How Internet Explorer for Macintosh Manages Cookies

• Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 2.0, 2.1, 3.0, 3.01a, 4.0 for Macintosh

SUMMARY

This article describes the purpose of cookies, where they are stored by Internet Explorer, and how you can remove them from your hard disk.

MORE INFORMATION

Cookies are bits of information written to your computer about you and your visits to Web pages. Cookies can include the following types of information:

Custom Pages

The Microsoft Network custom page (The MSN) is an example of a large cookie. After you select the options you want for your Web page, the server writes that information to your cookie to retrieve when you visit the page at a later time.

Shopping

If you visit a site that features a "shopping cart" of items you want to purchase, a cookie can keep track of what you put in your cart. If you need to leave the Web page, the items your shopping cart will be exactly as you left it when you return. This keeps you from having to fill the "shopping cart" again.

Tracking Visits

A webmaster can give you a cookie to track repeat visits to a Web page.

Cookies Locations

Cookies are stored in different locations depending on the version of Internet Explorer you are running.

Internet Explorer Versions 2.0 and 2.1:

Cookies are stored in the System Folder:Preferences:Explorer:Cookies.txt file. To remove any unwanted cookies, you can either delete the Cookies.txt file, or you can edit the file with a text editor and remove any cookies you do not want. Note that you may want to make a backup copy of the Cookies.txt file before you delete it.

Internet Explorer Version 3.0:

Cookies are stored in the System Folder:Preferences:Internet Preferences file. To remove any unwanted cookies, delete the Preferences file. This file is also used by Internet Config and may contain preferences used by other Internet-based programs (mail programs, news readers, ftp programs, and so on). Do not delete this file unless you are sure you have written down all of the settings.

Internet Explorer Version 3.01a:

Cookies are stored in the System Folder:Preferences:Internet Preferences file. To remove any unwanted cookies, follow these steps:

1. On the Edit menu, click Preferences.

2. Click Cookies under Receiving Files, and then click the cookie you want to delete under Cookies Settings.

3. Click Delete, and then click OK.

Cookies are stored in the System Folder:MS Preference Panels:Cookies file.

To remove any unwanted Cookies, follow these steps:

1. On the Edit menu, click Preferences.

2. Click Cookies.

3. Click the Cookie that you want to delete, and then click Delete.

4. Click OK

   Setting               Description
   --------------------------------------------------------------------
   Never Ask             Cookies are always accepted and you are never
                         prompted before a cookie is saved to your hard
                         disk.
   Ask For Each Site     You are asked for each site whether you want
                         to accept or decline cookies from the site.
   Ask For Each Cookie   As each cookie arrives, you are asked if you
                         want to accept it.
   Never Accept          Cookies are never accepted and you are never
                         prompted.