How to Allow or Block Cookies on Chrome Android

Cookies are a technology that helps store our information within the browser. Hence, the next time we visit the same website, we are immediately identified by that particular site. A cookie acts like an identity card or a unique identifier that allows users to sign in to a website.

Every website also uses cookies to ensure your login session is valid even after you close the browser.

For example: when you log in to facebook.com and use it for a while and exit the browser, the login will stay even after you revisit the next day. However, when you log out from Facebook, your login session is invalid and will ask you to log in again. Hence, the cookie settings from facebook.com help understand whether it’s the same or different user and whether the user has opted to stay signed in or out.

Every website that allows you to log in uses cookies to identify you. It seems like an invasion of our privacy but also helps enhance the user experience. However, if you do not want to store cookies on your browser, then you can block the cookies.

Block Site Cookies

There are indeed few, or even most, cases when we do not need a cookie setting enabled for the website.

For example, when we visit a news site or blog without any sign-in portal, the cookies are almost next to nothing for us. Hence, using the cookie blocker for these selected websites makes sense. Here are the steps to do so:

1. Launch the Chrome browser on your Android phone.
2. Tap on the More menu for options.
3. Select Settings from the list.
4. Scroll down to the Site Settings option and tap to open.
5. Tap on the Cookies tab, which is default set to Allow Cookies.
   
6. Tap on Block all Cookies option to disable the cookies.

This will block all the cookies stored on your browser from the website. But this option is not recommended in most cases. The ideal way is to block only third-party cookies.

Block Third-party Cookies

The third-party cookies are loaded from websites that you haven’t visited. It might be similar to malware on the host site. Hence, it’s always recommended to keep third-party cookies blocked.

Here are the steps to block third-party cookies:

1. Launch the Chrome browser on Android.
2. Tap on the More menu for options.
3. Select Settings from the list.
4. Scroll down to the Site Settings option and tap to open.
5. Tap on the Cookies tab, which is default set to Allow Cookies.
6. Enable the Checkbox against — Block third-party cookies option.
   

This will help block all third-party cookies and keep cookies’ data safe and private.

There is also an option to add an exception that works inversely on Cookies action — Blocked/Allowed.

Add Cookie Blocking Exception

Most websites do not need a cookie set within the browser. However, if a site needs you to sign in or sign-up for an account, then cookies are needed.

An average person hardly uses ten websites where they will sign in to an account—examples: banking sites, social sites, employers, and a few federal or government sites. The rest does not even mandatorily need the cookies.

Hence, allowing these selected sites into exceptions is safe, and blocking everything else is safe. Here are the steps to add the exceptions list:

1. Launch the Chrome browser on Android phones.
2. Tap on the More menu for options.
3. Select Settings from the list.
4. Scroll down to the Site Settings option and tap to open.
5. Tap on the Cookies tab, which is default set to Allow Cookies.
6. Toggle the Cookie button to Allow or Block cookie setting in the browser.
7. Tap the + Add Site Exception command and enter the website you want to add.
   

That’s it. Based on your Cookie settings, the exception will be allowed or blocked inversely to the setting.

For example:

• If you want to block cookies of all sites but allow specific URLs, you can add them to the exception list. (in this case, the Cookies should be set to ‘Blocked’, and exceptions will be allowed)
• Inversely, if you want to allow cookies for all sites, but block specific websites, add them to the exception list. (in this case, the Cookies should be set to ‘Allowed’, and exceptions will be blocked)

Video Guide

Here is the video tutorial on how to block or enable cookies on Android. You can also block any third-party cookies to safeguard your privacy.

Bottom Line

As mentioned, cookies are essential for the websites where you enter your login credentials for signing into an account. But, in most cases, we do not need cookies; hence, disabling them is safer. Especially for news websites, we should use the cookie blocker since we do not log in but consume the updates.

If a website misbehaves after blocking browsing cookies, you can add it to an exception list. This will allow the website to set cookies in the Chrome browser.

Similarly, you can also control the cookies settings on a Chrome computer. You can enable or disable the cookies setting from websites in your browser.

What is your setup in Chrome for browser cookies? Do you allow or block browser cookies on your Android phone?

Lastly, if you've any thoughts or feedback on How to Allow or Block Cookies on Chrome Android, then feel free to drop in below comment box. You can also report the outdated information.