chrome incognito vs safari private browsing

Ad-free. Influence-free. Powered by consumers.

The payment for your account couldn't be processed or you've canceled your account with us.

We don’t recognize that sign in. Your username maybe be your email address. Passwords are 6-20 characters with at least one number and letter.

We still don’t recognize that sign in. Retrieve your username. Reset your password.

Forgot your username or password ?

Don’t have an account?

Account Settings
My Benefits
My Products
Donate Donate

Save products you love, products you own and much more!

Other Membership Benefits:

What Your Web Browser's Incognito Mode Really Does

This tool can be useful as long as you understand its limitations

An illustration of a laptop computer open to a search browser with a face mask over it.

You don’t have to be a computer whiz to grasp the value of private browsing.

At a time when consumers are worried about sensitive information falling into the wrong hands—including the websites they go to and the content they view—it’s nice to have a browser tool that conceals some online activity.

All of today’s major web browsers—Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple’s Safari—offer a feature that provides a private browsing window and deletes the browsing history on your device after you close it.

This feature—commonly referred to as incognito mode—is available in desktop and mobile versions.

In Chrome, the world’s most commonly used browser , you simply click File > New Incognito Window for the desktop version or tap the three-dot menu near the top of your mobile screen and select New Incognito Tab.

Other browsers require similar steps, though Safari and Firefox call the feature Private Window, while Edge dubs it InPrivate.

These browsing tools can help reduce the amount of information collected on you by retailers and advertising companies. They have other smart uses, too. But it’s important to understand that they don’t necessarily conceal your activities from Facebook and Google, your employer, or law enforcement officials.

“I wouldn’t discourage anyone from taking these steps,” says Justin Brookman, director of privacy and technology policy for Consumer Reports. “You just need to know that they aren’t bulletproof. They’re effective at slowing down infringements on your privacy and security as long as you have a clear picture of their limitations.”

Here’s what these modes really do—and what they don’t do.

How Does Incognito Mode Work?

Generally speaking, when you browse the web in a regular, non-incognito window, your browser stores the web address, also known as the URL, of every page you go to and keeps that data even after you close the window. That makes it easier for you to retrace your steps and find the same pages again later on.

The browser also stores cookies, which are small files that websites and advertisers embed in websites .

The next time your browser loads a page with elements (as little as a single pixel) from a company’s servers, the information is sent back.

Cookies have a lot of functions, such as letting you go to password-protected sites without having to manually log in every time. They’re used to keep track of any items you place in a commerce site’s shopping cart, letting you fill the cart now and check out later. Cookies also let big advertisers, such as Google’s DoubleClick, track you across the web.

Incognito windows work differently.

Here, all of those cookies are deleted from your browser after you close the incognito window. Browser history isn’t saved, either, so if someone else uses that computer, smartphone, or tablet, it will not list the web pages you just went to. This can be useful if you share a device with roommates or live at home with your parents. It’s even more so if you’re searching for ways to escape domestic abuse.

Another benefit: You may notice less tracking from advertisers.

If you search for a product— blenders , say—in a private window, you’re not as likely to see cooking supplies show up in web ads over the next few days.

Some browsers, including Firefox and Safari, also protect against fingerprinting, a technique employed by data collectors to identify you and track you across the web by using a collection of variables such as your IP address, which browser version and operating system you use, and which graphics card you have installed.

Why Is Incognito Mode Useful?

Despite some limitations, incognito mode may be useful in a variety of situations.

Let’s say you’re shopping for a gift for your spouse on the family laptop—maybe a day pass for a local spa. Using incognito mode will prevent anyone else who might later use that laptop after you’re done from seeing that you searched for “best spas near me.” And because any cookies that might be generated by your search are deleted as soon as you close the window, you’re unlikely to see ads for spas pop up over the following days in that browser.

Other somewhat “low stakes” cases for incognito mode may include looking at someone’s LinkedIn profile without the person finding out about it; checking the score of last night’s Yankee game without triggering all sorts of baseball-related alerts and notifications on your Android smartphone; or taking a quick gander at the latest celebrity gossip without condemning yourself to a future of nonstop pop culture nonsense filling up your feeds.

Incognito mode will also prove handy if you need to log in to your email account at, say, a public library or office supply store, perhaps to print out some documents if you don’t have a printer at home . As soon as you close the window, your information is zapped from that browser forever. We still recommend logging in to sensitive accounts from your home if at all possible, but incognito mode is a good plan B.

What Doesn't Incognito Mode Do?

Once you close an incognito window, most of the data about your web session will be deleted, but this only covers data that would have been saved locally on your device, such as cookies. Any data that may have been stored on the servers of the websites themselves won’t be affected by your use of incognito mode.

In other words, using incognito mode won’t erase the records of your visit from a website’s servers or from any networks you went through to get to a site. Crucially, this means that if you go to a website while connected to your employer’s WiFi network while using incognito mode, your company will know which sites you’ve visited. Depending upon your company’s policies, you may want to keep your Facebook, Twitter, or ESPN.com habit to yourself at your home.

Put another way, if it isn’t safe for work, then you shouldn’t go there even while in incognito mode.

Incognito mode also doesn’t do anything to protect you from malware. For that, you’ll want to take other steps, such as ensuring that your software is fully up to date with the latest security patches. (It’s best to make sure you have automatic updates enabled.) And while the latest versions of Windows and macOS do include robust anti-malware capabilities built into them, you might also want to consider using a trusted piece of dedicated anti-malware software.

Lastly, know that any files you download while using incognito mode will remain on your device even after you close the window. If you’ve downloaded a sensitive file that you don’t want the next person who uses the device to find, be sure to delete it and then empty the Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (macOS).

Nicholas De Leon

Nicholas De Leon is a senior reporter for Consumer Reports, covering laptops, wireless routers, tablets, and more. He has been at CR since 2017. He previously covered tech for Vice, News Corp, and TechCrunch. He lives in Tucson, Ariz. Follow him on Twitter for all things tech and soccer @nicholasadeleon .

Sharing is Nice

We respect your privacy . All email addresses you provide will be used just for sending this story.

Trending in Privacy

How to Wipe a Computer Clean of Personal Data

How to Turn Off Smart TV Snooping Features

These Video Doorbells Have Terrible Security. Amazon Sells Them Anyway.

What to Do If Your Instagram Account Gets Hacked

Private Browser - How to use Incognito Mode in Chrome and Safari

Private browsing, or "incognito mode" has become a popular way to surf the web a bit more quietly. But what does it really mean, and how protected are you?

Let's dive a bit deeper into what incognito mode is, how it works, and how it can help you (or not).

What is private browsing?

When you're in a private browsing session, your browser won't keep a record of that website in its history. Also, data associated with that session (like cookies) won't be kept locally on your machine.

This is useful if, for example, you're trying to online shop for your significant other and don't want them to find out. With private browsing enabled, you can search the web for that LEGO Star Destroyer they've been coveting, order it, and they'll be none the wiser (Unless they track shipments to your home. Then you're in trouble.).

Why won't your surprise be ruined? Well, the LEGO website will be wiped from that browsing session's history. And, if your S.O. decides to use your laptop (or your home desktop where you ordered said gift), they won't be blasted with targeted ads (or at least far fewer) that might give the secret away. So, helpful.

Private browsing can also be useful if you want to get around a metered paywall, test a site's response that might have your info saved when you're logged in, and so on.

How to enable it in Chrome

Now that we've established the usefulness of incognito mode, let's figure out how to use it in a couple popular browsers. We'll look at Chrome first.

To start an incognito session, open your Chrome browser and find the three vertical dots in the upper right corner. Click on them, and then select "New incognito window" from the dropdown options.

Once you click that, a new dark window will open. And just like that, you're incognito.

Note : You can also open a private browsing session with keyboard shortcuts.

Just tap/hold Command+Shift+N on your Mac (or Ctrl+Shift+N on Windows) and that little dark window will pop right up, no mouse clicks needed.

How to enable it in Safari

Opening a private browsing window in Safari is very similar to doing it in Chrome.

Just open a new Safari window, click the File tab, and select "New Private Window" from the dropdown options:

Once you click that option, you'll see a very similar browser window, but with a dark address bar (and a note that private browsing has been enabled).

The same shortcuts are available here: just tap and hold Command+Shift+N to start an incognito session.

Now you can browse away in Safari without leaving loud traces all over your computer. More on how it does and doesn't protect you next.

How does it protect you?

So we've discussed incognito mode's usefulness, but let's lay out exactly how private browsing helps you out.

These are the things it does, and how it protects you:

Websites you visit aren't saved in your browsing history - so you (or others) can't look back in your browser and see where you've visited if you've been using incognito mode
Cookies and other cached info aren't stored locally on your device in incognito mode (they're created anew with each incognito session).
Info you enter into online forms won't be saved by Google (like your email address, physical address, and so on).

These features are indeed super convenient. But don't let them lull you into a false sense of security. Let's now discuss what private browsing won't do.

What it doesn't do

When you're in a private browsing session, you still have to consider the following facts:

While cookies and things may not be saved on your machine, websites might still gather some info from you on their own servers. And any network you use to get to where you're going can gather info as well.
If your work or school monitors browser sessions, they can still see the IP addresses of the sites you visited. So if you don't want your employer seeing that you visited an inappropriate or NSFW site, don't visit that site at work on the company's wifi/computer.
Private browsing also doesn't protect you from malware or viruses. So make sure you're still taking all the precautions you'd normally take to keep your browsing safe.

Just remember: even if you're using incognito mode, your browser can still record your search history, your employer can still see where you've been, and websites can still gather info like your location.

Browse privately, but browse safely, my friends.

Former archaeologist, current editor and podcaster, life-long world traveler and learner.

If you read this far, thank the author to show them you care. Say Thanks

Learn to code for free. freeCodeCamp's open source curriculum has helped more than 40,000 people get jobs as developers. Get started

Privacy Policy
Advertise with Us

The Truth Behind Private Browsing or Incognito Mode

Most browsers come with a private browsing mode that promises to safeguard your privacy. Chrome calls this feature “Incognito Mode.” But just how private is this feature? How does it work and how does it protect you? In what situations does it not protect you?

There are many misconceptions about Incognito Mode and private browsing that give users the illusion of privacy and even total anonymity. This article busts some myths and sheds more light on the reality that Incognito Mode and private browsing are not so private after all.

How to Use Incognito Mode

What does incognito mode do, who can track you in incognito mode, when to use incognito mode, better alternatives to incognito mode, frequently asked questions.

Who Coined the Term “Incognito Mode”?

While Apple was the first to introduce the private browsing feature with Safari, it was Google who came up with the term “Incognito Mode” to describe the same feature in Chrome.

In fact, private browsing functions similarly in most modern browsers but is known by different labels. For example, Edge calls it InPrivate browsing, while Firefox and Safari simply call it Private Browsing. Opera calls the feature Private Mode.

For the purposes of this guide, we are using Chrome and Incognito Mode as an example, since the Google browser is the most used in the world.

Also read: 4 Things to Do Immediately if You Have Been Scammed

Launch Google Chrome and press Ctrl + Shift + N in Windows and Cmd + Shift + N in macOS to launch a new Chrome window in Incognito Mode. The feature has a black background with some general guidelines.

You can also right-click on the Chrome app icon in the Taskbar and select the “New Incognito Window” option to open a private browsing mode directly.

If you’re using a different browser, you can rely on the same elements to launch a private window:

Relevant menu option (usually listed in the “File” menu)
Designated keyboard shortcut (usually displayed next to the menu item)
The browser’s Taskbar/Dock icon

Private browsing is also a feature in most modern mobile browsers.

Also read: How to Make Private Browsing Mode the Default in Various Browsers

When you are surfing the Web in Incognito Mode, the primary job of the browser is to NOT store data locally on your computer. When you close an Incognito Mode window, your browser deletes the following items:

Browsing history: this includes any websites you visit, whether you have signed in to them or not.
Cache and cookies : these cover authentication on sites you have logged in to, site-specific preferences and tweaks, parts of web pages saved for faster loading, etc.
Web searches: any searches you performed on Google, Bing, etc. Your search queries still get logged by the relevant server. Note that privacy-focused search engines like DuckDuckGo do not track your searches at all, but they do record them in your browsing history unless you use private browsing.
Login information: any usernames or passwords you entered.
Form data: any information such as name and address that you may have entered in a form.
Website permissions: any permissions you gave to a website, such as location or microphone access, won’t be saved. This is because cookies that are used by sites to save such data aren’t being saved.

While using Incognito Mode, you are not signed in to your Google account unless you do so manually. Naturally, none of the activities from the Incognito window browser session get associated with your Google account. This holds true even if you have signed in to Google through a regular window next to the incognito window.

Incognito Mode in Chrome has a new option. At the bottom is a toggle to block third-party sites from using cookies. Cookies are small packets of data that sites use to track you across other sites. Have you ever wondered how you see travel-booking ads on all sites right after searching for flight tickets on a separate site? Cookies.

The moment you close Incognito Mode, your browser will forget the browsing session ever happened. It will delete browsing history, cache, and cookies immediately. There is no way anyone with access to your computer can find out what you were doing.

This gives users a sense of privacy, as their browsing histories remain hidden from the prying eyes of family members or colleagues who have access to their devices. However, it’s important to remember that there are other sets of eyes tracing your online activity, not to mention a loophole or two.

Also read: How to Auto-Delete Browsing History on Safari, Chrome, and Firefox

Incognito Mode or private browsing protects your browsing history from those who may have physical access to your computer but it is not a foolproof strategy against privacy or anonymity. A few entities can still see what you do online:

Websites you visit: these can and most probably are still tracking. For example, any item you buy on Amazon will appear in your order list. Likewise, Google records your search history if you log in, unless you have paused Web & App Activity from your My Google Activity dashboard.
Internet Service Provider : your ISP can track your movements across pages of the Web, thanks to the IP address they assigned to you.
Network administrators: if you are using your office or school computer, the related authorities can track your browsing activity.
Hackers and data brokers : private browsing is no deterrent to anyone who is in the business of eavesdropping on digital activity and has the resources to do it.

