Error Message: Not Accepting Cookies

• Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.0, 4.01 for Windows 95
• Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.0, 4.01 for Windows NT 4.0

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to access a Web address, you may receive an error message similar to the following message:

   Not accepting cookies

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if:

• The Disable All Cookie Use option is selected on the Advanced tab in the Internet Options dialog box.
• The cookie file is damaged.
• The registry was not updated correctly when you changed a cookies option on the Advanced tab in the Internet Options dialog box.
• Your computer's system date is set too far in the future.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use the appropriate method.

Method 1

Enable the Prompt Before Accepting Cookies or Always Accept Cookies option. To do so, follow these steps:

1. In Internet Explorer, Click Internet Options on the View menu.

2. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Prompt Before Accepting Cookies or Always Accept Cookies.

3. Click OK.

4. Connect to the Web address from which you received the "Not accepting cookies" error message to verify that you are able to access the Web address.

Method 2

Rename the cookie file in the Windows\Cookies folder for the Web address from which you received the "Not accepting cookies" error message. To rename the cookie file, follow these steps:

1. Double-click My Computer, double-click the drive on which the Windows folder is located, double-click the Windows folder, and then double- click the Cookies folder.

2. In the Cookies folder, rename the <username>@<website>.txt file, where <username> is the name you used to log on to Windows, and <website> is the name of the Web site you tried to access. For example:

         user@microsoft.txt
   

   For information about how to rename a file, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type "renaming" (without quotation marks), and then double-click the "Renaming files" topic.

3. Connect to the Web address from which you received the "Not accepting cookies" error message to verify that you are able to access the Web address.

Method 3

Change the cookies option to try to update the registry correctly. To do so, follow these steps:

1. In Internet Explorer, click Internet Options on the View menu.

2. Click the Advanced tab, and then click a cookies option other than the currently selected option.

3. Click OK.

4. In Internet Explorer, click Internet Options on the View menu.

5. Click the Advanced tab, and then click the cookies option you want to use.

6. Click OK.

7. Connect to the Web address from which you received the "Not accepting cookies" error message to verify that you are able to access the Web address.

Method 4

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it.

1. Use Registry Editor to change the "AllowCookies" value in the following registry key:

         HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
            InternetSettings
   
      Use one of the following values for the "AllowCookies" value:
   
         Meaning                           Value
         ---------------------------------------
         Prompt before accepting cookies   0
         Always accept cookies             1
         Disable all cookie use            2
   
   

2. Connect to the Web address from which you received the "Not accepting cookies" error message to verify that you are able to access the Web address.

Method 5

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click Date/Time.

3. On the Date & Time tab, set your computer's date to the current date.

4. Click OK.

MORE INFORMATION

Changes to cookies options on the Advanced tab in the Internet Options dialog box are written to the following registry key:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
      InternetSettings\AllowCookies

For additional information about cookies, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q154360
   TITLE: "You Have Received a Cookie" Message in Internet Explorer