Why Doesn't `unset($_COOKIE['cookie_name'])` Remove a Cookie, and How Can I Do It Properly?

How to effectively remove a cookie

When attempting to remove a cookie using unset($_COOKIE['hello']);, you may notice that the cookie remains visible in your browser's cookie manager. This is because the unset function only removes the cookie from PHP's internal memory, not from the browser.

To permanently remove a cookie, the following steps are necessary:

1. Unset the cookie from PHP's internal memory:

   unset($_COOKIE['remember_user']);

2. Set the cookie to expire in the past (e.g., 1 hour ago):

   setcookie('remember_user', '', time() - 3600, '/');

3. Ensure that the cookie path matches the original cookie:
   The setcookie function takes a path as its third parameter. This path should match the path specified when the cookie was originally created. If the paths do not match, PHP may not remove the cookie properly.

4. Return a success message (optional):

   return true;

By following these steps, you can effectively remove a cookie from the browser and prevent it from being used in future requests.

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