How to use custom cookies with Wget

Some websites require custom cookies to grant access to protected resources, maintain session state, or simulate authenticated browsing. wget can send these cookies directly from a file or through custom headers, allowing scripted downloads that replicate browser-based interactions.

By exporting cookies from a browser and feeding them to wget, it’s possible to continue authenticated sessions or mimic human browsing behavior. This approach eases automation, enabling batch downloads of resources otherwise gated by login pages or session-based checks.

Care should be taken to handle these cookies securely. Avoid distributing or exposing them in logs or repositories, as they may contain sensitive information granting unauthorized access if compromised.

1. Export cookies from a browser into a cookies.txt file.

   Several browser extensions or developer tools can export cookies in Netscape format, compatible with wget.

2. Review the exported cookie file to ensure correctness.

   $ cat cookies.txt

   Check domain, path, expiration, and secure flags to confirm validity.

   Field	Description
   Domain	The domain of the cookie. Usually set to the domain of the website.
   Flag	A boolean field (TRUE/FALSE) indicating if the cookie is accessible across subdomains.
   Path	The path to which the cookie is available.
   Secure	Indicates if the cookie should only be sent over HTTPS.
   Expiration	Unix timestamp indicating when the cookie expires.
   Name	The name of the cookie.
   Value	The value of the cookie.

3. Edit the cookie file if needed, maintaining its format.

   $ nano cookies.txt

4. Use the --load-cookies option to send cookies with the request.

   $ wget --load-cookies cookies.txt https://www.example.com/download.zip

   wget includes all cookies from the file, preserving session state as if browsing normally.

5. Pass cookies manually via the --header option if not using a file.

   $ wget --header="Cookie: SESSIONID=abcd1234; USERID=JohnDoe" https://www.example.com

   This method works well for quick tests or when only a few cookies are needed.

6. Inspect the downloaded file to confirm that the server responded as expected.

   $ ls
   $ cat downloaded-page.html

7. Protect or remove the cookie file after use to prevent unauthorized access.

   $ chmod 600 cookies.txt
   $ rm cookies.txt

   Always safeguard or discard sensitive cookie files.