Cookies: Difference between revisions
Alice Wyman (talk | contribs) (added info for Firefox 2, Mozilla Suite/SM) |
Alice Wyman (talk | contribs) ("Cookie permissions": added Moz/SM Cookie Manager; "If websites report cookies are blocked": added details for clearing exceptions) |
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Cookies are small pieces of textual information stored by webpages on your computer. Their many uses include remembering login information and preserving the contents of your basket on shopping sites | [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_cookie Cookies] are small pieces of textual information stored by webpages on your computer. Their many uses include remembering login information and preserving the contents of your basket on shopping sites. | ||
==Cookie permissions== | ==Cookie permissions== | ||
===Mozilla Suite and SeaMonkey=== | ===Mozilla Suite and SeaMonkey=== | ||
Cookie permissions are controlled in "[[Menu differences in Windows, Linux, and Mac|Edit -> Preferences]] -> Privacy & Security -> Cookies". You can choose to block all cookies, allow all cookies, allow cookies for the originating website only (third-party cookies) or you can allow cookies based on privacy settings. | Cookie permissions are controlled in "[[Menu differences in Windows, Linux, and Mac|Edit -> Preferences]] -> Privacy & Security -> Cookies". You can choose to block all cookies, allow all cookies, allow cookies for the originating website only (third-party cookies) or you can allow cookies based on privacy settings. If you allow cookies, you can also select the following retention preferences: | ||
If you allow cookies, you can also select the following preferences: | |||
* Accept cookies normally | * Accept cookies normally | ||
* Accept for current session only (deletes the cookie the next time you exit your browser). | * Accept for current session only (deletes the cookie the next time you exit your browser). | ||
* Accept cookies for __ days | * Accept cookies for __ days | ||
* Ask for each cookie (you can limit these warnings by choosing "except for session cookies") | * Ask for each cookie (you can limit these warnings by choosing "except for session cookies") | ||
====Cookie Manager==== | |||
The Mozilla Suite/SeaMonkey Cookie Manager (also accessible via "Tools -> Cookie Manager -> Manage Stored Cookies") lets you to view or delete individual cookies ("Stored Cookies" tab) and lets you override basic cookie settings so that you can allow or block cookies for individual sites ("Cookie Sites" tab). | |||
===Firefox=== | ===Firefox=== | ||
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==If websites report cookies are blocked== | ==If websites report cookies are blocked== | ||
If you have set your Mozilla browser to accept cookies but websites are reporting that cookies are being blocked, read [[Websites report cookies are disabled | If you have set your Mozilla browser to accept cookies but websites are reporting that cookies are being blocked, see if the site is shown as blocked in the Firefox "Exceptions" list (under [[Menu differences in Windows, Linux, and Mac |Tools -> Options]] -> Privacy -> Cookies") or in the Mozilla Suite/SeaMonkey "Cookie Sites" list (under "Tools -> Cookie Manager -> Manage Stored Cookies") and, if so, remove it from the list. If you still have problems, read [[Websites report cookies are disabled| this article]]. | ||
== Removing cookies == | == Removing cookies == | ||
===Mozilla Suite and SeaMonkey=== | ===Mozilla Suite and SeaMonkey=== | ||
To remove all cookies go to "[[Menu differences in Windows, Linux, and Mac|Edit -> Preferences]] -> Privacy & Security -> Cookies -> Cookie Manager" | To remove all cookies go to "[[Menu differences in Windows, Linux, and Mac|Edit -> Preferences]] -> Privacy & Security -> Cookies -> Cookie Manager -> Stored Cookies (tab)" (or use "Tools -> Cookie Manager -> Manage Stored Cookies") and click "Remove All Cookies". To remove specific cookies, select a cookie from the list and click "Remove Cookie". | ||
===Firefox === | ===Firefox === | ||
Revision as of 15:41, 14 July 2007
Cookies are small pieces of textual information stored by webpages on your computer. Their many uses include remembering login information and preserving the contents of your basket on shopping sites.
Cookie permissions
Mozilla Suite and SeaMonkey
Cookie permissions are controlled in "Edit -> Preferences -> Privacy & Security -> Cookies". You can choose to block all cookies, allow all cookies, allow cookies for the originating website only (third-party cookies) or you can allow cookies based on privacy settings. If you allow cookies, you can also select the following retention preferences:
- Accept cookies normally
- Accept for current session only (deletes the cookie the next time you exit your browser).
- Accept cookies for __ days
- Ask for each cookie (you can limit these warnings by choosing "except for session cookies")
Cookie Manager
The Mozilla Suite/SeaMonkey Cookie Manager (also accessible via "Tools -> Cookie Manager -> Manage Stored Cookies") lets you to view or delete individual cookies ("Stored Cookies" tab) and lets you override basic cookie settings so that you can allow or block cookies for individual sites ("Cookie Sites" tab).
Firefox
Cookie permissions are controlled in "Tools -> Options -> Privacy -> Cookies". You may choose to accept all cookies that websites wish to set or, in Firefox 1.5 and earlier, you may choose to accept cookies "for the originating site only", which will block third-party cookies that are often set by other companies who advertise on those sites.
Starting in Firefox 2, the option to block third-party cookies has been removed from the user interface [1]. Firefox 2 users who wish to limit allowed cookies to those set by the originating website can use about:config to modify the preference network.cookie.cookieBehavior to "1".
Exceptions list
As well as the basic permissions above, you may also make blacklists and whitelists using the Exceptions list. The settings in this list override your basic cookie settings, so that you can have stronger control over individual sites that you have manually added to the list. You can choose to allow an individual site to set cookies, or to set "session" cookies which are deleted once you have closed Firefox, or to stop it from setting cookies at all.
If websites report cookies are blocked
If you have set your Mozilla browser to accept cookies but websites are reporting that cookies are being blocked, see if the site is shown as blocked in the Firefox "Exceptions" list (under Tools -> Options -> Privacy -> Cookies") or in the Mozilla Suite/SeaMonkey "Cookie Sites" list (under "Tools -> Cookie Manager -> Manage Stored Cookies") and, if so, remove it from the list. If you still have problems, read this article.
Removing cookies
Mozilla Suite and SeaMonkey
To remove all cookies go to "Edit -> Preferences -> Privacy & Security -> Cookies -> Cookie Manager -> Stored Cookies (tab)" (or use "Tools -> Cookie Manager -> Manage Stored Cookies") and click "Remove All Cookies". To remove specific cookies, select a cookie from the list and click "Remove Cookie".
Firefox
To remove all cookies in Firefox 1.5, go to "Tools -> Options -> Privacy -> Cookies" and click "Clear Cookies Now". To remove specific cookies, click "View Cookies", select a cookie from the list, and click "Remove Cookie. In Firefox 2, go to "Tools -> Options -> Privacy / Cookies -> Show Cookies..." and click "Remove All Cookies". To remove specific cookies, select a cookie from the list, and click "Remove Cookie".
Where are cookies stored
Cookie information is stored in two files: cookies.txt and hostperm.1. (Older versions used cookperm.txt instead of hostperm.1.) Both of these files are located in your profile folder.
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| cookies.txt | Holds all of your cookies, including login information, session data, and preferences. |
| cookperm.txt hostperm.1 |
Holds preferences about which sites you allow or prohibit to set cookies, to display images, to open popup windows and to initiate extensions installation. |
