Where are Cookies in Windows 10/8/7? Where is the location of the Cookies folder? Starting with Windows Vista, things have changed a bit. Type Cookies in Start Menu, and it may take you to C:\Users\Username\Cookies folder. When you try to click on it, in all probability, you will be greeted with an Access Denied box. This path, however, is just a kind of a pointer.
Where are Cookies in Windows 10
Cookies folder location in Windows 10/8/7
To see where Internet Explorer stores its Cookies in Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista, open Explorer > Organize > Folder Options > Views > Check ‘Do not show hidden files and folders’ and Uncheck ‘Hide protected OS files‘ > Apply > OK.
Now you will be able to see the two real locations of Windows Cookies folders at the following address in Windows 7:
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low
In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, the Cookies are stored in this folder:
C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCookies
In Windows 10 you may open Run box, type shell:cookies and hit Enter to open the Cookies folder. It is located here:
C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCookies
As mentioned elsewhere on this site, starting with Windows Vista, processes run with integrity levels as defined by the Mandatory Integrity Control feature. Internet Explorer in Protected Mode runs as a ‘Low Privilege’ process. This prevents the Internet Explorer from writing to areas of the File System or the Registry that require a higher privilege! What happens, is that Windows creates a set of folders and files, for use with Protected Mode’ Internet Explorer. These folders and files share the same Low Privilege level as Internet Explorer.
One of these 4 ‘low privilege’ folders, used by IE in Windows, in the course of daily operation, is Cookies, the other being Cache, History & Temp, and it is located at:
%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low
With the IE Protected Mode turned On, the browser essentially runs as a low privilege process; as a result of which it can store/read/write cookies in the LOW version of the Cookies folder:
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low
But if you have turned UAC off or Disabled the Protected Mode in IE in Windows, they (like cache, temp & history) will mostly be stored in:
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies
Read: Configure how Microsoft Edge treats Cookies in Windows 10.
This post will tell you about the types of Internet Cookies, should you be interested. Want to know the Temporary Internet Files Folder location in Windows 10/8/7?
Speaking of Computer Cookies, here are a few posts which may interest you:
- Delete even Flash Cookies via Delete Browsing History in Internet Explorer
- Clear Internet Cache & Cookies for particular domain only in IE, quickly
- Expired Cookies Cleaner will help you remove Expired Cookies in Internet Explorer.
30 Comments
I have Windows 8.0 and there is no “cookie” location or file in C:UsersusernameAppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindows
Cookies exists there under the user but the folder is empty.
In Windows 8, the Cookies are stored in this folder:
C:UsersusernameAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsINetCookies
I have edited the post. Thank you.
not so .cant find there..no AppData
Hope you have enabled Show Hidden and system files and folders via Folder Options.
i cant find cookies folder in my win8 on this location C:UsersAMU`ZAppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindows
open your show hidden files
In the directory at the top, type: C:UsersAMU`ZAppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindowsCookies
The file is hidden for secirity
Thanks for the post, but there is no such folder in my Win 8. Period. In Users, Heather Ceana (that’s my user name) there is Application Data, which contains only a Microsoft folder, which contains only a forms folder. So, where are the cookies? I don’t want to delete ALL of my cookies, but I’m sick and tired of Microsoft hijacking my computer and hiding things from me. This post is not accurate.
Windows edition: Windows 8
copyrighted 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
System type: 64-bit Operating System, x64 based processor.
I have mentioned above and reconfirm. In Windows 8, the Cookies are stored in this folder:
C:UsersusernameAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsINetCookies
Make sure you are set to, via Folder Options, Show Hidden as well as System protected files and folders.
There is no INetCookies folder in mine, either, yes, with hidden files and folders shown.
There is no “INetCookies” or “Cookies” folder in that location. And I can view plenty of hidden files and folders. Anand I’m sure your machines have that directory. I’ve used computers since 1984. I’ve had a laptop since 1985 when they were $5,000. So I know my way around a windows machine way back to Windows 3.1 and Windows 95. And DOS. For me, Jorge, Mizz, Amu’z, Heather, & Ryan, there is NO Cookies folder there. I do see a lot of cookies in the (hidden) Temporary Internet Files folder in that location.
The folder isn’t visible. You have to copy and paste the filepath, substituting [username] for your Windows account name.
No, Bill. I’m looking at the entire path. I am there at the directory C:UsersMichaelAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindows. I see many hidden directories.
There is NO subdirectory called Cookies or INetCookies on my PC. Although YOU may see these directories, that doesn’t mean they are on everyone’s PC’s just like yours.
If it ain’t there then you have either set the file path for cookies to something else or there is something wrong with your computer. It is a standard file path for Windows 7.
Windows Cookies;
First go to Control panel, then select “Folder Options” and “View ” tab.
Deselect “hide protected operating system folders” and select “show hidden files folders and drives.
Then “apply”
Now you can go to
Windows 8;
C:UsersusernameAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsINetCookies
Windows 7;
C:UsersusernameAppDataLocal(or Roaming)MicrosoftWindowsCookies.
Tip:
Don’t delete annoying or spying cookies, open them with notepad, (take ownership under security settings if need be) Delete all contents then save them again as “read only” (do for each relevant cookie)
That takes care of most spy cookies or adware cookies for good.
and with operating system files unhidden too?
real activation, to get what you want by search @@@windows 8.1 key sale@@@ from bing.
You are right about that, I can see invisible folders at that location as well. And no INetCookies. But when I copy the filepath (or just append INetCookies) it seems the folder does exist.
Blogpost IS accurate. Things have changed since 1984 ;-) Ad veredundiam not by the way.
Well I’ll be. I pasted the filepath, and there it is, just like Bill said. I had not realized that pasting the filepath would allow us to view any more folders than just clicking around. I was wrong. Thanks Josef and Bill. I now have access to my INetCookies folder.
Yes, I’m eating crow, and it’s not very tasty, LoL !
i have WINDOW 7 and i also don’t see cookies in C drive
alert(“Ha Ha Ha”);
test
I have Windows 8 and was able to find cookies via C:UsersusernameAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsINetCache
Try this and thank me later C:UsersUsernameAppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindowsCookies
Brilliant! This is exactly the information I needed. Thank you, Anand.
This is for Internet Explorer which I never use
What about Windows 10…Please Suggest me how to find the cookies of different browser ?
as By entering shell:cookies in command prompt it is taking to me cookies related to I Browser only!!!
Same for me. Neve use IE, but have cookie here.
Cookie are detected by BitDefender as virus..
So, just to make sure, C:UsersCookies is a junction point or hard link for the actual Cookies folder, right?
“In Windows 10 you may open Run box, type shell:cookies and hit Enter to open the Cookies folder. It is located here:” I tried this, cookies folder contains only one file named deprecated.cookie. I opened it by notepad, which showed “Cookies are no longer stored in files. Please use Internet*Cookie* APIs to access cookies.” Where do I find cookies?