Another vital point to remember is that your computer saves any files you downloaded and URLs you bookmarked while “incognito.” You should delete them manually if you want to cover your tracks.

Also read: How to See Who’s Tracking You Online (and Stop It)

Incognito Mode or private browsing is useful if you don’t want others in the house/office/school to know what you are up to. Deleting browsing history manually is a chore, and people often forget to do that leading to embarrassing and awkward scenarios and discussions.

Incognito Mode is also useful when you want to log in to the same service using two separate accounts – for example, Gmail or an online game. Another way to do this is by using two different browsing apps like Chrome and Edge.

Incognito Mode is used to troubleshoot browser-specific problems like extension conflicts, bugs, etc.

Incognito Mode is highly recommended when using public devices or computers that belong to someone else. This way, closing the private session will remove all traces without further steps on your part.

The private browsing mode gives a clean slate every time you launch it, albeit with the caveats discussed above.

Also read: 10 of the Easiest Ways to Unblock Websites

What should you use instead of the Incognito Mode or private browsing if you want to keep your browsing activity private both locally and online: Tor or private browsing mode with a VPN.

VPNs or Virtual Private Networks were designed to encrypt network traffic by masking your ISP-assigned IP address and changing your location to another part of the world. VPN is often used to access geo-restricted content on popular streaming sites on the Internet and bypass geo-located censorship.

Tor also masks your IP address and keeps your online activity private but uses a totally different protocol to do so. While you can use TOR as a regular browser, it is more suitable for accessing the dark web, a network of unindexed websites that are inaccessible the usual way.

Also read: Deep Web vs. Dark Web: What You Need to Know

Tor is safer but more purpose-driven. It is also much slower, while VPN is general purpose and faster. For details on how these services work and differ, read our comparison of Tor and VPN .

1. Can I open more than one Incognito window?

Yes. You can open multiple, separate Incognito windows, but they remain part of the same private browsing session. You will need to close all Incognito Mode browser windows to close the session for good.

2. Does Incognito Mode help secure lower prices while booking flights?

Not really. While this belief has persisted over the years, in recent times it has been called out as a myth. Airfare rates are often volatile and vary based on the number of seats available and the demand for them, among other factors.

3. Does Incognito Mode protect my computer from viruses and malware?

No. Your computer can still get infected with malware, viruses, and other forms of online threats. Be careful which websites you visit and files you download while using Incognito Mode.

4. Can you disable the Incognito browsing feature?

In most cases, Incognito browsing is not enabled by default. You need to manually open the browser window in Incognito mode to use private browsing.

Our latest tutorials delivered straight to your inbox

A C.A. by profession and a tech enthusiast by passion, Gaurav loves tinkering with new tech and gadgets. He dropped out of CA in the final year to follow his passion. He has over seven years of experience as a writer covering consumer tech and writes how-to guides, comparisons, listicles, and explainers for B2B and B2C apps and services. He recently started working out but mostly, you will find him either gaming or streaming.

Incognito Mode: Is Private Browsing Really Private?

Incognito mode. Privacy mode. Private browsing. No matter what you or your browser calls it, using incognito mode keeps your browsing habits private — but it’s not as private as you might think.

When most people switch to incognito mode, they enjoy the peace of mind that their web history and cookies won’t be saved. While their browser might not be saving anything, that doesn’t mean the websites, servers, or search engines they visit aren’t. Incognito mode may be less, well, incognito than many would like to think.

So just how private is private browsing?

Check Out Our Video Guide to Private Browsing in Incognito Mode

Read on as we dive into the dirty details of incognito mode, including guides for setting it up, choosing alternatives, and seeing just how private your data really is.

What Is Incognito Mode?

Also known as private browsing , incognito mode is a browser setting that doesn’t keep track of your history, cookies, site data, or logins while browsing.

That may seem like a great way to hide your browsing habits, and it is — but only to an extent. While your browser won’t keep track of certain data, your browsing activity can still be seen by websites, some search engines , and your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

As a result, private browsing often isn’t quite as private as many of us would hope. However, as we’ll see in the next section, its basic functions still allow a valuable layer of privacy for users on shared devices.

But first, let’s explore what exactly incognito mode really does and how those functions are different from what many people might expect.

What Does Incognito Mode Do?

As we’ve seen, incognito mode stops your browser from recording various aspects of your browsing activity , such as cookies and browsing history. While the exact functions of incognito mode vary between different browsers, most do the following things to keep your browsing private.

Doesn’t keep history. As you browse the web, your web browser (such as Firefox or Chrome) keeps a detailed record of everywhere you’ve visited — unless you’re using incognito mode, that is.

With incognito mode on, your browser doesn’t record your browsing history, making it so that nobody can see which websites you’ve visited after your session. However, some browsers may keep a temporary history while using incognito mode, which will be automatically deleted once you stop using it.

Doesn’t store cookies. While everyone likes cookies, incognito mode doesn’t — so much so that they don’t even store them. Of course, we’re not talking about actual cookies like chocolate chip or gingerbread. Instead, we’re talking about HTTP cookies , which are little packets of data your browser stores on your computer while you browse.

Cookies are widely used for tracking and storing your browsing data, such as names and passwords. For example, when you add items to an online shopping cart, the site stores a cookie with your browser that saves your shopping cart data. That way, everything is still in your cart the next time you visit.

Though cookies are the backbone of much of our browsing experience, we don’t always want them. In some cases, they can even be a bit pesky, especially if we don’t want certain websites to store any unwanted data on our browser.

To this end, your browser doesn’t store cookies while in incognito mode.

Doesn’t store site data. In addition to not storing cookies, your browser also won’t store other types of site data while in incognito mode. Other site data might include images, files, form data , and active logins.

As you may have guessed, cookies are another form of site data. However, as cookies are used for tracking and identification across the web, they’re usually treated separately. For example, clearing your browser history often gives you separate options for clearing cookies and clearing site data .

Since most site data is just the site’s images and HTML files, deleting it doesn’t make a big difference beyond your browser having to re-download it on the next visit. The only security concern here might be active site logins, which won’t be saved in incognito mode.

Doesn’t save form information. Though it’s just another type of site data, form submissions are an important security concern — especially on shared computers. Here, using incognito mode has the benefit of not saving form information, which might include usernames and other sensitive information.

With no form information saved, you greatly minimize the risk of having another user on the same computer find out your username or if you’ve chosen an autofill option, password. This feature alone makes incognito mode essential for security when using public or shared devices.

Doesn’t keep you logged in. By now, you know that incognito mode doesn’t save site logins, along with other site data. As a result, you’ll be logged out of any sites you’ve logged into while using incognito mode.

Depending on your browser and settings, incognito mode also won’t maintain previous logins during your session. In other words, if you were logged into a site before going into incognito mode, you usually won’t be logged in while in incognito mode. However, your previous login session will be restored once you turn off incognito mode.

Deactivates browser extensions. In addition to temporarily logging you out of any active sessions, incognito mode also deactivates any browser extensions . Though you can choose to reactivate them, keeping them inactive prevents them from storing additional data. Many people also use this feature to enjoy a “clean” browsing experience free from bulky add-ons.

Though we covered a lot of fine details here, there’s really only one key takeaway: Incognito mode doesn’t save any browsing data . As we’ll see in the next section, however, that’s not a guarantee of privacy.

What Does Incognito Mode NOT Do?

One of the biggest misconceptions about incognito mode is that it’s completely private — which it definitely isn’t.

Though your browser won’t save your history or data while in incognito mode, that doesn’t mean the sites and search engines you visit won’t either. If anything, third parties make little distinction between browsing modes — from their perspective, it’s all the same.

As a result, there are many things that incognito mode doesn’t do, especially when it comes to your privacy and identity. Here are some of the most important things to keep in mind.

Doesn’t hide your IP address. Every device connected to the Internet has an IP (Internet Protocol) address, which is sort of the virtual equivalent of a physical address for a home or building. When you connect to a website, you’re essentially writing a “letter” addressed to the website’s IP address.

Since incognito mode doesn’t change your IP address , it’s still completely visible to any websites or search engines you visit. As a result, your identity and activity remain fully exposed to third parties regardless of whether you’re using incognito mode.

To hide your IP and activity, you’ll need to either encrypt your connection and/or use a virtual private network (VPN) or proxy server. We’ll cover these in the “Alternatives” section at the end of this guide.

Won’t stop network admins from seeing your activity. If you’re browsing on a work or school network, all of your traffic is routed through the network’s router before heading out to the web. As a result, all of your outgoing traffic (and any incoming traffic such as downloads) is fully visible to your network administrator.

Just like not being able to hide your IP address, incognito mode can’t prevent your network administrator from seeing your activity. However, VPNs and proxies also offer valid workarounds here, even though your administrator will still see you communicating with the VPN or proxy.

Doesn’t prevent your account activity from being tracked. If you log in to an account (such as your email or social media) while in incognito mode, any account activity is still visible to third parties — which also makes you trackable.

For example, if you log in to Facebook and visit a page about dog ownership, Facebook can still see that you visited the page and may even deliver targeted ads based on that activity.

For this reason, many browsers log out users while using incognito mode. You can think of it as a sort of “safeguard” that minimizes the risk of users being tracked when they didn’t intend to.

Still visible to sites, search engines, and ISPs. Since incognito mode doesn’t hide your IP, your identity is still visible to any sites or search engines you visit. While they can’t easily track you without cookies (one upside to incognito mode), they can still find workarounds simply by knowing your IP and the pages you visit – especially if you log in to one of your accounts.

More importantly, both your identity and browsing data are still visible to your ISP and jurisdiction (i.e., government). Just like the network administrator example from earlier, all of your traffic gets routed through your ISP, which is also visible to government authorities in many countries.

Again, VPNs and proxies can help here. Remember that when you try to access a website, your request is sent through your (or your network’s) router and your ISP before being routed to the web server that hosts the website.

As a result, there’s little you can do to disguise your browsing between you and your ISP. With a VPN or proxy, however, all of your browsing will look like you’re only communicating with the server of the VPN or proxy.

Doesn’t stop malware. Incognito mode does little to nothing to protect you from malware, phishing, or the risk of visiting dangerous websites. Always be sure to use strong anti-malware software and exercise caution when browsing, regardless of whether you’re using incognito mode or not!

In short: Incognito mode won’t hide your browsing data from third parties. Always assume that your data is fully visible regardless of whether you’re in incognito mode or not. Thankfully, several alternatives exist that do a far better job of keeping you private.

What Is Incognito Mode Mostly Used For?

As you might imagine (or already know from experience), there are plenty of reasons to use incognito mode. For most people, the biggest reason is usually to hide their browsing history from other users on the same device. While the exact reasons for wanting to do this can definitely vary, incognito mode is an extremely effective option.

Of course, being discreet isn’t the only reason to use incognito mode. Here are some of the most popular.

Hiding your history. No matter what you’re doing online, the thought of someone else seeing our browsing history is pretty uncomfortable — especially for users on shared or public devices. As a result, many people use incognito mode simply to hide their history from other users (or even themselves).

Hiding your history can also safeguard your security on shared devices. For example, if you access your bank account but don’t hide or delete your history, then the next user would be able to see which bank you use. Plus, if you also didn’t delete form and site data, then they might also be able to see your login information!

Avoiding unwanted cookies. Most websites use cookies to do things like save your active logins, maintain shopping cart contents, and track your whereabouts online. As you might imagine, there are many reasons you might not want these.

By using incognito mode, websites won’t maintain your login or any existing tracking data. As a result, many people use this feature to log into multiple accounts at the same time or make sure they’re getting the best prices on shopping sites.

Avoiding some types of tracking. With no cookies or logins saved, you can avoid most forms of tracking while using incognito mode. As a result, you won’t get the same targeted ads or suggestions you would normally. However, this only works as long as you don’t log into any of your accounts.
Staying organized. If you’re used to a certain browsing experience, then you know that checking out new sites or products can easily throw things off. With incognito mode, you can browse freely without having to worry about weird ads or product suggestions down the line.

For example, suppose you’re considering taking up tennis. You might use incognito mode to browse tennis-related sites and products without being prematurely categorized (read: served targeted ads) as a tennis enthusiast.

Browsing without extensions. While browser extensions are often very useful, they can also make our browsing experience a lot more cumbersome than it needs to be. Since incognito mode de-activates extensions in most browsers, it’s useful whenever you want a “clean” browsing experience.

For example, site blockers are popular browser extensions used to minimize distractions or, in some cases, control Internet usage. By deactivating site extensions, incognito mode can be an effective tool for unblocking websites .

Web development. Site performance is a crucial consideration for web developers. However, it’s hard to measure when site data like images and HTML files have already been stored (or cached ) from previous visits. As a result, many developers use incognito mode to test performance and loading times by forcing the browser to re-cache site data.

Is Incognito Mode Actually Private?

Incognito mode only makes your browsing private to other users on your device. It doesn’t hide your IP address or browsing activity from websites, search engines, or your ISP.

Can I Be Tracked In Incognito Mode?

Blocking third-party cookies in incognito mode

It depends. While incognito mode will prevent websites from tracking you with cookies, you can still be tracked if you log into an account or if a website can link your IP address to your identity.

What Is The Disadvantage of Incognito Mode?

The biggest disadvantage of incognito mode is that your IP address, identity, and browsing activity are still visible to third parties. As a result, it’s not a good choice if you’re trying to avoid being tracked online.

How To Use Incognito Mode

Most browsers make it very easy to switch into incognito mode. For a quick reference, here’s how to use incognito mode on the world’s most popular browsers .

Google Chrome

Step 1: Open Google Chrome .

Step 2: Click the menu button (vertical dots) on the top-right and select “New Incognito window.”

Step 3: Switch to the new window and verify that you’re in incognito mode.

Mozilla Firefox

Step 1: Open Mozilla Firefox .

Step 2: Click the menu button (stacked horizontal lines) on the top-right and select “ New private window. ”

Microsoft Edge

Step 1: Open Microsoft Edge .

Step 2: Click the menu button (horizontal dots) on the top-right and select “ New InPrivate window. ”

Apple Safari

Step 1: Open Safari .

