Third-party cookies are often used for cross-site tracking, advertising, and analytics. Modern browsers (especially Safari and Chrome) are moving to block them by default to protect your privacy. Only enable them if you trust the website and understand the potential privacy implications (e.g., your activity being tracked across different sites).
Apple Safari is the most restrictive browser regarding third-party cookies. As of recent macOS versions (Catalina and later), Safari due to Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP). Instead, you can turn off cross-site tracking prevention entirely.
: On the left-hand sidebar, click Privacy and security .
Since Edge is built on Chromium (like Chrome), the steps are very similar. how to enable third party cookies mac
: Click the radio button for this option to enable them globally.
: The Standard mode allows most functional cookies while blocking known trackers.
To verify that third-party cookies are enabled, follow these steps: Third-party cookies are often used for cross-site tracking,
Safari is the default browser on macOS and is known for its strict "Intelligent Tracking Prevention." By default, it blocks all cross-site tracking, which effectively disables most third-party cookies.
: While rare, cookies can be used in "session hijacking" if a site is not secure.
Chrome allows granular control, but as of 2024–2025, Google is phasing out third-party cookies (Privacy Sandbox). The current method depends on your Chrome version. Apple Safari is the most restrictive browser regarding
: Click the Privacy & Security tab on the left.
Modern browsers block third-party cookies by default to prevent cross-site tracking and protect user privacy. Why do you need them? You typically only need to enable them if a specific website feature is broken (e.g., a login window won't open, a shopping cart fails, or an embedded video won't play).
Opera is Chromium-based, similar to Chrome.