How to Clear Cookies on iPad

This article explains how to clear website cookies and other website data, including web history, from your iPad's Safari web browser. Instructions cover iPads running iOS 10 and later.

How to Clear Cookies and Web History on iPad

It's easy to delete website data, including cookies, and your web history at the same time.

1. Go to the iPad Settings.

2. Scroll down the menu in the left panel and choose Safari to display Safari's settings.

3. Tap Clear History and Website Data to delete all records of the websites you've been to on the iPad and all website data (cookies) collected.

4. Tap Clear to confirm you want to delete this information.

Prevent Cookies With Safari Privacy Mode

The Safari Privacy Mode keeps sites from showing up in your web history or accessing your cookies. It's easy to browse the iPad in privacy mode.

How to Clear Cookies From a Specific Website

Clearing cookies from a specific website is helpful if you have concerns with a single site but don't want your usernames and passwords cleared from the other websites you visit.

1. Go to Safari's settings and tap Advanced at the bottom of the screen.

2. Choose Website Data to open a list of websites.

3. If the website you're looking for isn't on the first page, tap Show All Sites to see the full list.

4. Swipe left and tap Delete. The data from that website is removed.

   There is no confirmation screen following this step.

5. Or, tap the Edit button at the top of the screen. This puts a red circle with a minus sign next to each website. Selecting the button next to a website reveals the Delete button, which you tap to confirm your intent.

   You can also remove the data from all the sites by tapping Remove All Website Data at the bottom of the list.

How to Prevent Cookies

You can prevent the iPad from accepting cookies from all Safari websites in the Settings screen.

1. Go to the Settings screen and tap Safari in the left panel.

2. Move the Block All Cookies toggle switch to the on/green position.

3. If you don't want to block all cookies, turn on Prevent Cross-Site Tracking for additional privacy.

What Are Cookies and How Do They Work?

Websites commonly put cookies, which are small pieces of data, on your browser to store information. This information can be a username to keep you logged in on your next visit or data used to track your visit to the website. If you visited a website you don't trust, delete that site's cookies from the iPad Safari web browser.

You can also delete your web history. The iPad keeps track of every website you visit, which is helpful for auto-completing website addresses when you try to find them again. However, it is awkward if you don't want anyone to know you visited a particular website, such as jewelry sites when shopping for your spouse's anniversary gift.