Step 2: Click “File” on the top-left toolbar and select “ New Private Window. ”

Step 3: Switch to the new window and verify that you’re in incognito mode. The address bar should have a dark background.

Mobile Browsers

Though most popular browsers have a mobile app, many mobile users stick to the default browser of their mobile device’s operating system. These are Chrome for Android and Safari for iOS.

Android (Chrome)

Step 1: Open the Google Chrome mobile app.

Step 2: Tap the menu button (vertical dots) on the top right and select “New incognito tab.”

Step 3: Switch to the new tab and verify that you’re in incognito mode. Like the desktop version, the default window should say “You’ve gone incognito.”

iOS (Safari)

Step 1: Open the Safari mobile app.

Step 2: Tap the menu button (two overlapping squares) on the bottom right.

Step 3: Tap the “1 Tab” or “X Tabs” button at the bottom.

Step 4: Select “Private” from the “Tab Groups” settings.

Step 5: Tap the “+” option in the bottom-left corner to open a new private tab. You can tell you’re in incognito mode when the browser theme turns dark.

Other Browsers

Other browsers such as Opera and Brave also offer private browsing features. As you may have noticed, however, the procedure for going incognito is somewhat the same regardless of browser: Simply open the main menu and select the option.

For alternative options and other private browsing features, be sure to consult your browser’s user manual or troubleshooting guide.

Alternatives To Incognito Mode

Depending on your private browsing needs, there are several excellent alternatives to incognito mode. Alternatives like VPNs and the Tor browser offer even greater privacy and security than incognito mode.

Proxy Servers

A proxy server provides an intermediary between your device and the websites you visit. By routing your traffic through a proxy, third parties won’t know it’s you browsing.

The image above provides a good example of how this works. Here, sender Alice wants to ask Bob what time it is without Bob knowing it’s her. To do so, she sends her request through a proxy, which asks Bob on her behalf. From Bob’s perspective, the proxy is the one asking for the time — not Alice. He sends his response to the proxy, which then sends it back to Alice.

Though a proxy is an effective way of disguising yourself, it does little to secure your connection. As a result, many people use VPNs to perform the same function as a proxy but with an extra layer of security.

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

Though they share the same underlying principles, VPNs differ from proxies in several key ways .

The biggest difference is connection security. Where proxies do little to secure your connection, VPNs encrypt your data and provide a secure connection . In doing so, only you and the VPN can see the data you send, making it so that not even your ISP knows what you’re up to. Of course, just like a proxy, third parties will see the proxy server’s IP address instead of yours.

Another difference, however, is cost. Where many proxies are inexpensive (if not free), a top-quality VPN typically costs between $5 and $12 per month.

Short for “The Onion Router,” Tor hides your identity by encrypting your data and sending it through a random network of relays.

Like a VPN or proxy, third parties won’t know it’s you browsing. However, unlike these tools, the Tor browser uses a random route of multiple relays each time. By not relying on a single, set connection, Tor presents a far more secure option for staying private online.

You can access Tor by using the free Tor browser .

Anti-Tracking Software

If you want to block cookies and other forms of tracking without the “bare bones” experience of incognito mode, look no further than anti-tracking software. At a minimum, anti-tracking software prevents your browser from storing tracking cookies , thereby preventing cross-site tracking.

Note that most of the alternatives we’ve discussed (such as VPNs and Tor) already include some type of anti-tracking capability. However, if you don’t need extra security or privacy, plenty of standalone anti-tracking extensions are available.

Incognito is an easy way to keep your browsing history private and avoid being tracked.

However, it won’t stop websites, search engines, or your ISP from viewing your IP address and browsing activity. As a result, more privacy-minded users should consider alternatives such as a VPN or Tor.

Your privacy isn’t the only thing to keep secure online. With Kinsta’s security features , you can rest assured knowing that your website is watched and secured 24/7. For more information, contact us at +1 (888) 610-2915 or schedule a free demo today.

chrome incognito vs safari private browsing

Microsoft Edge vs Chrome: Which To Choose In 2024?

6 Most Secure Browsers to Stay Safe and Protect Your Privacy

How to Clear WordPress Cache On Your Site

Private browsing: What it does – and doesn’t do – to shield you from prying eyes on the web

Professor of Computer Science and of Engineering & Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University

Graduate Research Assistant at the Institute for Software Research, Carnegie Mellon University

Disclosure statement

Lorrie Cranor receives funding from Bosch, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Carnegie Mellon CyLab, DARPA, DuckDuckGo, Facebook, an endowed professorship established by the founders of FORE Systems, Google, Highmark Health, Innovators Network Foundation, NSA, and NSF. She is affiliated with the ACM Technology Policy Council, the Computing Research Association, the Future of Privacy Forum, the Aspen Institute Cybersecurity Group, the Center for Cybersecurity Policy and Law, and the Consumer Reports Digital Lab Advisory Council.

Hana Habib receives funding from Carnegie Mellon CyLab and Facebook.

View all partners

Leer en español

Many people look for more privacy when they browse the web by using their browsers in privacy-protecting modes, called “Private Browsing” in Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Apple Safari; “Incognito” in Google Chrome; and “InPrivate” in Microsoft Edge.

These private browsing tools sound reassuring, and they’re popular. According to a 2017 survey , nearly half of American internet users have tried a private browsing mode, and most who have tried it use it regularly.

However, our research has found that many people who use private browsing have misconceptions about what protection they’re gaining. A common misconception is that these browser modes allow you to browse the web anonymously, surfing the web without websites identifying you and without your internet service provider or your employer knowing what websites you visit. The tools actually provide much more limited protections.

Other studies conducted by the Pew Research Center and the privacy-protective search engine company DuckDuckGo have similar findings. In fact, a recent lawsuit against Google alleges that internet users are not getting the privacy protection they expect when using Chrome’s Incognito mode.

How it works

While the exact implementation varies from browser to browser, what private browsing modes have in common is that once you close your private browsing window, your browser no longer stores the websites you visited, cookies, user names, passwords and information from forms you filled out during that private browsing session.

Essentially, each time you open a new private browsing window you are given a “clean slate” in the form of a brand new browser window that has not stored any browsing history or cookies. When you close your private browsing window, the slate is wiped clean again and the browsing history and cookies from that private browsing session are deleted. However, if you bookmark a site or download a file while using private browsing mode, the bookmarks and file will remain on your system.

Although some browsers, including Safari and Firefox, offer some additional protection against web trackers, private browsing mode does not guarantee that your web activities cannot be linked back to you or your device. Notably, private browsing mode does not prevent websites from learning your internet address, and it does not prevent your employer, school or internet service provider from seeing your web activities by tracking your IP address.

Reasons to use it

We conducted a research study in which we identified reasons people use private browsing mode. Most study participants wanted to protect their browsing activities or personal data from other users of their devices. Private browsing is actually pretty effective for this purpose.

We found that people often used private browsing to visit websites or conduct searches that they did not want other users of their device to see, such as those that might be embarrassing or related to a surprise gift. In addition, private browsing is an easy way to log out of websites when borrowing someone else’s device – so long as you remember to close the window when you are done.

Smart phone displaying Google incognito mode

Private browsing provides some protection against cookie-based tracking. Since cookies from your private browsing session are not stored after you close your private browsing window, it’s less likely that you will see online advertising in the future related to the websites you visit while using private browsing.

[ Get the best of The Conversation, every weekend. Sign up for our weekly newsletter .]

Additionally, as long as you have not logged into your Google account, any searches you make will not appear in your Google account history and will not affect future Google search results. Similarly, if you watch a video on YouTube or other service in private browsing, as long as you are not logged into that service, your activity does not affect the recommendations you get in normal browsing mode.

What it doesn’t do

Private browsing does not make you anonymous online. Anyone who can see your internet traffic – your school or employer, your internet service provider, government agencies, people snooping on your public wireless connection – can see your browsing activity. Shielding that activity requires more sophisticated tools that use encryption, like virtual private networks.

Private browsing also offers few security protections. In particular, it does not prevent you from downloading a virus or malware to your device. Additionally, private browsing does not offer any additional protection for the transmission of your credit card or other personal information to a website when you fill out an online form.

It is also important to note that the longer you leave your private browsing window open, the more browsing data and cookies it accumulates, reducing your privacy protection. Therefore, you should get in the habit of closing your private browsing window frequently to wipe your slate clean.

What’s in a name

It is not all that surprising that people have misconceptions about how private browsing mode works; the word “private” suggests a lot more protection than these modes actually provide.

Furthermore, a 2018 research study found that the disclosures shown on the landing pages of private browsing windows do little to dispel misconceptions that people have about these modes. Chrome provides more information about what is and is not protected than most of the other browsers, and Mozilla now links to an informational page on the common myths related to private browsing.

However, it may be difficult to dispel all of these myths without changing the name of the browsing mode and making it clear that private browsing stops your browser from keeping a record of your browsing activity, but it isn’t a comprehensive privacy shield.

Online privacy
Web browsers
Google Chrome
Cybersecurity
World wide web

Dean, Faculty of Education

Lecturer in Indigenous Health (Identified)

Social Media Producer

PhD Scholarship

Senior Lecturer, HRM or People Analytics

Generative AI
Office Suites
Collaboration Software
Productivity Software
Augmented Reality
Emerging Technology
Remote Work
Artificial Intelligence
Operating Systems
IT Leadership
IT Management
IT Operations
Cloud Computing
Computers and Peripherals
Data Center
Enterprise Applications
Vendors and Providers
Enterprise Buyer’s Guides
United States
Netherlands
United Kingdom
New Zealand
Newsletters
Foundry Careers
Terms of Service
Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy
Copyright Notice
Member Preferences
About AdChoices
E-commerce Affiliate Relationships
Your California Privacy Rights

Our Network

Network World

How to go incognito in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari

While incognito mode in any of the big four web browsers offers a measure of privacy, it doesn’t completely hide your tracks online. here’s how the feature works in each browser, and how to use it..

face superimposed on keyboard privacy hacker

Private browsing. Incognito . Privacy mode.

Web browser functions like those trace their roots back more than a decade, and the feature — first found in a top browser in 2005 — spread quickly as one copied another, made tweaks and minor improvements.

But privacy-promising labels can be treacherous. Simply put, going “ incognito ” is as effective in guarding online privacy as witchcraft is in warding off a common cold.

That’s because private browsing is intended to wipe local traces of where you’ve been, what you’ve searched for, the contents of forms you’ve filled. It’s meant to hide, and not always conclusively at that, your tracks from others with access to the personal computer. That’s it.

How to keep web browsing private

Google chrome’s incognito mode, microsoft edge’s private browsing, mozilla firefox’s private browsing mode, apple’s safari private windows.

At their most basic, these features promise that they won’t record visited sites to the browsing history, save cookies that show you’ve been to and logged into sites, or remember credentials like passwords used during sessions. But your traipses through the web are still traceable by Internet providers – and the authorities who serve subpoenas to those entities – employers who control the company network and advertisers who follow your every footstep.

To end that cognitive dissonance, most browsers have added more advanced privacy tools , generically known as “anti-trackers,” which block various kinds of bite-sized chunks of code that advertisers and websites use to trace where people go in attempts to compile digital dossiers or serve targeted advertisements.

Although it might seem reasonable that a browser’s end game would be to craft a system that blends incognito modes with anti-tracking, it’s highly unlikely. Using either private browsing or anti-tracking carries a cost: site passwords aren’t saved for the next visit or sites break under the tracker scrubbing. Nor are those costs equal. It’s much easier to turn on some level of anti-tracking by default than it would be to do the same for private sessions, as evidenced by the number of browsers that do the former without complaint while none do the latter.

Private browsing will, by necessity, always be a niche, as long as sites rely on cookies for mundane things like log-ins and cart contents.

But the mode remains a useful tool whenever the browser — and the computer it’s on — are shared. To prove that, we’ve assembled instructions and insights on using the incognito features — and anti-tracking tools — offered by the top four browsers: Google Chrome , Microsoft’s Chromium-based Edge , Mozilla’s Firefox and Apple’s Safari.

How to go incognito in Google Chrome

Although incognito may be a synonym to some users for any browser’s private mode, Google gets credit for grabbing the word as the feature’s snappiest name when it launched the tool in late 2008, just months after Chrome debuted.

The easiest way to open an Incognito window is with the keyboard shortcut combination Ctrl-Shift-N (Windows) or Command-Shift-N (macOS).

Another way is to click on the menu on the upper right – it’s the three vertical dots – and select New Incognito Window from the list.

Open a new Incognito window in Chrome using keyboard shortcuts or from the menu (1) by choosing New Incognito window (2).

The new Incognito window can be recognized by the dark background and the stylized “spy” icon just to the left of the three-dots menu. Chrome also reminds users of just what Incognito does and doesn’t do each time a new window is opened. The message may get tiresome for regular Incognito users, but it may also save a job or reputation; it’s important that users remember Incognito doesn’t prevent ISPs, businesses, schools and organizations from knowing where customers, workers, students, and others went on the web or what they searched for.

Each time a new Incognito window is opened, Chrome reminds users what Incognito doesn’t save. As of Chrome 83, it also puts a toggle on the screen for blocking third-party cookies.

Incognito’s introductory screen also displays a toggle — it’s on by default — along with text that states third-party cookies will be blocked while in the privacy mode. Although cookies are never saved locally as long as the user stays in Incognito, websites have been able to track user movements from site to site while within Incognito . Such tracking might be used, for example, to display ads to a user visiting multiple sites in Incognito. This third-party cookie blocking, which halts such behavior, debuted in Chrome 83 in May 2020.

Google has been experimenting with new language on Chrome’s Incognito introductory page, but it’s yet to make it to the desktop browser. In the Canary build of Chrome on Android, however, the intro now outlines “What Incognito does” and “What Incognito doesn’t do,” to make the mode’s capabilities somewhat clearer to the user. (Some have speculated that the changes were made in reaction to a still-ongoing class-action lawsuit file in 2020 that alleged Google continued to track users’ online behavior and movements in Incognito.)

Once a tab in Incognito has been filled with a website, Chrome continues to remind users that they’re in Incognito by the dark background of the address bar and window title.

