How to Set Cookie Preferences on Your Browser

Cookies are text documents that Web sites save onto your hard disk so that the sites will "remember" you on your next visit. For example, the cookie file might record the links you clicked on the site, so that they still appear in the "visited" state when you return. You can turn off cookies so that Web sites won't record the information at all, or have your browser warn you before accepting cookies.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Using Netscape Navigator

1. Go to the Edit menu and select Preferences.

2. Click on the Advanced heading.

3. Go to Cookies and click on the option you want.

4. Check "Warn me before accepting a cookie" if you want your browser to ask your permission before downloading a cookie.

Using Microsoft Internet Explorer

5. Go to the Tools menu and select Internet Options.

6. Click on the Security tab.

7. Click on the Custom Level button.

8. Scroll down to the Cookies heading.

9. Click on the options you want for stored and nonstored cookies. Click on Disable to reject all cookies. Click on Enable to accept all cookies. Click on Prompt to ensure that you'll be asked permission before accepting a cookie.

Making Your Cookies Folder Read-Only

10. Locate the Cookies folder on your computer's hard disk. The folder is usually found in the C:\WINDOWS directory.

11. Open the folder.

12. Delete all the text files (these are the cookies) in the folder, taking care not to delete any system files. Text files have a .txt suffix.

13. Close the Cookies folder.

14. In the C:\WINDOWS directory, click once on the Cookies folder.

15. Select Properties from the File menu.

16. Mark the Read Only box under the Attributes heading and click OK.

Tips & Warnings

• This method allows you to accept cookies, but it limits the amount of information Web sites can obtain and prevents sites from writing documents onto your hard disk.
• This method may create problems when you're using certain Web sites.