How To Turn On Cookies

How to modify "Cookie" setting in Microsoft™ Internet Explorer

The instructions below give you specific information on how to modify your cookie settings so they work with our system.  Please scroll down for the specific version of Internet Explorer that you have installed on your system.  You can see what version of Internet Explorer you are using by clicking the Help tab on the toolbar at the top and then clicking on "About Internet Explorer."

Internet Explorer 6.x:

Internet Explorer 6.0 puts many more restrictions on cookie use than earlier versions of Internet Explorer.  Our site normally works fine with the default settings that IE 6.0 uses upon the initial installation, i.e., the "Medium" setting level for both the Security and Privacy tabs.  In order to see your current settings on IE 6.0, click on Tools and Internet Options, and on that screen (which is shown below) then click on the Security and Privacy tabs to view your current settings..

If you are having problems logging into our site, then you may have your cookie settings set at too tight of a level, thus preventing our permissioning system from logging you in and deciding whether you should have access to the job search area and access to your personal profile.  There are three different ways to eliminate this problem.  The first thing you can do is reduce your Security and Privacy Settings to "Medium" if they are set at a higher level.  

If you want to keep high Security and Privacy settings, then another thing you can do is to provide an exception so that cookies will work just for our site.  In order to do this, click on Tools, Internet Options, and Privacy.  That screen is shown below.   

Click on the "Edit" button under the section at the bottom of the screen entitled "Web Sites."  You will see the following screens:  

In the field under "Address of Web site," type in https://www.giftespot.com/ (making sure there are no typos) and then click the Allow button on the right.  Then click the "ok" button at the bottom of the screen.  This will allow your system to accept cookies just for https://www.giftespot.com/, but leave your cookie settings unchanged for other sites that you visit.

A third way to take care of the problem is to change your default Privacy settings to allow "session" cookies on all sites that you visit.  Session cookies are only temporary and go away when you close your browser.  In order to do this, go to the Privacy tab, and click on Advanced.  You will see the following screen:

Click to check the box in front of "Override automatic cookie handling."  Leave the default of "Accept" for "First Party Cookies" and "Third-party Cookies," and click to check the box for "Always allow session cookies."  Click "ok" to exit the screen.  Now your browser will accept session cookies on all sites that you visit.

Internet Explorer 5.x:

Right click on the Internet Explorer icon from your desktop 
Click Properties 
Click on the Tab that says Security 
Select the Internet icon, within Web Content Zone unless you have previously altered the security settings. 

Click the Custom Level... button 
Locate the Cookie Section 
Please Note: Internet Explorer 5.0 contains two separate locations where 'cookies' can be changed: 



Allow Cookies that are stored on your computer 
Allow per-session Cookies, not stored 

Internet Explorer 4.x: 

Choose the View menu. 
Click Internet Options. 
Click the Advanced tab. 
Here you will see the Cookie Preferences. 

Internet Explorer 3.x or earlier:

In Internet Explorer choose the View menu. 
Click Options. 
Click the Advanced tab. 
Here you will see the Cookie Preferences. 
If you still can't find your 'cookie' preferences contact Microsoft help: http://www.microsoft.com/Support/




After you have made any changes to your cookie settings exit your browser and then re-open your IE browser and return to www.giftespot.com

America Online version 6.0:

1. Click on Settings>Preferences.
2. Click on Internet Properties.
3. Click on Security.
4. Click on Custom Level... (you may have to click on Default Level first).
5. Scroll down until you see "Cookies."
6. Set "Allow cookies that are stored on your computer" to "Enable."

America Online versions 4 and 5
Follow the instructions below only if you are using the browser that came with AOL. If you opened another browser outside of AOL, follow the directions for that browser as described above.

1. Click on Start from your Windows 95/98 taskbar.
2. Point at Settings.
3. Click on Control Panels.
4. Click on the Internet icon. The Internet Properties window will appear.
5. Click on the Advanced tab from within the Internet properties window.
6. Scroll down until you see the Cookies icon.
7. Click Always accept cookies.
8. Click on Apply.
9. Click on OK.

1. In the AOL top menu bar, click on My AOL.
2. Select Preferences from the drop down menu.
3. In the Preferences window, click on WWW. The AOL Internet Properties window will appear.
4. Click on the Security tab
5. Click on the Internet zone, then click on the Custom button on the bottom of the window. The Security Settings window will appear.
6. Scroll down until you see Cookies.
7. Click Enable.
8. Click on OK.

America Online version 4 (alternate instructions) and version 3

1. Click on MY AOL on your AOL Toolbar.
2. Select Preferences.
3. Click on the WWW icon. The AOL Internet Properties window will appear.
4. Click on the Advanced tab from within the AOL Internet Properties window.
5. Click to "de-select" Warn before accepting cookies.

To accept cookies if you are using a Macintosh computer...

1. Click Edit, and then click Preferences.
2. Click the Receiving Files arrow.
3. Click the Cookies button.
4. Under When receiving cookies, select never ask.
5. Click OK.

Netscape Communicator 4

1. Click Edit, and then click Preferences.
2. Click Advanced in the menu on the left-hand (white background) side of the screen.
3. Under Cookies on the right-hand part of the screen (gray background), click Accept all cookies.
4. Click OK.

Netscape Navigator 3

You cannot disable cookies in this version of Netscape, but you can turn the cookies warning on and off. Here is how you can turn the warning off so that cookies will be accepted automatically.

1. Click Options, and then choose Network Preferences.
2. Click the Protocols tab.
3. Under Show an Alert Before, click to "de-select" Accepting a Cookie.
4. Click OK.

1. Click on MY AOL on your AOL Toolbar.
2. Select Preferences.
3. Click on the WWW icon. The AOL Web Preferences window will appear.
4. Click on the Advanced settings button from within the AOL Web Preferences window.
5. Click the Receiving Files arrow so that the Cookies button appears beneath it.
6. Click on the Cookies button. The Cookie Settings window will appear to the right.
7. Under When receiving cookies, select never ask.
8. Click OK.

1. This version of AOL for the Macintosh does not accept cookies. You must upgrade to AOL 4 in order to use areas of www.giftespot.com that require cookies.