A link on an existing page can be opened directly into Incognito by right-clicking the link, then choosing Open Link in Incognito Window from the resulting menu.

What Incognito looks like after pulling up a website. Note the “spy” icon at the right of the address bar.

To close an Incognito window, shutter it like any other Chrome window by clicking the X in the upper right corner (Windows) or the red dot in the upper left (macOS).

Pro tip: Google has been working on locking Incognito mode tabs on mobile devices — the tabs unlocked with built-in biometric features — so that others can’t get a look at the privacy mode’s content simply by picking up another’s phone or tablet. Google is currently rolling out this feature in Chrome 92 on iOS, and still testing it in preview builds of Chrome for Android. No word on whether desktop Chrome will get something similar.

How to privately browse in Microsoft Edge

borrowed the name of its private browsing mode, InPrivate, from Internet Explorer (IE), the finally-being-retired legacy browser. InPrivate appeared in IE in March 2009, about three months after Chrome’s Incognito and three months before Firefox’s privacy mode. When Edge was first released in 2015 and then relaunched as a clone of Chrome in January 2020, InPrivate was part of the package, too.

At the keyboard, the combination of Ctrl-Shift-N (Windows) or Command-Shift-N (macOS) opens an InPrivate window.

A slower way to get there is to click on the menu at the upper right — it’s three dots arranged horizontally — and choose New InPrivate Window from the menu.

Like other browser, Edge will take you incognito from the menu (1) when you pick New InPrivate window (2).

Edge does a more thorough job of explaining what its private browsing mode does and doesn’t do than any of its rivals, with on-screen paragraphs dedicated to describing what data the browser collects in InPrivate and how the strictest additional anti-tracking setting can be called on from within the mode. In addition, Edge 92 — the current version as of this writing — uses the more informal “What Incognito does” and “What Incognito doesn’t do” language on its InPrivate introductory screen, something desktop Chrome hasn’t yet gotten to.

Microsoft’s browser also well marks InPrivate when the mode is operating: a blue-colored oval marked “In Private” to the right of the address bar combines with a full-black screen to make sure users know where they’re at.

The white-on-blue oval at the upper right tells you Edge is in InPrivate mode.

It’s also possible to launch an InPrivate session by right-clicking a link within Edge and selecting Open in InPrivate Window . That option is grayed out when already in a private browsing session but using Open Link in New Tab does just that within the current InPrivate frame.

To end InPrivate browsing, simply shut the window by clicking the X in the upper right corner (Windows) or click the red dot at the upper left (macOS).

Although Microsoft based the relaunched Edge on Chromium, the same open-source project that comes up with the code to power Chrome, the Redmond, Wash. company has integrated anti-tracking into its browser, something Chrome has yet to do. Dubbed “Tracking Prevention,” it works both in Edge’s standard and InPrivate modes.

To set Tracking Prevention, choose Settings from the three-ellipses menu at the right, then at the next page, pick Privacy, Search and Services . Choose one of the three options — Basic, Balanced or Strict — and make sure the toggle for Tracking prevention is in the “on” position. If you want InPrivate to always default to the harshest anti-tracking — not a bad idea — toggle Always use “Strict” tracking prevention when browsing InPrivate to “on.”

Toggle Always use Strict to the ‘on’ position and InPrivate will apply the most stringent anti-tracking even though Edge’s standard mode is set to, say, Balanced.

Pro tip: To open Edge with InPrivate — rather than first opening Edge in standard mode, then launching InPrivate — right-click the Edge icon in the Windows taskbar and select New InPrivate Window from the list. There is no similar one-step way to do this in macOS.

How to do private browsing in Mozilla Firefox

After Chrome trumpeted Incognito, browsers without something similar hustled to catch up. Mozilla added its take — dubbed Private Browsing — about six months after Google, in June 2009, with Firefox 3.5.

From the keyboard, a private browsing session can be called up using the combination Ctrl-Shift-P (Windows) or Command-Shift-P (macOS).

Alternately, a private window will open from the menu at the upper right of Firefox — three short horizontal lines — after selecting New private window .

Opening a private browsing window is as simple as choosing New Private Window (2) from the Firefox menu (1).

A private session window is marked by the purple “mask” icon in the title bar of the Firefox frame. In Windows, the icon is to the left of the minimize/maximize/close buttons; on a Mac, the mask squats at the far right of the title bar. Unlike Chrome and Edge, Firefox does not color-code the top components of the browser window to signify the user is in privacy mode.

Like other browsers, Firefox warns users that private browsing is no cure-all for privacy ills but is limited in what it blocks from being saved during a session. “While this doesn’t make you anonymous to websites or your internet service provider, it makes it easier to keep what you do online private from anyone else who uses this computer,” the caution reads.

Firefox reminds users that while a private session doesn’t save searches or browsing histories, it doesn’t cloak them in complete anonymity.

(Firefox also uses the Private Browsing introductory screen to shill the Mozilla VPN service, a $5 to $10 per month virtual private network that can, like other VPNs, hide your actual IP address from destination servers.)

A link can be opened into a Firefox Private Window by right-clicking the link, then choosing Open Link in New Private Window from the menu.

To close a Private Window, shut it down just as one would any Firefox window by clicking the X in the upper right corner (Windows) or the red dot in the upper left (macOS).

Notable is that Firefox’s private browsing mode is accompanied by the browser’s superb “Enhanced Tracking Protection,” a suite of tracker blocking tools that stymie all sorts of ad-and-site methods for identifying users, then watching and recording their online behavior. While the earliest version of this was offered only inside Private Windows, the expanded technologies also work within standard mode.

Because Enhanced Tracking Protection is enabled by default within Firefox, it doesn’t matter which of its settings — Standard, Strict or Custom — is selected as far as private browsing goes; everything that can be blocked will be blocked.

The shield appears in the address bar to note what trackers were blocked by Firefox in a Private Window. Clicking on the icon brings up an accounting of what was barred.

Pro tip: As of Firefox 91, Private Browsing sessions take place over the more secure HTTPS, not the once-standard HTTP protocol. Users don’t need to do anything: The new HTTPS-only policy is on by default. (If the destination site doesn’t support HTPPS, Firefox will recognize this and go into fallback mode, connecting via HTTP instead.)

How to browse privately using Apple’s Safari

Chrome may get far more attention for its Incognito than any other browser — no surprise, since it’s by far the most popular browser on the planet — but Apple’s Safari was actually the first to introduce private browsing. The term private browsing was first bandied in 2005 to describe Safari 2.0 features that limited what was saved by the browser.

Side note: Early in private browsing, the label porn mode was often used as a synonym to describe what many writers and reporters assumed was the primary application of the feature. The term has fallen out of favor.

To open what Safari calls a Private Window on a Mac, users can do a three-key combination of Command-Shift-N , the same shortcut Chrome adopted. Otherwise, a window can be called up by selecting the File menu and clicking on New Private Window.

From the File menu (1), New Private Window (2) gets you started.

Safari tags each Private Window by darkening the address bar. It also issues a reminder of what it does — or more accurately — what it doesn’t do. “Safari will keep your browsing history private for all tabs of this window. After you close this window, Safari won’t remember the pages you visited, your search history or your AutoFill information,” the top-of-the-page note reads. The warning is more terse than those of other browsers and omits cautions about still-visible online activity.

The darkened address bar up at the top is the signal that this Safari window is for private browsing.

Like Firefox, Safari automatically engages additional privacy technologies, whether the user browses in standard or private mode. Safari’s Intelligent Tracking Protection (ITP), which kicked off in 2017 and has been repeatedly upgraded since, now blocks all third-party cookies, among other components advertisers and services use to track people as they bounce from one site to another. ITP is controlled by a single on-off switch — on is the default — found in Preferences under the Privacy icon. If the Website tracking: box is checked to mark Prevent cross-site tracking , ITP is on.

Switching on cross-site tracking enables Safari’s Intelligent Tracking Protection, which blocks a wide variety of bits advertisers try to use to follow you around the web while you’re using a Private Window

A link can be opened directly to a Private Window by right-clicking, then selecting Open Link in New Private Window . Close a Private Window just as any Safari window, by clicking the red dot in the upper left corner of the browser frame.

Pro tip: Once in a Safari Private Window, opening a new tab — either by clicking the + icon at the upper right or by using the Command-T key combo — omits the Private Browsing Enabled notice. (The darkened address bar remains as the sole indicator of a private browsing session.) Other browsers, such as Firefox, repeat their cautionary messages each time a tab is opened in an incognito session.

More from this author

What’s in the latest firefox update 93 improves smartblock, debuts sponsored search suggestions, microsoft lets windows 11 loose on the world, microsoft sets perpetual-license office 2021 prices, reveals new-feature list, chrome, edge kick off faster release cadence; enterprises can skip versions, how windows 10 ends up a lot like windows 7, microsoft releases new perpetual office for enterprise, apple hits the alarm with multi-os emergency update to patch zero-click flaw, fast forward: what’s coming in future chrome updates, most popular authors.

Gyana Swain

Show me more

Ai washing: silicon valley’s big new lie.

Proton launches ‘privacy-first’ alternative to Word and Google Docs

Will your business apps run on the latest Copilot+ PCs?

Podcast: Are audio AI companies infringing on musicians' rights?

Podcast: What skills will future tech leaders need?

Podcast: Is social media as dangerous as smoking?

Music companies strike back against audio AI

Skills that future tech leaders will need

Is social media usage as unhealthy as smoking?

How can we help you?

Browse help topics.

My Kaspersky
My Products / Subscriptions
Solutions for:

Privacy & Kids

The incognito myth: how private browsing really works

How to use private browsing mode, what it doesn’t protect against, and why Google is deleting five billion dollars’ worth of user data.

Stan Kaminsky

June 5, 2024

How to set up private browsing and incognito mode correctly in 2024

Ask anyone how to protect your privacy online, and they’ll probably mention private browsing. Every major browser has it, although the names differ: it’s Incognito in Chrome, InPrivate in Edge, Private Window/Tab in Firefox, and Private Browsing in Safari. All these names evoke a sense of security — even invisibility: like you could browse the web safely and in full anonymity. Alas, this mode is far from being “incognito” in reality, although it is still helpful if you understand how it works and supplement it with anti-surveillance security .

How incognito mode works

In private mode, your browser doesn’t save your browsing history, remember information you enter in web forms, or store the graphics and code of the websites you visit in its cache. The tiny text files called cookies in which websites save your settings and preferences are only stored for as long as the private window stays open, and are deleted when you close it. This way, no traces of your browsing activity are left on your computer .

However, your actions are still visible from the outside. The websites you visit , your browser itself, browser extensions , your ISP, the office or school system administrator, and various advertising and analytics systems — such as those owned by Google — can all still track you.

Some browsers, such as Firefox, include additional privacy measures in private mode. These may include disabling browser extensions and blocking known analytics sites that track users and third-party cookies that weren’t set by the website you’re opening. However, even this doesn’t guarantee complete invisibility.

Five billion’s worth of incognito data

To get an idea of how much information can be collected about incognito users, look no further than the Brown v. Google lawsuit, which ended in the internet giant’s defeat. The company was ordered to destroy “billions of data records” pertaining to the activities of users who were browsing in incognito mode, and collected up until the end of 2023. Data that won’t be deleted immediately must be further de-identified, for example by removing part of each user’s IP address from the records. The court estimated the monetary value of the data to be deleted plus the data that will no longer be collected at a staggering $5 billion. However, affected plaintiffs will have to seek monetary compensation individually, so Google isn’t likely to lose much money.

More significantly for all users though, Google was ordered to start blocking third-party cookies in Incognito mode and generally provide a clearer description of how Incognito works. While Google’s methods for collecting information in Incognito mode weren’t fully disclosed to the public during the legal proceedings, some of the techniques were mentioned publicly: gathering data through Google Analytics, recording IP addresses, and collecting HTTP header data.

None of the above is news or a secret: any website on the internet can collect and use the same data, and this data gets sent out in private mode just fine.

How websites track incognito visitors

By login. If you enter your email, phone number or username, and password on a website, your browser configuration no longer matters: you’ve announced your identity to the website.

Cookies. Although the website can’t read “regular” cookies from your browser as long as it’s running in private mode, it can still set new ones. If you use a private browsing window day in, day out, without closing it, there’ll be plenty of information gathered about your movements around the web.

The IP address. Private browsing doesn’t hide your IP address in any way.

Digital fingerprinting. By combining information transmitted from your browser in HTTP headers with data that the webpage can collect with JavaScript (such as screen resolution, battery level for mobile devices, and the list of installed fonts), the website can generate a digital fingerprint for the specific browser on the specific device and use that later to identify you. Private browsing mode has no effect on this.

All of the above. Advanced analytics and tracking systems try to use a number of techniques to track you. Even if old cookies are unavailable due to private browsing, you can be remembered with an auxiliary method, such as digital fingerprinting. This means that even if you visit an online store in a private browsing mode without logging in, you might still see products you were interested in during previous sessions in your search history.

What you should and shouldn’t do in private browsing mode

😍 Search for a birthday present for a family member. Private mode will come in handy, as the keywords that could spoil the surprise won’t come up in the browsing and search history. It also will reduce the likelihood of the context ads that permeate today’s web, giving away your plan with banners about the subject. However, private mode will be of no help if you sign in to your account at the online store or marketplace and make a purchase, as the website will remember both you and the purchase. The search history and “recently viewed” items also may display on other devices where you’re logged in to the same account, so there’s still a chance of that surprise getting ruined. To sum it up, logging in to any account is a bad idea when browsing in private mode.

🤔 Look for a new job or secretly check medical symptoms . The computer will retain no traces of the activity, but your ISP will, and so will your office network’s system administrator. This isn’t something you should do at work for example, as you can’t rely on private browsing to help.

😡 Download illegal content. Don’t. And if you do download something like that in private mode, your ISP will still have recorded this activity under your account.

😎 Sign in to your account on someone else’s or a public computer. In this case, private browsing is the least you can do to protect yourself. It prevents you from leaving any undesired traces like an account name, web form data, a saved password, or locally stored cookies or personal files — unless you save something manually. That’s a start, but it doesn’t guarantee complete security: public computers are often infected with malware that can steal any data from the browser, with private browsing or not. So if you have to use someone else’s computer, it’s best to make sure it has reliable malware protection . If you’re not sure, we recommend changing your password for each account that you signed in to on that computer and enabling two-factor authentication after you log off and get back to your usual device.

