Information About Cookies on Microsoft.com

A very small text file placed on your hard drive by a Web Page server. It is essentially your identification card, and cannot be executed as code or deliver viruses. It is uniquely yours and can only be read by the server that gave it to you.

To tell the server that you returned to that Web page.

It saves you time.

If you personalize pages, or register for products or services, a cookie helps Microsoft remember who you are.

Next time you return, we know to show you the information you requested. Or, when you register for another product or service, all you need to do is type in your e-mail address and a password. We then fill in any questions you've already answered. Of course, if you never register or leave personal information with Microsoft, then the server only knows that someone with your cookie has returned to the Web site. You are in charge of deciding whether we know anything about you. But the more you tell us about yourself, the more we can help you find information or products you want.

Remember: you can always edit any personal information you give Microsoft by stopping at the Profile Center.

It allows us to be more efficient. We can learn what information is important to our visitors, and what isn't. We can discard Web pages you don't use, and focus our efforts on information you need.

You can order your browser to accept all cookies or to alert you every time a cookie is offered. Then you can decide whether to accept one or not.

If you're using Internet Explorer 6.0:

If you're using Internet Explorer 5.0:

If you're using Internet Explorer 4.0:

In Internet Explorer 3.0, you can View, Options, Advanced and click on the button that says Warn Before Accepting "Cookies."

If you are using Netscape Navigator 7.0:

On your Task Bar, click:

If you're using Netscape Communicator 4.0:

On your Task Bar, click:

If you're using Internet Explorer 6.0

On your task bar, click:

If you're using Internet Explorer 5.0

On your task bar, click:

If you're using Internet Explorer 4.0

On your task bar, click:

Internet Explorer 3.0

On your Task Bar, click:

Netscape Navigator 7.0:

On your Task Bar, click:

Netscape Communicator 4.0:

Netscape bundles all cookies into one file on your hard drive. You'll need to find the file, which it calls Cookie.txt on Windows machines.

Just click on a cookie to open it. You'll see a short string of text and numbers. The numbers are your identification card, which can only be seen by the server that gave you the cookie.