# Can I modify the expiration date on cookies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 14, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-modify-the-expiration-date-on-cookies/502994 "2009-07-14T16:44:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Never\_Say\_Dice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee59a6/32.png) [@Never\_Say\_Dice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Never_Say_Dice)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-modify-the-expiration-date-on-cookies/502994/1 "2009-07-14T16:44:42Z")
With the Firefox Options I can look at some features of cookies, like their expiration dates. Yahoo main page has an expiration date of October, but Yahoo mail makes you sign in every 2 weeks. My other online email, Namezero, has the expiration set for a frustrating 5 minutes. While I’m composing an answer to an email my time will be up and I have to log in again. Can I change the expriations? I do have a hex editor. Alternatively, is there a browser that can be set to ignore the dates? Or can I change my system date itself so they never pass it? ---
**Author:** ![Anthony\_N](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Anthony\_N](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anthony_N)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-modify-the-expiration-date-on-cookies/502994/2 "2009-07-14T17:02:26Z")
Try this Firefox addon: Add N Edit Cookies 0.2.1.3 [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/573](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/573) ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-modify-the-expiration-date-on-cookies/502994/3 "2009-07-14T17:42:07Z")
It will be easier to use the add-on, but note that firefox keeps its cookies in a text file called “cookies.txt” in your profile directory. In spite of beginning with: > [@](#): > > # HTTP Cookie File > > # [http://www.netscape.com/newsref/std/cookie\_spec.html](http://www.netscape.com/newsref/std/cookie_spec.html) > > # This is a generated file! Do not edit. > > # To delete cookies, use the Cookie Manager. note that you CAN get out of firefox and edit it with a plain old text editor - just don’t goober up the syntax, or make a copy first in case you do. Two issues: 1 - the file has newlines instead of \\ pairs, though firefox will still read it fine with \\ pairs. You’ll have to convert that for a lot of Windows based editors. 2 - the expiration dates are in “bintime” - seconds since Jan 1, 1970. ETA: heh. The URL embedded in their comments gets a 404 error. ---
**Author:** ![Never\_Say\_Dice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee59a6/32.png) [@Never\_Say\_Dice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Never_Say_Dice)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-modify-the-expiration-date-on-cookies/502994/4 "2009-07-14T17:45:49Z")
Sounds cool, thanks ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-modify-the-expiration-date-on-cookies/502994/5 "2009-07-14T19:04:56Z")
Anyone else want to show their age and admit that they thought that the OP had bought a box of cookies from the grocery store and wanted to keep them fresh for a few more days? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-modify-the-expiration-date-on-cookies/502994/6 "2009-07-14T19:44:59Z")
Yep, oreos were my first thought. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-modify-the-expiration-date-on-cookies/502994/7 "2009-07-14T19:47:28Z")
I too thought that the OP wished to cover up the expiration date on treats to make them seem like they are not stale yet. ---
**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-modify-the-expiration-date-on-cookies/502994/8 "2009-07-14T19:51:51Z")
I am fairly young, and work in IT, and my first thought was indeed that the OP was wanting to dump some expired chocolate chip cookies on the treat table at work or something without looking like a jerk. ---
**Author:** ![Myrrajh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/87869e/32.png) [@Myrrajh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrrajh)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-modify-the-expiration-date-on-cookies/502994/9 "2009-07-14T20:11:32Z")
And here I was thinking you had an old bag of Oreos you wanted to pass off as fresh. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-modify-the-expiration-date-on-cookies/502994/10 "2009-07-14T20:50:46Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > Anyone else want to show their age and admit that they thought that the OP had bought a box of cookies from the grocery store and wanted to keep them fresh for a few more days? I was imagining a grocery store employee furtively huddling a box of Nilla wafers away from public eye as he dabbed at the top of it with white-out and a fine-point Sharpie. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-modify-the-expiration-date-on-cookies/502994/11 "2009-07-14T21:16:36Z")
_raises hand_ Chocolate chips here :o ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-modify-the-expiration-date-on-cookies/502994/12 "2009-07-15T02:29:58Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > Anyone else want to show their age and admit that they thought that the OP had bought a box of cookies from the grocery store and wanted to keep them fresh for a few more days? No