🧐 Sign in to two accounts with the same site. Most browsers make this possible: you can sign in to one of the accounts in regular mode, and to the other — in private mode. This is about convenience rather than privacy, so private mode doesn’t really have any drawbacks when used this way.

What’s better than private browsing?

Private browsing mode is helpful, and there’s no reason to shun it entirely. For maximum privacy though, it should be combined with other measures:

An encrypted data channel (VPN) keeps your ISP and (work) system administrator from tracking your online wanderings, and allows you to change your IP address when visiting websites.
Tracking and ad blockers reduce the likelihood of your being identified by your digital fingerprint. Every browser supports anti-surveillance extensions, available from the official browser extension marketplace.
For maximum security in Do Not Track (DNT) mode, turn on Private browsing in Kaspersky Standard , Kaspersky Plus , or Kaspersky Premium .
For added secrecy, you can set up a separate browser with the most rigorous tracking protection settings, which our guide can help you select.

E-mail attacks on the hotel business

Threat actors are targeting hotel staff with malicious and phishing e-mails.

Don’t forget about Recall, because Recall won’t forget about you

The new AI function in Microsoft Windows has already been dubbed a “security nightmare” on the internet. What risks does it carry, and how to stay safe?

Hidden dangers of biometric authentication devices

Based on our analysis of ZKTeco vulnerabilities, we dissect the risks associated with biometric authentication.

Setting up both security and privacy in WhatsApp

We discuss key aspects of WhatsApp’s security and privacy, and how to configure this messenger to enhance protection.

Top 10 cyberattack techniques used against organizations

What are the most common MITRE ATT&CK techniques encountered in real-world incidents — and how to neutralize them? We investigate using statistics from Incident Response and MDR services!

Sign up to receive our headlines in your inbox

Home solutions.

Kaspersky Standard
Kaspersky Plus
Kaspersky Premium
All Solutions

Small Business Products

Kaspersky Small Office Security
Kaspersky Endpoint Security Cloud
All Products

Medium Business Products

Kaspersky Next
Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business Select
Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business Advanced

How-To Geek

Does private or incognito mode make web browsing anonymous.

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Considering a New Tablet? Don't Overlook the iPad Mini

This old third-party sonos app fixed my speaker issues, i switched from chrome to brave for the privacy features, here's how easy it was, quick links, what is private browsing mode, the limits of incognito mode, is online privacy even realistic.

Private is a relative term. This is abundantly clear when it comes to "private browsing"---the setting in a web browser that supposedly allows you to hide your history from others who use the same computer.

While private (or "incognito") mode can shroud your activities to an extent, there are still ways in which your actions can be tracked. And not just by people on your network, but also by your ISP, the government, and even hackers.

Before we get to the meat of things, let’s first define what we mean by "private" or "incognito" mode. This feature first appeared in Apple’s Safari browser in 2005. It didn’t take long for rival browser vendors, like Google and Mozilla, to follow suit. Soon, it became a standard component for any web browser worth its salt.

Private browsing effectively creates a separate browsing session that's isolated from the main one. Any sites you visit aren't recorded in your device’s history. If you log in to a website in private mode, the cookie isn't saved when you close the window.

It’s worth mentioning that this principle cuts both ways, however. Private browsing tabs can't access cookies you use in the main session. For example, if you log in to Facebook, and then enter incognito mode, you’ll have to log in again.

This makes it slightly more difficult for third-party sites to track your activity while in incognito mode. It also allows you to easily access multiple web accounts concurrently.

As a bonus, it also becomes easier to skirt around so-called "soft paywalls"---websites on which you’re granted access to a few pages before being prompted to log in or subscribe.

Browsers that offer a private mode often take great pains to emphasize it isn’t a catch-all protection. At best, it provides a thin layer of privacy for people working from their private home networks.

Incognito mode doesn’t stop the administrators of corporate or educational networks from keeping tabs on your activity. It also doesn't necessarily prevent someone from spying on your browsing habits if you're using a public hotspot in a cafe or restaurant.

Again, private browsing exclusively concerns itself with how browsing activity data is stored on your personal device , not its transmission across a network.

Furthermore, there are ways in which private browsing can be defeated locally. If your computer is infected with malware that tracks network traffic and DNS requests, incognito mode can’t help you. It also can't beat "fingerprinting" techniques, in which third parties (usually advertising networks) attempt to determine distinguishing features of your computer to track its activity across a network.

Fingerprinting is an interesting phenomenon. It seems to attract less attention than malware and trojans, despite its ability to pinpoint individuals with startling accuracy. As you browse the internet, third-party sites can glean information about your computer, including your time zone, the display resolution, the browser, plugins, and language you use, and so on.

Any of this information might be insignificant by itself, but together, it forms part of your device’s semi-unique profile. Research from the Electronic Frontier Foundation shows that only one in 286,777 browsers share the same precise configuration (or "fingerprint") .

The EFF offers a service called Panopticlick , which can show your browser’s uniqueness score. This site illustrates the unfortunate reality that our computer configurations are more unique than we once thought, making it easy for third-parties to track us.

What electronic "privacy" actually means, and whether it’s even a realistic prospect on the internet are important topics to explore.

In the simplest of terms, internet privacy indicates the ability to communicate and browse without an external third-party being able to observe our activities. Currently, we face an abundance of potential barriers to this.

What about those who operate your network, and your ISP? And don’t forget about your government. There’s also the ad tech industry, which delivers precision-targeted advertisements through sophisticated tracking systems, including the fingerprinting approach we mentioned earlier.

The Internet is a panopticon. Yes, the VPN industry promises to deliver privacy if you invest in its products, but there’s no silver bullet. True privacy seems illusory. The best you can hope for is something approaching that lofty standard. To get there, you’ll also, inevitably, have to invest time and money and be prepared to suffer a degraded browsing experience.

Want to stop your network admin from seeing what you’re up to? Well, you’ll need a VPN---and make sure it’s one that doesn’t keep logs. But what about trackers? You’ll need a plugin for those. To be really safe, disable JavaScript entirely. Sure, it’ll stop many sites from working correctly, but it’ll also stop those nasty fingerprinting scripts.

Those are extreme measures, and not something we’d recommend, for obvious reasons. Nevertheless, they illustrate the fact that internet privacy isn’t black-and-white. Rather, it's a spectrum of shades.

Normal Browsing Mode vs Incognito Mode: How Do They Differ?

This is an estimated reading time to let you know how long it will take you to read all the content on this particular PrivacySavvy.com page. However, it has a sneak peek, easy guide steps, and/or a quick list providing quick in-page navigations and easily-found answers if desired.

Learn the difference between regular browsing mode vs. incognito mode on popular browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.

When someone uses incognito mode, it’s assumed they’re performing shady online activities. But that’s not always the case. Unlike normal browsing mode, incognito mode limits browser recording of activity and search history, cookies, and passwords.

Normal browsing mode : It is typically your browser’s settings and logs your online browsing activities.
Incognito (private) browsing mode : It lets you browse anonymously online and doesn’t store your histories.

This article uncovers the differences between regular browsing and incognito mode on the four main browsers.

When browsing the internet in normal mode, your browser logs all your data, such as passwords, cookies, and timestamps . However, in incognito mode, the browser does the opposite. It w on’t store any browsing data on your device .

While this offers a level of privacy, it doesn’t guarantee total online anonymity or prevent online tracking . Hence, you may ask, “ What does switching to incognito mode truly mean if it doesn’t offer any more protection than a normal tab? ”

Let’s compare private mode vs. normal browsing mode, discuss how going incognito works, and learn its benefits. We also provide details about the best VPNs you can use for added security and privacy while surfing the internet.

Difference between incognito and normal browsing mode

What is incognito mode?

Incognito or private mode is a version of your browser that lets you access the internet privately. In other words, you can visit several web pages, click multiple links, and shop online without your browser keeping records. It disables temporary files, trackers, and third-party toolbars.

Once your browsing session ends in incognito mode, there’ll be no search history or cookies on your device for anyone to trace . However, this doesn’t make you anonymous.

The concept that incognito mode on your browser makes all your activities secret is a myth . Your internet service provider, companies, or the websites you visit can still view your online activities and collect your information without authorized access.

If you’re looking to mask your online data effectively, it’s best to rely on a VPN. A VPN helps to mask your data, making it unreadable to third parties. By implication, no one, including search engines, can track your behavior in incognito mode. We recommend ExpressVPN, as it offers top-notch privacy and security features like 256-bit military-grade encryption, a no-logs policy, IP/DNS leak protection , and a kill switch to protect your data from prying eyes.

What does incognito mode do?

At this point, you may wonder, “If a VPN helps to hide my online activities, where does incognito mode come in?” Don’t be quick to conclude that going incognito isn’t necessary. When you enter this mode, it starts a new browsing session and doesn’t save the following:

Personal details filled in forms : Whether filling out an online form or inputting your checkout details on a website, it won’t save your username, phone number, card details, and home address.
Cookies : Cookies help websites remember your preferences and track your activity. For example, they store information like your login credentials or items in a shopping cart.
Search history : This covers every prompt you type into search engines.
Passwords: Even if you have all your passwords saved on your device, you’ll need to log into all your personal accounts again without autofill.
Bookmarks : Any bookmark you create in this mode will be lost once you revert to the normal browsing window.
The links of recently visited sites : You may have noticed that webpage links turn blue to purple whenever you click them in Google. In incognito, you’ll be unable to identify a site you’ve visited unless you indicate otherwise.

Remember that the information an incognito mode doesn’t save can vary among browsers. We recommend you check the specific settings of your preferred browser to get accurate information on what is retained or not in incognito mode .

Another different factor is the term for incognito mode. While “incognito” is the most popular term, other browsers have different names for the privacy feature . For easier access, here are the various names for incognito in significant browsers:

NOTE : Apart from using web browsers, you can also use incognito browsing on services like YouTube, Reddit, Google Play Store, and Google Maps.

Benefits of using incognito mode

There’s no harm in using private mode to surf the internet all day. While it doesn’t offer complete privacy, you’ll find it helpful against snoopers at school watching Netflix , so nobody knows what you’re doing at work or home.

As long as you’re using an updated browser, here are situations where incognito mode can be useful:

Use a shared gadget or public computer : Private mode is an excellent option for individuals who share devices like mobile phones, tablets, and laptops with someone else. It’ll also be useful if you often use public computers at cafes, libraries, and hotels, as others cannot view your browsing history.
You want to shop online : If you want to purchase an item without your friends or family members’ knowledge, you can do so in incognito mode. Since it prevents cookie storage, any targeted ads — accidentally revealing the items you’ve been searching for — won’t likely appear on your device.
You can protect sensitive information : Whenever you exit a private mode browsing session, the browser wipes your temporary files, login data, and cookies from your gadget. This automatically logs you out from any account or site you previously accessed. For example, if you were using Facebook in private mode, and another user wishes to visit the platform, they’ll have to input their login details rather than use your account.
You want to research confidential matters : You may have personal topics you want to look up online, such as legal cases or medical conditions. Private mode will come in handy.
Multiple accounts on a particular service : Private mode helps you log into the same platform while keeping your other account open on the regular window tab. For example, if you have a business and a personal social media account, you can use it to separate your work from your profile.
Book hotel rooms and flight tickets : It’s no news that many websites use cookies to track your visits and adjust prices based on your search history. Using private mode, you can start each browsing session with a clean slate, reducing the likelihood of paying hiked accommodation prices based on your previous searches.
Own a service or website : Going incognito is an excellent way to test user experience and analyze their perspective of your website without the influence of your data and stored information. That way, you can preview your most recent updates and verify how they appear to visitors.
You can enjoy extension-free browsing: Entering incognito mode deactivates toolbars and extensions, affecting your browsing experience.
Find fresh content : Search engines track your online behavior and show you content based on your preferences. If you often watch anime on social media, once you check your Explore, you’ll see it’s filled with several types of anime content. Since Incognito mode doesn’t track your history, you’ll come across new content that isn’t based on your previous activities.

Simply put, private mode is necessary to keep your local browsing habits confidential from your employer or household .

Disadvantages of using incognito mode

Like every coin has two sides, it’s the same with privacy mode. Here are the limitations of incognito mode:

It leaves your device vulnerable to malware : As long as you don’t have antivirus software, incognito mode won’t make you less susceptible to ransomware and malware attacks.
Third parties can view your internet activities : The idea behind private mode is to keep your activities confidential from others using the same device. For example, administrators can still see what you’re doing, given your computer is connected to the office network.
It erases your browsing session : Imagine going through the hassle of inputting your details and logging into platforms again whenever you step out. That’s what happens in incognito mode. It makes you start all over after exiting your tabs.
Your IP address remains visible : Private mode doesn’t hide your IP address . Hence, every user on your network can see your IP address and quickly identify your location. To encrypt your internet connection and data, you’ll need a VPN.
It doesn’t disable tracking completely : Third-party advertisers and websites can still track your search history to send targeted ads. Going incognito cannot erase your digital footprint. It just gives you a more private browsing experience.
Your downloaded files will remain on the browser : Once you exit your browsing session, every file, video, song, or image you download will not wipe off. That means anyone who subsequently uses the device can see what you’ve been up to.

From all these, one can infer that private mode functions to limit people from snooping on your data rather than hide your data on the internet . So even when you go incognito, you’ll still need a VPN and antivirus software for extra security and privacy . That way, you can prevent cybercriminals and unauthorized persons from accessing your information.

What is regular browsing mode?

Regular browsing mode is typically your default browser . This tab keeps track of all your cookies and data to improve your browsing experience. Information like your username, password, and card details will remain on the browser regardless of whether you exit or not.

Accessing regular mode on your device is very straightforward. All you need to do is launch your browser, and you’re in!

