Cookies should be enabled to benefit from certain functions and features of an application online. It is used for various purposes from storing your login information to making it easier for you to access certain features. Without cookies, some website functions may not work as expected. Especially if you are making use of an application that requires you to log in, enabling cookies is essential. That is what we are going to discuss in this article.
Do not blindly allow all the cookies in the settings. If you think that you do not need certain cookies, feel free to manually block them or restrict them through the settings.
Steps to Enable Cookies in Google Chrome
- Open the Google Chrome application
- Click on the Chrome menu button (the three vertical dots) at the top-right corner.
- Click on the Settings option. It will open Chrome settings.
- Scroll down to the “Privacy and security” section.
- Click Site settings.
- Click Cookies and other site data option.
- There are several different options you can choose from here. Choose the one appropriate for you.
- Allow all cookies: This option will set sites to track you with cookies and store your session data with any types of cookies.
- Block third-party cookies in Incognito: If you want to browse frequently without cookies tracking you using the Incognito mode in Chrome,
- Block third-party cookies: This will block unknown third-party cookies that aren’t needed for essential operations on websites.
- Block all cookies: Not recommended in most cases. It simply blocks all the cookies.
Steps to Activate Cookies in Mozilla Firefox
- Open Mozilla Firefox.
- Click on the Menu button (three parallel lines) at the top-right corner.
- Click on Options.
- On the left sidebar, go to the Privacy & Security tab. It will display the Enhanced Tracking Protection settings by Firefox.
- Choose the appropriate option based on your preferences.
- Standard: The recommended mode that comes default with Firefox. Simply blocks the trackers and allows the essential cookies to keep things running smooth.
- Strict: As the name itself says, much stricter settings which can make things break. Not recommended unless you are sure that you do not need cookies.
- Custom: To choose the trackers and cookies to allow yourself. If both of the above modes aren’t suitable for you, you can choose a custom one.
Enable Cookies in Opera
- Open Opera.
- Click on the Menu icon at the top-right corner. You may also use the three horizontal dots on the Opera sidebar.
- Then click on Settings (if you click the dots on the sidebar) or Go to full browser settings (if you click the menu). It will take you to the Opera browser settings.
- On the left sidebar, click on the Advanced option.
- Scroll down to the Privacy and security section.
- Click on Site Settings.
- Then Cookies and site data.
- Just like in the Google Chrome section, there will be the same options (refer to the Chrome section for more information). This is because Opera uses the same base code as Google Chrome.
Steps to Allow Cookies in Safari
- Open Safari web browser.
- Click on Safari in the menu bar.
- Choose Preferences from the dropdown.
- Navigate to the Privacy tab.
- Uncheck the option saying “Block all cookies“. You may also change the Website tracking settings if you prefer.
Turn on Cookies in Microsoft Edge
- Open Microsoft Edge browser.
- Click on the Menu icon (three dots) at the top-right corner of the screen.
- Choose Settings.
- Then Cookies and site permissions.
- Then Cookies and site data.
- Enable the option “Allow sites to save and read cookie data (recommended)“. You may also Block third-party cookies if you do not want them to track you.
How to Enable Cookies on Android
On Android smartphones, instead of a desktop application, you will be using a mobile app. Here are the steps to enable cookies in different Android browser apps.
Enable cookies in Chrome Android App
- Open the Chrome Android app.
- Tap on the Menu icon (three vertical dots) at the top-right corner.
- Tap on the Settings.
- Go to Site Settings.
- Then to Cookies.
- There you can easily enable the cookies.
Activate cookies in Firefox Android App
- Open Firefox Android app.
- Click on the Menu icon.
- Choose Settings.
- Scroll down and tap on the Enhanced Tracking Protection.
- Choose the appropriate option for you. Refer to the above Firefox section to know more about the options.
How to Enable Cookies on iOS
Enabling cookies on iOS, if you are using the Chrome or Firefox apps will be the same as the steps mentioned in the Android section. However, if you are using the Safari browser app, you can enable cookies on iOS following these steps.
- Open iOS Settings.
- Tap on Safari.
- Make sure that the Block All Cookies option is disabled.
How to Enable Cookies in Ubuntu/Linux
Ubuntu or any other variant of Linux has the same steps for any browser of your choice. The steps will be similar to any of the above sections as long as you are using the latest versions of those browsers. You do not need any fancy commands to enable cookies in Ubuntu or Linux based systems.
Adding Extensions to Manage Cookies More Efficiently
While the above steps are crucial in manually enabling or blocking cookies on various browsers, it’s also worth noting that there are numerous extensions or add-ons available that can make the task of managing cookies a lot easier. These tools not only help you control what cookies are stored but also allow you to view and delete them as needed. This additional control can further enhance your online security and privacy.
Extensions for Google Chrome
- EditThisCookie: This is one of the most popular cookie editors for Chrome. It allows you to add, delete, edit, search, protect, and block cookies with ease.
- Cookie-Editor: This extension provides a simple interface for managing your cookies. It also enables you to import and export cookies in a user-friendly format.
Add-ons for Mozilla Firefox
- Cookie Quick Manager: An advanced cookie manager that offers the functionality to search, delete, protect, and block cookies, similar to EditThisCookie for Chrome.
- Cookies Exterminator: This add-on automatically deletes cookies that are not used by opened browser tabs. It provides an efficient way to manage cookies while ensuring your browser doesn’t get overwhelmed.
Extensions for Opera
- Edit Cookies: Similar to EditThisCookie, it allows Opera users to manage their cookies with simple clicks.
- Cookie Quick Manager: Just like Firefox’s version, it provides an easy-to-use interface to handle cookies effectively.
Safari Extensions
- Cookie-Script: Though Safari’s extensions for cookie management are somewhat limited, Cookie-Script can help. It gives you the ability to control cookies, and it also complies with legal requirements regarding cookie consent pop-ups.
Add-ons for Microsoft Edge
- uBlock Origin: Beyond being a powerful ad-blocker, uBlock Origin has comprehensive privacy features, including the ability to filter out cookies.
- Ghostery: Ghostery can block tracking cookies and also provides an interface to view and manage cookies.
For Mobile Browsers
While mobile browsers don’t support as many extensions as their desktop counterparts, some browsers like Firefox and Kiwi Browser (for Android) do offer limited extension support. You can try the mobile versions of the aforementioned add-ons, or explore other privacy-focused browsers such as Brave.
Always remember, while cookies are useful in enhancing the browsing experience, they can also potentially infringe on your privacy. Using these tools to manage cookies will help you strike a balance between convenience and privacy online.
And as always, keep your browsers updated to the latest version. This ensures you get the latest security patches and privacy enhancements. Also, you might want to clear cookies often.