Cookies are recommended.

(if you have been directed to this page more than once, click here to see how to fix it)

While most of MatWeb's functionality is not dependent upon cookies, you will not be able to register or view more than the first page of any search results without them.

In order to take full advantage of all the features offered by MatWeb, you should configure your browser to accept cookies utilizing the instructions listed below. The cookie MatWeb creates and uses is ONLY used during your visit to MatWeb, and contains no personal information. If you would like more information on our Privacy Policy, click here.

Occasionally, you may encounter navigation or login difficulties that could be related to the cookies which are stored on your machine by many of the sites you visit. One possible solution to this problem is to delete some or all of the cookies stored by your web browser. Deleting your cookies will prompt web sites to generate new, up-to-date cookies as you browse. This may resolve some problems with logins, shopping carts, search result pages, etc. If you'd like more information, this page has information related to MatWeb-specific cookie problems.

What Are Cookies?

A Cookie is:
A very small text file placed on your hard drive with your permission by a web server.  The cookie file usually consists of a string of text or numbers.  It merely stores information and cannot be executed as code or deliver viruses.  It is uniquely yours, can only be read by the server that gave it to you.  In the case of MatWeb, our cookie will expire 2 hours after you exit the site.

A Cookie's Purpose is:
To maintain information across multiple web pages within a single web site.

How a Cookie Can Help You:
MatWeb needs to know your search criteria in order to move from page to page within search results, so we store that data in a cookie. In order to view more than the first records, you need to enable cookies. MatWeb also uses a cookie to store your user-specific data, if you are a registered or premium user. This data includes your "Welcome" message (seen at the top of every page), as well as comparison basket information.

If You Want to Control Which Cookies You Accept:
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.  Follow the instructions listed below to check or change how you accept cookies.

How Do I Accept Cookies?

If you are currently using:

Internet Explorer 6.x -

1. From the Tools menu choose Internet Options...
2. Go to the Privacy tab
3. You can either:
   
   • Slide the selection bar up or down to use a pre-set configuration
   - OR -
   • Click on Advanced...
   • Check the Override automatic cookie handling box, and select your preference

Internet Explorer 5.x -

1. From the Tools menu choose Internet Options...
2. Go to the Security tab
3. Click on Custom Level...
4. Scroll down until you see the Cookie options and select your preference

Internet Explorer 4.x -

1. From the View menu choose Internet Options...
2. Click on the Advanced tab
3. Scroll down to the Security section and choose one of the three options
   

Internet Explorer 3.x -

Follow the same instructions above (steps 1-3) then click on the button that says Warn Before Accepting Cookies.

Netscape Communicator 4.x and 6.x -

1. From the Edit menu choose Preferences
2. Click on Advanced
3. Set your options in the box labeled Cookies.

How Do I Delete Cookies?

If you are currently using:

Internet Explorer 6.x -

1. From the Tools menu choose Internet Options...
2. Go to the General tab
3. You can either:
   
   • Click on Delete Cookies...
   • Click on Ok to delete all cookies
   - OR -
   • Click on Settings...
   • Click on View Files...
   • From the files listed, find the ones beginning with Cookie and selectively delete the ones you no longer want

Internet Explorer 5.x -

1. From the Tools menu choose Internet Options...
2. Go to the General tab
3. Click on Settings...
4. Click on View Files...
5. From the files listed, find the ones beginning with Cookie and selectively delete the ones you no longer want

Internet Explorer 4.x -

1. From the View menu choose Internet Options...
2. Go to the General tab
3. Click on Settings...
4. Click on View Files...
5. From the Edit menu choose Preferences and click Cookies. Selectively delete the cookies you no longer want

Internet Explorer 3.x -

1. From the View menu choose Options...
2. Click on Advanced
3. Click on View Files
4. From the files listed, selectively delete the cookies you no longer want from the View Files window

Netscape Communicator 6.x -

1. From the Edit menu choose Preferences
2. Click on Privacy and Secuity
3. In the box labeled Cookies select View Stored Cookies
4. You can either:
   
   • Click Remove All Cookies to delete all cookies
   - OR -
   • Click on a cookie you want to remove
   • Click Remove Cookie to delete that cookie

Netscape Communicator 4.x -

1. Netscape bundles all cookies into one file on your hard drive. You'll need to find the file, called cookie.txt on Windows machines (MagicCookie on Macintosh computers) and delete it.