Benefits of using regular browsing mode

The following are the pros of using the regular browsing mode:

It makes filling out online forms easy . Rather than racking your brain to remember passwords, this browser offers an autofill option.
Since it saves your search history, you don’t need to go through the hassle of finding recently visited web pages . It shows a record of your browsing history.
It lets you save bookmarks , making referencing simple.
By tracking your cookies, it puts targeted ads in your face . Undoubtedly, you’ll find this helpful for getting recommendations for a service or product.

This browsing mode is more suitable for regular, everyday use when you want your browser to retain information . In short, you’ll appreciate its convenience for remembering your website login information and preferences.

Disadvantages of using regular browsing mode

The main downside to using a normal browsing mode is it potentially compromises your privacy, as it retains your browsing history and stores cookies. Here are other limitations of this browsing mode:

You’re more susceptible to tracking by websites and advertisers . Hence, you may struggle with intrusive and annoying ads , affecting your online experience.
It makes your data accessible to anyone using the public or shared computer. As a result, anyone can collect and use your details for fraudulent activities.
You’ll find it challenging to research sensitive issues and visit specific sites without leaving digital footprints.
Except you manually erase your browsing history , it’ll remain accessible to third parties.

Now that you know there’s more to incognito and normal browsing mode than their theme let’s walk you through how to activate them on popular browsers like Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.

Google Chrome incognito vs. normal browsing mode

Undoubtedly, Google Chrome is the most popular browser worldwide . It’s no wonder more people are familiar with its incognito mode than other browsers’ private mode. It was released in 2008 as a cross-platform web browser . It works excellently on different mobile devices, computers, and operating systems.

Chrome is the default browser for Android devices and Chromebook laptops . It offers basic features like a forward button, back button, refresh button, bookmarks, history, and toolbar. However, many users have criticized the browser for practices infringing on their privacy. For example, Google has a history of collecting behavioral data for marketing purposes .

Thankfully, its incognito mode lets you surf privately without tracking your history, cookies, or site data. But you still need to block third-party cookies and social trackers manually. If you forget to disable these trackers, using Chrome’s incognito mode won’t differ from its normal mode.

The following are crucial differences between going incognito on Chrome and using the regular browsing mode:

* Chrome allows you to block cookies in incognito, but you must configure your browser for this manually via settings.

** Although it doesn’t save the history of the files you downloaded, the files will be on your device.

Safari private browsing mode vs. normal browsing mode

If you use a MacBook or an iPhone, your default browser is Safari. Apple launc h ed this browser in 2003 , and since then, it has gone through multiple upgrades to give users an excellent browsing experience in every session.

This browser offers a decent level of privacy. Although it’s not as private as Tor and Brave browsers, it minimizes how third parties access your data to a great extent. On top of that, it gives you the option to adjust its private browsing mode.

For example, you can modify how often you want websites not to track your information like contact details or location and tell it whether you want all your web history deleted . Rest assured, you’ll enjoy maximum security on all your devices by adding a VPN to your Safari ’s private mode arsenal.

Here are Safari’s private browsing mode features that help separate it from normal mode:

* Safari’s private browsing mode allows you to disable third-party cookies manually.

** When you download files in Safari’s private mode, it never saves your details, but they’ll appear on your computer.

Mozilla Firefox private browsing mode vs. normal browsing mode

Mozilla Firefox is a safe browser when it comes to protecting your data. Since its release in 2004 , the browser has consistently upheld its users’ privacy . Unlike Chrome, Firefox is a non-profit platform. That means it never collects your personal browsing information to make a profit.

Besides, it’s one of our top-ranking browsers for private browsing, as it provides several security functionalities and an intuitive user interface. For example, it never keeps track of users’ personal information, like the websites you visited or the activities you performed across the internet, even in normal browsing mode.

You’ll also appreciate its bookmark feature for quickly accessing website pages you visited and fetching information from them . We recommend you use Firefox’s private browsing window with a robust VPN , like ExpressVPN, for increased online anonymity.

Below, we’ve highlighted all the key differences between Firefox’s browsing modes:

* On Firefox’s private browsing homepage, your downloaded files will be erased once you exit the tab.

Microsoft Edge InPrivate browsing mode vs. normal browsing mode

They say: “ Internet Explorer broke up with Microsoft Edge because it couldn’t handle being in the shadow of a faster, more modern browser. ” In other words, Microsoft Edge is the successor of Internet Explorer.

It was introduced in 2015 to provide users with a faster and more efficient browsing experience. The browser has several private features and benefits, making it an ideal alternative to more popular browsers like Safari and Chrome.

Its InPrivate browsing mode lets you surf the web without saving any data or temporary files. Although the browser stores your downloads, you’ll find it convenient to bar others from seeing what you do online.

Moreover, Edge integrates excellently with Microsoft Defender , a powerful anti-virus solution . With it, you can keep your activities private and protect your gadgets from malware and other security threats.

Let us walk you through the key features of Microsoft Edge’s normal mode and InPrivate browsing below:

Private browsing mode and online security

If you check significant browsers like Chrome and Safari, you’ll notice they clearly outline the activities that’ll remain visible to others in private mode . Browsers can’t guarantee total online security, as they function as data-collecting tools.

They gather your data and profit from marketing agencies by displaying personalized and customized ads on your screen. So, it’ll be risky to rely solely on them for security. Whenever you go incognito, your browsing session data is visible to the following parties:

Your school or employer
System administrators
Government agencies and the government
Your internet service provider
Websites and services you visit, including the agencies that send ads on those sites.

The personal information these parties can see and collect includes:

Your IP address, which sites and platforms can use to identify your real location.
Your personal identity, for example, signing into a service using a mobile number or email account.
Your browsing activity while using a web service, such as the links you clicked and images saved.

Remember that regardless of whether you use privacy mode on your browser, third parties can still track your data and collect information about you . Even if you opt for ad blockers, it only prevents advertisements from displaying on web pages.

To keep your online activities private, it’s best to pair incognito mode with a VPN . Aside from encrypting your internet traffic , it’s an outstanding tool for warding off snoopers. Besides, you’ll find it easy to set up on your device. It may take a few more steps compared to switching to private mode, but the increased level of privacy is worth it.

VPN vs. Incognito mode: Which works better?

The benefits of using private mode and a VPN are quite different. Yes, they limit the amount of online tracking you encounter. However, you can’t compare the protection you’ll enjoy using a VPN to going incognito. While you can do away with privacy mode, concealing your identity without a VPN is impossible. We recommend you use privacy mode and a VPN simultaneously for best results.

In the table below, we’ve outlined the essential differences between an incognito window and a VPN to pick one that best suits your needs.

Best VPNs for added privacy and security

It is one of the safest VPN providers for unrestricted and secure browsing. The VPN has robust encryption technology and many other impressive features to enhance your private browsing experience.

Unblocks all popular streaming sites
Ad-blocker and unlimited data
Observe high-quality security practices
No free trial

NordVPN is our top pick for VPNs you can combine with private mode. You can’t go wrong with this service if you want to access many privacy features to erase your digital footprint completely . This VPN offers quality functionalities like a kill switch, advanced encryption ciphers, and cutting-edge tunneling protocols to keep your connection private without forgoing speed.

For security and privacy-conscious individuals, it has a double VPN feature , which, as the name implies, fortifies your internet encryption for extra anonymity. You’ll appreciate NordVPN’s military-grade encryption for keeping malicious websites and trackers at bay.

We found its speed reliable for internet browsing without experiencing slow-loading web pages. The provider supports ultra-secure VPN protocols like NordLynx, OpenVPN, and IKEv2/IPsec . With these choices of protocols, you can surf the internet, download files, and stream online events privately and secretly.

An intriguing fact about NordVPN is it functions as a multi-purpose tool. Apart from ensuring online privacy, it has Threat Protection for blocking intrusive ads .

2. ExpressVPN

This VPN network offers blazing-fast servers and stealth online protection while streaming or downloading content.

Responsive customer support
Unlimited data bandwidth
Allows torrenting
Relatively pricier subscription plans

Ranking second on our list is ExpressVPN . Thanks to its robust privacy features, you can limit your activities to only your eyes. The provider boasts 3,000+ servers in 94 countries across 160 locations worldwide , making it an excellent option for location spoofing. Not only does it mask your real IP address, but it also delivers fast and stable connections.

Therefore, you can stream popular platforms like Netflix , Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and HBO Max without restrictions. VPN uses 256-bit AES encryption alongside a Lightway VPN protocol . Rest assured, your personal data will be safe and anonymous from your ISP provider and the government.

What’s more? The VPN has an audited no-log policy to keep your original IP secure and protect your identity. You won’t experience IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks while connecting to ExpressVPN’s servers.

Another feature that pairs the VPN nicely with private browsing mode is its compatibility with major devices. It integrates excellently with Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, and Linux devices. In other words, you don’t need to worry about using ExpressVPN alongside your preferred browser.

3. ExtremeVPN

One of the latest additions to the VPN market, it is rising to the top with its robust security and privacy features. It also has super-fast connections across all servers.

Affordable pricing and plans
Unblocks popular streaming services
Supports port forwarding
No double VPN/Dedicated IP

ExtremeVPN has several privacy features, including a kill switch, split tunneling, DNS, WebRTC, and IPv6 leak protection. Besides, the service’s headquarters is in the British Virgin Islands, which is popular for its strict laws on individuals’ anonymity. If all these don’t make the VPN private enough, then what could?

In addition, you’ll find the VPN easy to use. It has a simple interface that anyone, even a VPN novice, can navigate. ExtremeVPN has over 6,500 servers across the globe, giving you thousands of IPs to choose from so you can enjoy total online privacy .

Regarding security, the provider uses the highest level of encryption in the industry. This means you can enjoy complete anonymity from the government, your ISP, trackers, cybercriminals, and other spying agencies . The VPN also uses obscure servers, making it difficult for sites and platforms you visit to detect you’re using a VPN.

And the best part? ExtremeVPN’s single subscription can protect up to 10 devices simultaneously. Let’s say you use a shared computer and tablet. You don’t need to subscribe to the service twice to browse privately on these devices. All you need to do is sign in on both gadgets using one subscription and enjoy greater value for money!

Yes. Remember, every browser’s private mode has a distinct interface from its normal mode. So, by just peeking over your shoulder, anyone can know you’re browsing in incognito mode. If you forget to exit the private mode window on your computer, a person can see your sessions and activities.

It’s also possible to still find your browsing history in the DNS cache even after you close the incognito tab on a public device. On the bright side, it would be difficult for anyone to tell whether you accessed particular websites or services in incognito mode or not.

Sadly, yes. Private mode only helps to hide your identity without storing your search history, cookies, or session data on your device. However, it doesn’t provide any protection against malware or viruses. You’ll need an antivirus software for that.

Of course! Aside from Mozilla Firefox, browsers like Brave and Tor are excellent for anonymity. They take privacy a step further by blocking trackers and ads by default. They also come with built-in features like shields, making it more challenging for anyone to trace your online activities.

The following are the benefits of using private browsing mode:

1. To stop intrusive ads and improve your browsing experience.

2. To enjoy reasonable prices on flights and hotels.

3. To ward off nosy parties while using public or shared computers.

4. To research confidential matters without leaving any digital footprints.

MAC Addresses: What Are They? And How Can I Find Mine?

No matter whether you work in a wired or wireless workplace, it needs network hardware and software ...

The Privacy Risks of Browser Extensions

Browser extensions enhance your browsers’ functionality and give them more value. They make yo...

How Secure is the Epic Privacy Browser?

There are multiple ways to enhance your privacy in a web browser. You can enable incognito mode (pri...

Big Data and Privacy: 2024 Complete Guide

Big data and privacy are two major players in the online world that often compete against each other...

Dark Web Facts vs. Myths: Debunking 9 Common Dark Web Myths

When people hear “dark web,” what readily comes to mind is the digital criminal underwor...

The Most Scandalous Dark Web Cases

The dark web is a paradoxical corner of the internet where intrigue and danger coexist. It is a shad...

About the Author

Justice Ekaeze

Justice Ekaeze is a freelance tech writer with experience working for specialized content agencies. Justice has acquired extensive content writing experience over the years. He’s handled several projects in diverse niches but loves the cybersecurity and VPN sectors the most. His friends call him 'the VPN expert.' In his free time, he likes to play football, watch movies, and enjoy a good show.

Your email address will not be published.

No comments.

6,100+ VPN servers in more than 60 countries
Fastest among the VPNs we tested
Unblocks virtually all the streaming platforms
Unlimited bandwidth and torrent downloads

Amazon Prime Day Early Deals
Summer Sales: Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers

How to Turn on Incognito Mode in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, and Opera

Go incognito with the Ctrl+Shift+N or Ctrl+Shift+P keyboard shortcut

Chrome Incognito Mode
Edge InPrivate Browsing
Firefox Private Browsing
Safari Private Browsing
Opera Private Mode
Frequently Asked Questions

What to Know

Press Ctrl + Shift + N or Ctrl + Shift + P to go incognito in most browsers.
Use the app's menu to open incognito mode from the mobile app.
Incognito hides your browsing history. Your IP address does not change.

This article explains how to open incognito mode for private browsing in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, and Opera.

How to Open Incognito Mode in Chrome

The easy way to go incognito in Chrome is to press Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows) or Command + Shift + N (Mac). Here's how to get there through the menu:

Select the Chrome Menu (three vertical dots) from the upper-right corner and then select New Incognito window .

A window opens, explaining Chrome's incognito mode.

To open a link in an incognito window, right-click it (or press Control + Click on a Mac), and then select Open link in incognito window .

To open a Chrome incognito tab on iOS or Android, tap the three dots and then choose New Incognito Tab .

How to Use InPrivate Browsing in Edge

Edge calls its incognito mode InPrivate browsing. Follow these steps to go incognito, or press Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows) or Command + Shift + N (Mac):

Select the three dots at the top right.

Select New InPrivate window .

A window opens, explaining InPrivate browsing.

To open a link in the Edge's incognito mode, right-click it (or press Control + Click on a Mac) and select Open link in InPrivate window .

The mobile app lets you open an incognito tab through the three-line menu at the bottom. Just choose New InPrivate tab .

