Automatically Delete Google Chrome Browser Cookies at Exit
The Google Chrome browser has a nice feature which automatically clears your websites cookies each time you close the app. Here’s how to enable it.
Clearing your Google Chrome browser cookies automatically when you close, or exit Chrome is a nice way to keep cookies and other tracking tokens under control. Although you still have to clear your Chrome cache and history manually, for me, cookies are what should be nuked regularly. So, since I forget to do this regularly, follow along as I demonstrate how to configure Google Chrome to wipe cookies on your PC and macOS each time you close the browser automatically.
The steps below were updated on January 17, 2024, using Chrome version 120.0.6099.217 on Windows or macOS. Google likes to move this feature around frequently, so bookmark this article as we regularly update it.
Follow the steps below or simply paste the code below into the browser URL.
chrome://settings/content/siteData
- Click the More icon
> Settings
- Scroll down and click Privacy and security> Site settings
- Scroll down and click Additional content settings > On-device site data
- Select the radio button Delete data sites have saved to your device when you close all windows
> Settings
Now, whenever you close your Google Chrome browser on your Windows or macOS, all cookies will be deleted automatically.
23 Comments
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dave strong
June 6, 2012 at 8:43 am
Thanks I needed that!!
google sucks
July 5, 2012 at 7:28 pm
Um, it still doesn’t delete history though…
Steve Krause
December 4, 2017 at 8:07 pm
Correct. The tip only demonstrates how to wipe Cookies automatically.
StillWithFirefox
July 16, 2012 at 11:03 am
The history still remains.
TechPro57
August 8, 2012 at 10:47 am
The option is not even available for Chrome 21.0.1180.60 m (doesn’t seem to work anyway). This is unconscionable. Can’t automatically delete history on exit? So the answer is: use Firefox.
JC
September 1, 2022 at 1:03 pm
You can go into your Google account and set the settings to not save web and account activity. Then you’d be good. Also I may be incorrect but I don’t think ” inconscionable” is a word. Inconceivable yes, incoherent possibly, but inconvenient definitely.
Stan
August 20, 2012 at 6:46 am
This setting does not appear to be present in 21.0.1180.79 (Official Build 151411).
Steve Krause
August 13, 2017 at 3:42 pm
Hi Stan – I had to update the article. All fixed now but in a new location.
Mustafizur Rahman
March 28, 2016 at 3:50 am
use incognito ctrl+shift+N
Steve Krause
January 17, 2024 at 5:50 pm
Good point. That also works.
Bobby
July 20, 2017 at 8:35 pm
You can’t do this with the current version of Chrome. Could we please get an update? :)
Steve Krause
August 13, 2017 at 3:11 pm
Done – Article updated. Enjoy!
Bryna
August 13, 2017 at 3:18 pm
Thank you for updating! Much easier than downloading a plugin to do this.
Bobby
October 7, 2017 at 8:19 pm
Thanks for the update Steve. :D
Glenn Charles
August 14, 2017 at 4:34 pm
So does Firefox, of course.However, it’s interesting to see cookies creep in from third party sites on IE when I’m using a software cleaning program [CCleaner, Ashampoo Winoptimizer (yes, it’s a good program and a good company despite the name), System Mechanic are the only 3 I’d trust implicitly; Spyware Search & Destroy has that in the professional edition but I’m as doubtful about that as are the professional reviewers. All three are good and never ever to be used at the same time. 8] That’s the kind of trick beta testers pull, not people who want to make sure they don’t have to restore their computer or worse.
Glenn Charles
August 14, 2017 at 4:35 pm
*They creep in while I’m using Firefox, to clarify.
Glenn Charles
October 5, 2017 at 11:47 am
Dragon (IE-like) and Ice Dragon (Firefox-like; neither is a true clone) are actually preferable to their peers–free Comodo products. Don’t assume, however, they incorporate free VPNs. I do very much approve of iolo Privacy Guardian and Ashampoo Privacy Protector, which do clean history automatically. However, at this time, I prefer the Ashampoo one and not only because of price. I suspect I just lost my job as iolo beta tester…
Tanvir
October 5, 2017 at 12:14 am
Dear Steve, thanks for the info and explanation. It works for the current session but when I re-start the Chrome, the option “Keep local data only until you quit your browser” is again turned off automatically. Similarly if I add ‘https://accounts.google.com’ to “Clear on exit”, it simply vanishes the next time I open Chrome.
Why I was searching for this topic? I use a shared computer and if power goes off or internet is disconnected when I am logged into Gmail, the next time the PC is turned on and someone opens Gmail in Chrome: Chrome will open my account automatically. Please note that I have not saved my password for Gmail because it is a shared PC.
Could you please have some suggestion?
Steve Krause
January 17, 2024 at 5:52 pm
If you’re using the latest version (Jan 2024,) you can jump right to the setting at: chrome://settings/content/siteData
Give that a shot.
Ryan
May 4, 2019 at 8:31 am
I don’t get it, nothing is updated. There isn’t even a ‘content setting’ in the most up to date build of Chrome and there still isn’t any info on hot to do it properly here. How do we make Chrome delete all browser history on exit? That’s what I’m dying to know.
Steve Krause
January 17, 2024 at 5:54 pm
Hi Ryan,
This setting from Google continues to move around constantly. The article has once again been updated and it includes “Data sites have saved to your device.”
Hope this helps.
Mark Fernandez
July 18, 2023 at 4:42 am
Setting mentioned is not available….using Version 114.0.5735.199 (Official Build) (64-bit)
Steve Krause
January 17, 2024 at 5:56 pm
Hi Mark,
Thanks for the comment. The article has been updated for the latest version of Google Chrome: 120.0.6099.217
To jump right to the setting, just go here:
chrome://settings/content/siteData