How to enable cookies in any Mac browser

Websites often store small text files on Mac.While these files (aka cookies) can cause privacy concerns, many websites wouldn't function properly without them.So, whether you're using Safari, Chrome, or Firefox, here's how to enable cookies in your Mac browser.

Safari

While Safari's tracker prevention tools are generally best left turned on, not allowing any cookies can cause problems.Many websites rely on cookies to store important information about preferences and account details, and blocking cookies can result in a negative user experience and make some pages slow or not work at all.

You can enable cookies in Safari using the following steps:

1. Start Safari.

2. Move your mouse to the menu bar, click Safari, and select Settings.

3. Go to the "Advanced" tab in the window.

4. Uncheck the Block all cookies box.

You can also click the "Manage Site Data" button in the "Privacy" section of Safari settings to delete individual cookies that you don't want stored on your Mac or clear all cookies on Safari.The tool has a search function so you can easily find files related to a specific website and delete them if necessary.

Google Chrome

If you use Chrome instead of Safari as your default browser on your Mac, follow these steps to enable cookies:

1. Start the Google Chrome browser.

2. Click Chrome in the menu bar and select "Settings."

3. Select Privacy & Security in the left sidebar.

4. Click on Third-party cookies on the right.

5. Select "Allow third-party cookies" or "Block third-party cookies" in "Invisible".

If you scroll down to the bottom of the same menu, you'll see the option to allow specific websites to use third-party cookies for greater control.

Mozilla Firefox

If you're using Firefox instead of Chrome, you can enable third-party cookies in a similar way by following these simple steps:

1. Start the Firefox browser and click Firefox in the menu bar.

2. Select "Settings" from the drop-down menu to open Firefox's settings.

3. Click "Privacy & Security" in the left sidebar.

4. Switch to standard protection or create a custom configuration that does not block all cookies.

Firefox also has a tool for blocking or allowing cookies from certain websites.You can find these settings by clicking the "Manage Exceptions" button under the "Cookies and Site Data" section in the same menu.

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge has become increasingly popular in recent years thanks to its switch to Chromium.If you're using Microsoft Edge, here's what you need to do to enable cookies on Microsoft Edge on your Mac:

1. Launch Microsoft Edge.

2. Click Microsoft Edge in the menu bar and select "Settings."

3. Go to Cookies & Site Permissions in the side menu.

4. Select "Manage and delete cookies and site data" on the right.

5. Toggle "Allow websites to save and read cookie data" (recommended).

Scroll further down and you'll find a "Block & Allow" list, where you can add specific websites for more granular control.

Allow third-party cookies in uncommon macOS browsers

As you can see, you can usually find cookie settings in your browser's privacy settings.If you still can't find the setting in your browser, you may want to check the developer's website for more information.

Cookies are required to browse the web

Cookies are not necessarily harmful.While many cookies are designed to collect personal information and track you across the internet, other cookies are essential to helping the website function as expected.In fact, cookies can help save your preferences so that you don't have to add them each time you visit.

In most cases, you can allow third-party cookies without any serious security risks.Most browsers offer intuitive options in privacy settings that allow you to quickly change and customize your preferences.