How to Turn on Private Browsing in Firefox

Incognito mode in Firefox is called Private Browsing. Ctrl + Shift + P (Windows) or Command + Shift + P (Mac) is the keyboard shortcut to go incognito in Firefox, but you can also use the program's menu:

Select the three lines at the top right of the browser, then select New private window .

An incognito tab opens.

To open a link in Private Browsing mode, right-click it (or press Control + Click on a Mac), then choose Open Link in New Private Window .

The mobile app lets you open a Firefox Private Browsing tab, but the directions differ from the desktop app. Tap the tabs button (it says 1 if you don't have any other tabs open) and then choose the mask icon followed by the plus sign .

How to Enter Private Browsing Mode in Safari

Like most browsers with an incognito mode, you can get to Safari's with the Shift + Command + N shortcut, but there is another way:

From the menu bar, select File > New Private Window .

A window opens with a darker search bar and a message that Private Browsing is enabled.

To open a link in a private window in Safari on a Mac, hold the Option key and right-click the link (or hold the Control and Option keys and select the link), then choose Open Link in New Private Window .

If you're using Safari on an iPhone or iPad, tap the tabs button and then swipe over to Private , or choose it from the three-line menu.

How to Open a Private Window in Opera

We like to go incognito in Opera with the keyboard shortcut, which is the same for most of these browsers: Ctrl + Shift + N for Windows or Command + Shift + N for Mac. Here's the other way to open a private tab:

Select the O at the top left to open Opera's menu.

Choose New private window from the list.

To open incognito for just one link, right-click it (or press Control + Click on a Mac) and select Open link in private window .

Using Opera from the mobile app? On Android, select the tabs button, swipe to Private , and then tap the plus sign . On iOS, tap the three lines to open the menu, then choose Private Mode .

Incognito mode is designed to prevent the web browser from storing local data like cookies and browsing history. This data is deleted when you close the private tab. Use a VPN or web proxy if you want to hide your IP address.

Private browsing prevents other users on your device from seeing your internet history. It also helps to block websites from tracking your online activity with cookies . Therefore, you're unlikely to see online ads related to websites you visit during private browsing sessions.

You can lock apps on Android with your device's security code or use a third-party app. You can also set up Android parental controls to childproof your device.

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day

How to Turn off Incognito Mode
How to Change the Default Search Engine in Chrome for iOS
How to Use Firefox Private Browsing
Use Private Browsing Mode in Opera for Desktop
How to Turn Off Private Browsing on iPad
How to Clear Cache and Cookies in Every Major Browser
How to Use Incognito Mode in Google Chrome
How to Activate InPrivate Browsing Mode in IE 10
How to Change Settings in iOS Dolphin
How to Go Incognito on Chromebook
How to Enable and Disable the Chrome PDF Viewer
How to Stop Pop-Up Ads on Android
How to Activate InPrivate Browsing Mode in IE
How to Increase Web Browser Security
Using InPrivate Browsing in Microsoft Edge for Windows
How to Turn on Private Browsing on Your iPad

How to enable private browsing on any browser to keep your search history secret

Whether it's Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge, here’s how to enable private browsing on every major browser

A private browser is an isolated session that helps to conceal a user's data. It's a common feature with most web browsers, sometimes called 'privacy' or 'incognito' mode, that helps to add an extra layer of security.

The Mac OS X Tiger, launched in 2005, was one of the first examples of a private browser and the feature has gained in popularity over the years with versions of it everything from Safari to Chrome, as well as mobile.

There's often confusion around how private these browsers can be, some come with very limited features, and it is important to know just how protected you are.

The basic function of a private browser is to stop it from storing information such as your search history. When using public Wi-Fi , this type of data could be visible to a third-parties, which is a security risk. A good private browser conceals this by masking over your activity.

While VPN 's generally offer more protection, good ones are not cheap, whereas private browsing can serve you well for free. There are a number of benefits to it, such as discovering your true Google ranking, or safe shopping. Read on to find out more about going incognito online.

Google Chrome

Incognito Mode , Chrome's version of private browsing, can be accessed from the settings menu at the top right of the browser, or by pushing Ctrl+Shift+N.

There are a few giveaways when using this brand of private browsing, mainly the outline of a 'secret agent' and a message that you've "gone incognito" when you open a new tab, instead of a blank white screen, or one that shows your most frequently visited pages.

Get the ITPro. daily newsletter

Receive our latest news, industry updates, featured resources and more. Sign up today to receive our FREE report on AI cyber crime & security - newly updated for 2024.

Google Chrome won't save your browsing history, store cookies and site data, or any personal information you use to fill out forms. However, your activity won't be completely hidden. Websites you visit, for instance, can still be tracked by your ISP, or employer.

What is private browsing and how can it keep you safe online? Private browsing ‘not so private’ How to enable private browsing on any device: iPhone, Android or Windows

Moreover, although Chrome won't remember what files you have downloaded (a record will not be kept) while using private browsing, the files will remain on your hard drive and you will have to manually delete them if you want them to stay hidden.

Microsoft Internet Explorer and Edge

Microsoft's Edge and Internet Explorer both use what is dubbed InPrivate browsing to allow you to surf the web with a heightened sense of anonymity - and can be accessed in the 'More' tab located in the top right corner of the browser, as with Chrome.

The Edge browser doesn't inform you as explicitly that you're using InPrivate browsing, but there are still a few clear indicators.

Your browsing data, such as cookies, form data, temporary files, and web history, won't be saved, as with Google Chrome's offering, while any temporary data stored on your device is deleted after all private browsing tabs and windows are closed.

Meanwhile, any third-party toolbars you have installed will be disabled upon opening an InPrivate tab.

Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla's private browsing feature in FireFox is simply called Private Browsing mode' and offers the same privacy tools as Chrome and Edge. However, FireFox offers an additional tool that others browsers don't to make browsing even safer, and that's called Tracking Protection. This is said to prevent companies from tracking your browsing history across multiple sites so they can't record your browsing habits.

There are two ways to open a new Private Window in FireFox.

You can either click the menu button, which is presented as three horizontal bars in the top right corner of the window, and then click New Private Window. Or you can open a link in a new Private Window by right-clicking on any link and choose Open Link in New Private Window from the context menu.

Once in Private Browsing mode, the browser window will have a purple mask at the top.

To enable Private Browsing in Apple's Safari browser , simply go to File > New Private Window. A window that's using Private Browsing has a dark Smart Search field with white text.

Safari's private browsing mode also removes temporary files when you close the window. Browsing history, form data, and cookies are all wiped by default.

Opera is a noteworthy browser when it comes to surfing privately on the web because, unlike its rivals, its Private Mode offers a VPN connection to add another layer of secrecy to your browsing activities. It's not a silver bullet in keeping your activities totally private, but it does provide additional protection.

To enable this feature, you can either go through the menu: File > New Private Window. Or, you can use keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl+Shift+N for Windows and +Shift+N for Mac.

Connor Jones has been at the forefront of global cyber security news coverage for the past few years, breaking developments on major stories such as LockBit’s ransomware attack on Royal Mail International, and many others. He has also made sporadic appearances on the ITPro Podcast discussing topics from home desk setups all the way to hacking systems using prosthetic limbs. He has a master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from the University of Sheffield, and has previously written for the likes of Red Bull Esports and UNILAD tech during his career that started in 2015.

Excel for the web just got a big makeover – and it’s a lot easier to use

Want cheaper cyber insurance? Security leaders say improving resilience has helped them save on coverage

NinjaOne unveils new channel program to drive partner growth

Most Popular

Launching large language models on PowerEdge servers

Innovate faster with GPU-accelerated AI

Quantitative analysis of a prefabricated vs. traditional data center

Battery technology for single phase UPS systems: VRLA vs. Li-ion

2 Want cheaper cyber insurance? Security leaders say improving resilience has helped them save on coverage
3 NinjaOne unveils new channel program to drive partner growth
4 Accelerated, gen AI powered mainframe app modernization with IBM watsonx code assistant for Z
5 A new era in direct store delivery AI-powered solutions for seamless business process and profitable portfolio

How private is private browsing? Answer: only a little

Maybe you’re thinking: I want privacy, so I’ll just use my browser’s “private browsing” feature, and I’m good to go. If only it was so easy. Few technology features are surrounded by as many misconceptions as private browsing.

Private browsing features go by many names – for example, “Incognito Mode” in Google Chrome, and InPrivate in Microsoft Edge. Regardless of the name, they all work roughly the same way. They let you open a special browser window. While you’re working inside that window, the browser won’t store a local history of the pages you’ve browsed, the searches you’ve performed, or the forms you’ve filled out. Typically, it won’t store cache files that it would otherwise keep to help load sites faster when you return to them. Also, when you close a private browser session, your browser will delete cookies created during that session – so if you return to a website where you’d logged in, the site won’t recognize you, and you’ll have to do it again.

Private browsing can help you keep your browsing history private from other individuals who might also have access to your computer. So, for example, it’s handy if you’re buying a gift for someone and you don’t want them to know what it might be. Therefore, it’s useful to know how to activate it:

In Google Chrome, press Ctrl+Shift+N, or click the menu button at the far right of the Chrome taskbar and choose New Incognito Window.
In Firefox, press Ctrl+Shift+P or click the menu button at the far right of the Firefox taskbar and choose New Private Window.
In Microsoft Edge, press the More Actions button (…) at the far right of the Edge taskbar and choose New InPrivate Window.
In Safari, press Command+Shift+N, or choose New Private Window from the File menu.

The limits of private browsing

But private browsing is only good for protecting your online privacy from people you share your computer with. It won’t safeguard your privacy on the internet. Here are five reasons why:

If you deliberately download a file or bookmark a page, your browser figures you want those, and it won’t discard them. Your bookmark will be visible even in “non-private” mode.
It doesn’t protect you on the network. So, if you open a private browsing session at work, and then visit sites you really shouldn’t be visiting, it won’t keep your employer from seeing what you’re up to.
If you log in to Facebook or Google in private browsing mode, as long as you’re logged in, they can track you just as they would ordinarily.
While private browsing might limit cookies, websites have other ways to track you – for example, fingerprinting methods that recognize so many characteristics of your device that there’s probably only one on earth with all of them: yours .
Private browsing does nothing at all to stop your internet service provider from tracking you.

If private browsing isn’t private, what are your options?

So, what can you do if you want to browse privately? If you’re running Safari (for Mac – not the Windows version), make sure “prevent cross-site tracking” is turned on. Safari also resists fingerprinting by trying to make your Mac look more like everyone else’s. In Firefox, you can block many trackers, cross-site tracking cookies , and fingerprinters as follows: choose Options from the Firefox menu; choose Privacy & Security; and set Enhanced Tracking Protection to Strict.

All that said, the best way to limit most (but not all) tracking – including tracking by your internet service provider – is to subscribe to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service you trust.

No matter where you go on the internet, you should make sure you’re protected by a strong security solution – there’s always something trying to get to your information, so make sure your data is secure. Products like Sophos Home will keep your information safe wherever you go.

What are you waiting for? Let's get started!

Helldivers 2
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Wuthering Waves
Genshin Impact
Counter Strike 2
Honkai Star Rail
Lego Fortnite
Stardew Valley
NYT Strands
NYT Connections
Apple Watch
Crunchyroll
Prime Video
Jujutsu Kaisen
Demon Slayer
Chainsaw Man
Solo Leveling
Beebom Gadgets

How to Turn off Incognito Mode on iPhone

To close Incognito tabs on the preloaded Safari, tap on the tab icon > select X icon on top of the tabs.
You can also long-press on the tabs and get the option to close them, which is similar across all browsers.
Browsers like Google Chrome, Edge and Firefox also let you clear all private tabs in one go through the tab overview.

Turn Off Private Browsing on Safari

Switch off incognito mode on google chrome.

When on an Incognito tab on Chrome, head over to tab overview by tapping on the tab icon at the bottom right.
Then, simply hit the small X icon on top of the tab you want to close to clear it. You can also clear all your tabs this way.
Alternatively, you can long press on a tab and select Close tab from here to clear it, although this is a slower process.

Close a specific Incognito window on Google Chrome on iPhone

However, if you have a tad too many tabs open, tap on the Edit button at the bottom left inside the tab overview.
Then, you can select Close All Tabs to clear all your Incognito tabs.

Close all Incognito tabs on Google Chrome on iPhone

Turn Off InPrivate Browsing on Microsoft Edge

When on an InPrivate tab, tap on the tab icon on the bottom right and get into the tab overview.
Here, swipe left on the tabs that you want to close.
Alternatively, you can long press on a tab and select Close Tab .

To close all tabs, when in the tab overview, you can simply hit the Close All button at the bottom left.
Next, in the confirmation window, hit Close and that should do it.

Closing all Incognito tabs on Microsoft Edge on iPhone

Turn Off Private Window on Firefox

When on a private Firefox tab, navigate to the tab overview by tapping on the tab icon at the bottom right.
Then, you can swipe either left or right on tabs to get rid of them. This way, you can quickly close all your private Firefox tabs.
Alternatively, you can long press on them and select Close Tab from here, which is a bit more time-consuming.

How to turn off specific Firefox Private tabs on iPhone

To close all your private Firefox tabs, when in the tab overview, you can hit the trash icon at the bottom left.
Next, in the confirmation window, simply hit Close All Tabs and that’s about it!

Close all Firefox private tabs at once on iPhone

Sagnik Das Gupta

Sagnik is a tech aficionado who can never say "no" to dipping his toes into unknown waters of tech or reviewing the latest gadgets. He is also a hardcore gamer, having played everything from Snake Xenzia to Dead Space Remake.

Add new comment

12 Best Smartwatches in 2024: The Only Guide You'll Need

Apple issues 'massive' warning about Google Chrome to all iPhone users

READ MORE: Apple 'cancels' high-end device after current model criticized

Apple has issued a massive warning to all of its 1.46 billion iPhone users that appears centered around Google Chrome.

The tech giant took out billboards across the globe to promote its Safari search app, touting it as 'a browser that is actually private.'

Although the advertisement did not mention Google Chrome by name, it is the top downloaded search browser for smartphones - surpassing Safari by more than two million.

While the billboard is a stab at Google, the company did reveal earlier this year that it collects data from anyone who uses Chrome .

