1. From the Tools menu, select Internet Options... .
   
   
2. On the General tab, click Delete Cookies.
   
   
3. You will see a dialog box saying "Delete all the cookies in the Temporary Internet Files folder?". Click OK to delete them.
   
   
4. Click OK to close the Internet Options window.

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Information in this document is adapted from Microsoft Help and Support article 278835.

You can search Microsoft support at:

Also see:

• What are cookies?
• Using Firefox or Mozilla, how do I view and control cookies?
• In Safari for Mac OS X, how do I view and control cookies?
• About automatic download blocking in Internet Explorer