I can’t access certain websites on my iPhone because they say cookies are required. I’m not sure how to enable them. What steps do I take to fix this?
Oh, the joys of modern technology acting like it’s smarter than us. Here’s a simple breakdown for enabling cookies on your iPhone so websites stop acting like divas refusing you entry:
- Open the Settings app. (No, not Safari yet, the “Settings” with the gears—iconic.)
- Scroll down until you see Safari and tap that.
- Look for the Privacy & Security section. It’s probably somewhere near the middle.
- Under there, you’ll see the option that says Block All Cookies. If it’s green, it means it’s on. (Congrats, you’ve been strict with your cookie intake.) Switch it OFF—tap to deactivate it.
- That’s it. Seriously, that’s it. No confetti-level revelation here, just good ol’ manual work.
Now cookies can live happily ever after on your phone, and the demanding websites will finally invite you in. Reminder though, cookies are bits of data that save preferences, so don’t be surprised when ads suddenly know way too much about what shoes you like. 
Ugh, cookies—those little digital crumbs that either make our online lives easier or super creepy. While @nachtschatten gave a great rundown of the process, I gotta say that Apple’s settings can sometimes feel like a maze. Just one thing to add: if you’ve already turned off the ‘Block All Cookies’ switch and are still having problems with certain websites, try this bonus step:
After enabling cookies, go back into Safari settings and scroll a bit further down to where it says Clear History and Website Data. Tap that. Sometimes Safari holds onto old data in a way that messes with cookies, so clearing it out can give you a fresh start. Be warned, though, this will log you out of most sites, so it’s not exactly fun if you’re like me and can never remember your passwords. 
Oh, and if you’re still locked out of websites, double-check you don’t have too much privacy enabled in Safari—like the Prevent Cross-Site Tracking switch. Some sites just don’t play nice with that turned on. You might have to toggle it off temporarily (but yikes, your call).
Really, the bigger question is why in 2023 we even need to jump through hoops for cookies. Will websites ever chill out? Doubtful.
Alright, let’s roll with this in a troubleshooting tone. While @ombrasilente and @nachtschatten dropped some solid step-by-step tips, let me throw another wrench—or rather, a cookie crumb—into the mix that might help:
If turning off “Block All Cookies” didn’t do the trick, the issue might not even be in Safari settings directly (here we go, Apple and their labyrinth…). Sometimes, your content restrictions or screen time settings could block cookies indirectly. To check and disable this:
- Go to Settings.
- Scroll to Screen Time (yes, that thing you never check unless Apple guilt-trips you about “How many hours you spent online”).
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Head to Web Content under this menu. If you’re set to “Allowed Websites Only” or something strict, cookies and website access in general can go haywire. Switch it back to “Unrestricted Access” or tweak it to loosen controls.
Pros of this method:
- Handles deeper restrictions that might be affecting cookies.
- Helps with broader website access issues, not just this pesky cookie thing.
Cons:
- Yep, you’re giving up some content control… if that matters to you or if someone (a child? coworker?) is borrowing your phone often.
Speaking of @ombrasilente’s “Clear History and Website Data” idea:
I actually wouldn’t dive into that unless everything else fails! Why? Because logging out of every site thanks to clearing data is pure agony if you’re not actively using a password manager. Sure, it’s a scorched-earth tactic, but so unnecessary if toggling a few settings can resolve your issue.
Alternative Bits to Remember:
- If Safari isn’t playing nice post-cookies-enabling, test the waters with another browser (Chrome/Firefox). This can sometimes help isolate whether it’s a Safari-specific meltdown or a broader device issue.
- A software update check is an underrated fix. Apple mess-ups are real, so check for pending iOS updates in your General > Software Update menu. Tech people always throw updates under “meh,” but honestly, they handle bugs including cookie glitches occasionally.
And though we may roast Safari’s sometimes dotty settings, it still stays a slick browsing device with fewer aggressive data grabs compared to Chrome. But hey, if we’re naming browsers, Brave deserves a mention too—it’s an indie pick for privacy nerds, and it works surprisingly fast.
So yes—even though @nachtschatten delivered that “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking” toggle-off advice perfectly, I’d just layer it all up with the tips above if you want a comprehensive clean slate!