99
votes

I want to use jQuery to delete cookies; I have tried this:

$.cookie('name', '', { expires: -1 });

But when I refresh the page, the cookie is still there:

alert('name:' +$.cookie('name'));

Why?

7
some browser will delete the cookie only after the browser is restarted. - Eboubaker

7 Answers

155
votes

To delete a cookie with JQuery, set the value to null:

$.cookie("name", null, { path: '/' });

Edit: The final solution was to explicitly specify the path property whenever accessing the cookie, because the OP accesses the cookie from multiple pages in different directories, and thus the default paths were different (this was not described in the original question). The solution was discovered in discussion below, which explains why this answer was accepted - despite not being correct.

For some versions jQ cookie the solution above will set the cookie to string null. Thus not removing the cookie. Use the code as suggested below instead.

$.removeCookie('the_cookie', { path: '/' });
74
votes

You can try this:

$.removeCookie('the_cookie', { path: '/' });

source: https://github.com/carhartl/jquery-cookie#readme

15
votes

You can also delete cookies without using jquery.cookie plugin:

document.cookie = 'NAMEOFYOURCOOKIE' + '=; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT;';
4
votes

it is the problem of misunderstand of cookie. Browsers recognize cookie values for not just keys also compare the options path & domain. So Browsers recognize different value which cookie values that key is 'name' with server setting option(path='/'; domain='mydomain.com') and key is 'name' with no option.

1
votes

Try this

 $.cookie('_cookieName', null, { path: '/' });

The { path: '/' } do the job for you

1
votes

Worked for me only when path was set, i.e.:

$.cookie('name', null, {path:'/'})
-3
votes

What you are doing is correct, the problem is somewhere else, e.g. the cookie is being set again somehow on refresh.