The ad has been spotted in cities like San Francisco, London and Paris to far-reaching countries including Singapore and Australia, where people saw them on billboards, public transit and public buildings.

‘Interesting to know it’s not only in Singapore,’ one person responded to a post from someone who saw the ad in Australia.

‘On the contrary, imho [in my honest opinion] it’s a good idea. It’s a fresh way to advertise.

‘Some people will be curious. Especially those who are not in the Apple ecosystem and might not know what Safari is.’

Another person commented on San Francisco's billboard, writing: 'Seeing how Google settles a lawsuit for its incognito not being so incognito, there’s literally no doubt that this is playing off of that.'

Apple’s ads appear to be warning people not to use Google which has encountered repeated controversy over its Chrome browser retaining cookie and search information .

‘Google revealed earlier this year that it collects your data if you use Google Chrome, even if you use Incognito Mode,’ Jake Moore, a global security advisor for cybersecurity company ESET told Forbes .

‘Personal data is so valuable to companies and when terms and conditions are so difficult to understand, it can be easy for users to simply allow companies to collect data at their will.’

However, a Google spokesperson told DailyMail.com that the company strives to keep people's 'data safe by default and ensuring users can control when and how their data is used in Chrome to personalize their web browsing experience.

'We believe users should always be in control, which is why we've built easy to use privacy and security settings directly into Chrome.'

The company’s Google Chrome 125 update had nine security vulnerabilities after it warned that an error would allow a remote attacker to add their own code using an HTML page to destabilize a person’s browser.

A 2020 class-action lawsuit also claimed that Google was improperly tracking users' web-browsing habits when they thought they were privately visiting websites.

Google finally settled the suit in April that required it to delete billions of data records that showed users’ private browsing activities and the company will have to let people using incognito to block third-party cookies.

‘The settlement requires Google to delete and remediate, in unprecedented scope and scale, the data it improperly collected in the past,’ David Boies, the attorney in the lawsuit, told ABC News .

Apple urged users to switch to Safari amid security concerns surrounding Google Chrome

Private Browser Incognito Mode 17+

Private web browsing incognito, designed for ipad, screenshots, description.

Incognito is an independent private web browser that is made by a small U.S.-based group to combat corporate web browsing data collection. Incognito focuses on providing a standard web browsing experience, with incognito/anonymous features working automatically in the background, without any of the complicated toggle features. This way, you can just open and browse. Plug and play. Incognito specializes in a few major areas: BLOCKS INVASIVE TRACKING SCRIPTS Most often when navigating to any site, dozens of tracking scripts are working in the background to collect data on your user behavior, interactions and more. We try to identify the most common invasive scripts on the web, compile them in a list and block them so they don't get any details on you. All this, without blocking any scripts that would break the visiting site or app. This means, some scripts are necessarily working in the background, otherwise the site would simply break. NO SERVERS & DATA COLLECTION We don't have any servers and don't collect any data myself. You browse, and that's it. We have no idea what's going on. Apple will share analytics how often our app is downloaded, which we don't have control over, and that's about it. NO CORPORATE OVRLORDS Do I need say more? We're not owned by any big corporate entity and made this app for various privacy concerns that we didn't trust anyone else with. NO AI Many browsers are starting to incorporate artificial intelligence into your browsers. We don't. AI can add many more privacy and tracking concerns to an already concerning environment. We just want a browser without having to second guess about what's going on behind the screens. ADS We are focused on blocking all targeted ads. This means you might still see ads, but your browsers doesn't receive any tracking cookies to see where you've been on the web to then show you targeted ads. Creepy! We know that some ads may show through, and our apologies for that. MONETIZATION As a product, it would be nice for us to generate some revenue to support further expansion and development of the product. This will allow us to ensure to provide a super clean and incognito browser experience while keeping up with the latest standards of web browsing. Currently, we're experimenting with sometimes showing an ad where we receive a portion of the revenue here and there. We do our best to block any 3rd party tracking scripts there as well. However, our main focus will remain on the user experience, therefore we remain very weary of any invasive monetization techniques. TRANSPARENCY And that's about it. We tried making a legit browser, that blocks lots of invasive stuff, where we know the owners of the browser don't collect any other data. And we don't plan on changing that approach ever. Bear with us as we continue to figure out how to improve things. We're only human too, but the goal is to create the best independent browsing experience where you can browse with peace of mind. CONCLUSION Incognito is a web browser just like Brave, Safari, DuckDuckGo, Opera, FireFox, Edge, Leaf, Chrome, Vivaldi and more, except it's fully incognito mode.

Version 1.10

Minor bug fixes & updates - Better URL/Search handling - Better tab switch handling

App Privacy

The developer, GlobalMA , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Not Collected

The developer does not collect any data from this app.

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

Developer Website
App Support
Privacy Policy

Total Safety for Online Life

Eyed Out - Private web Browser

Startpage - Private Browser

Puma Browser: Ai Chat & GPT

InBrowser - Private Browsing

Recorder for iPhone

IMAGES

Browser Privacy: Chrome Incognito Mode vs. Private Browsing in Safari
Chrome Incognito vs Safari Private Browsing: Who Wins? [Detailed
Chrome Incognito vs Safari Private Browsing: Who Wins? [Detailed
Chrome Incognito vs Safari Private Browsing: Who Wins? [Detailed
Chrome Incognito vs Safari Private Browsing: Who Wins? [Detailed
Chrome Incognito vs Safari Private Browsing: Who Wins? [Detailed

VIDEO

How to Open Incognito Mode in MacBook
How To Turn Incognito On Safari Private Mode on iPhone
Google Chrome Incognito Mode उतना भी सेफ़ नहीं है, जितना लोग समझते हैं
What is incognito mode
Turn On Incognito Mode in Safari iPhone
Incognito Mode: Is Private Browsing Really Private?

COMMENTS

Chrome Incognito vs Safari Private Browsing: Who Wins? [Detailed
How to turn on private browsing in Safari. At the top left corner of your computer, click on the Safari File menu. Then from the dropdown menu, click on New Private Window. That is it for this chrome incognito vs safari private browsing comparison. They both are among the best browsers you have on the market.
What Your Web Browser's Incognito Mode Really Does
All of today's major web browsers—Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple's Safari—offer a feature that provides a private browsing window and deletes the browsing ...
About InPrivate and Incognito. What's private browsing? Which browser
Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge cover all the private browsing basics, except for VPN. When it comes to inprivate browsing, the Incognito mode from Google Chrome and the InPrivate mode from Microsoft Edge offer all the basics. They can prevent other people using the same computer from knowing what you are doing online, but that is it.
Private Browser
Opening a private browsing window in Safari is very similar to doing it in Chrome. Just open a new Safari window, click the File tab, and select "New Private Window" from the dropdown options: Notice that the address bar is white with black text. Once you click that option, you'll see a very similar browser window, but with a dark address bar ...
The Truth Behind Private Browsing or Incognito Mode
Launch Google Chrome and press Ctrl + Shift + N in Windows and Cmd + Shift + N in macOS to launch a new Chrome window in Incognito Mode. The feature has a black background with some general guidelines. You can also right-click on the Chrome app icon in the Taskbar and select the "New Incognito Window" option to open a private browsing mode ...
Incognito Mode: Is Private Browsing Really Private?
Step 3: Switch to the new window and verify that you're in incognito mode. Apple Safari Opening incognito mode in Safari. Step 1: Open Safari. Step 2: Click "File" on the top-left toolbar and select "New Private Window." Step 3: Switch to the new window and verify that you're in incognito mode. The address bar should have a dark ...
Private browsing: What it does
Private mode browsing is a useful way to cover your online tracks. Just don't read too much into the word 'private.' ... Apple Safari; "Incognito" in Google Chrome; and "InPrivate ...
How to go incognito in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari
Open a new Incognito window in Chrome using keyboard shortcuts or from the menu (1) by choosing New Incognito window (2). The new Incognito window can be recognized by the dark background and the ...
How to use Private Browsing in Safari, and how private is it?
To switch to Private Browsing using a shortcut in your iPhone: Open Safari and tap and hold the Tabs button in the bottom right. Click Private (the icon shows a hand signaling stop). To open a new private tab, choose the New Private Tab option. Close the Private Browsing window to turn off Private Browsing on your iPhone.
How Chrome Incognito keeps your browsing private
Incognito mode can help keep your browsing private from other people who use your device. When you first open a new Incognito window, you're creating a new Incognito browsing session. Any Incognito windows that you open after that are part of the same session. You can end that Incognito session by closing all open Incognito windows.
How private browsing works in Chrome
You can also choose to block third-party cookies when you open a new Incognito window. Learn more about cookies. Close Incognito mode to stop private browsing. Incognito mode runs in a separate window from your normal Chrome windows. If you have an Incognito window open and you open another one, your private browsing session will continue in ...
The incognito myth: how private browsing really works
Tips for using incognito mode and advanced private browsing controls. ... Every major browser has it, although the names differ: it's Incognito in Chrome, InPrivate in Edge, Private Window/Tab in Firefox, and Private Browsing in Safari. All these names evoke a sense of security — even invisibility: like you could browse the web safely and ...
Does Private or Incognito Mode Make Web Browsing Anonymous?
Private is a relative term. This is abundantly clear when it comes to "private browsing"---the setting in a web browser that supposedly allows you to hide your history from others who use the same computer. While private (or "incognito") mode can shroud your activities to an extent, there are still ways in which your actions can be tracked.
How Secure Is Safari Private Browsing?
Safari's private browsing vs. Google Chrome's Incognito Mode: Which is safer? In a nutshell, private browsing in Safari and incognito mode in Chrome are very similar in terms of their features and limitations. Both remove your data from the device when your browsing session is over while leaving your digital footprint traceable for third ...
Normal Browsing Mode vs Incognito Mode: How Do They Differ?
Google Chrome incognito vs. normal browsing mode. Undoubtedly, Google Chrome is the most popular browser worldwide. It's no wonder more people are familiar with its incognito mode than other browsers' private mode. ... Safari private browsing mode vs. normal browsing mode. If you use a MacBook or an iPhone, your default browser is Safari ...
How to Turn on Incognito Mode in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari and Opera
Alternatively, from the Chrome menu, select File > New Incognito Window. Or, press Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows) or Command + Shift + N (Mac). A window opens, explaining the Chrome Incognito mode. To open a link in an Incognito window, right-click it (or press Control + Click on a Mac), and then select Open Link in Incognito Window .
Private browsing
The start page for private browsing mode in Firefox.. Private browsing, also known as incognito mode or private mode, is a feature available in web browsers that allows users to browse the internet without leaving any traces of their online activity on their device. In this mode, the browser initiates a temporary session separate from its main session and user data.
How to enable private browsing on any browser to keep your search
To enable Private Browsing in Apple's Safari browser, simply go to File > New Private Window. A window that's using Private Browsing has a dark Smart Search field with white text. Safari's private browsing mode also removes temporary files when you close the window. Browsing history, form data, and cookies are all wiped by default.
Incognito Mode Private Browsing vs Anonymous Browsing: The ...
Incognito mode creates a separate browsing session from the main one. The details of the websites you visit will not be saved in the browsing history. Even when you close the window after logging in to a website in incognito mode, the cookies will not be saved. At the same time, cookies used in the main session cannot be accessed by private ...
How private is private browsing? Answer: only a little
In Google Chrome, press Ctrl+Shift+N, or click the menu button at the far right of the Chrome taskbar and choose New Incognito Window. In Firefox, press Ctrl+Shift+P or click the menu button at the far right of the Firefox taskbar and choose New Private Window. In Microsoft Edge, press the More Actions button (…) at the far right of the Edge ...
Chrome vs Safari: Which Is More Secure 2024
The Final Verdict: Chrome vs. Safari. Safari might trump Chrome for security, but neither browser is 100% secure. Nothing online ever is. Even with Safari's security features, third parties can still see your IP address, snoop on your browsing history, and potentially steal your data. To take your security to the next level, you need a VPN.
Safari vs. Chrome on privacy : r/privacy
Safari and Chrome are both browsers build on data mining and selling. Neither of them offers any privacy, only the illusion of it. The most private browser is Firefox if you take the time to customize it to privacytools.io 's recommendations. Brave is the best out of the box if you don't want to tweak anything though. 2.
On a browser, sessionStorage in Safari's Private Browsing does not work
Your assessment is practically accurate: Safari will just use a quota of 0 in private mode, so all attempts to set a value will fail. This is kinda OK according to the spec, as the spec does not mandate a minimum space requirement.; Chrome and Firefox still allow you to use storage, however private storage is independent from non-private, i.e. setting an item in private mode will not reflect ...
How To Turn Off Google Chrome's Incognito Mode On An iPhone
Launch Google Chrome. If you use biometrics to lock your Incognito tabs in Google Chrome, select the Unlock with Face ID button to open the Incognito tab.; Tap the tab icon at the bottom ...
Apple Targets Google Chrome With Safari Privacy Ads
Apple takes shot at Google in very public way. NurPhoto via Getty Images. When it comes to mobile browsers, there are just two that matter: Chrome and Safari have 90% market share between them ...
How to Turn off Incognito Mode on iPhone
Safari lets you close individual private tabs as well as clear all of them. The process of doing so is pretty similar, too, which you can check out in our Turn Off Private Browsing on Safari guide. To give you a quick rundown, just like on Chrome, you will need to head over to tab overview and tap on the small X icon to close tabs. To close all tabs, you can simply long-press a tab and hit ...
Apple issues 'massive' warning about Google Chrome to all iPhone ...
The tech giant took out giant billboards across the globe to promote its Safari search app, touting it as 'a browser that is actually private.' ... Google Chrome, even if you use Incognito ...
Enable Adblock Plus in incognito or private mode
In Safari, private mode doesn't disable extensions, so there's nothing special you need to do to use Adblock Plus (ABP) in private mode. However, extensions don't always run in private or incognito mode by default.
Private Browser Incognito Mode 17+
‎Incognito is an independent private web browser that is made by a small U.S.-based group to combat corporate web browsing data collection. Incognito focuses on providing a standard web browsing experience, with incognito/anonymous features working automatically in the background, without any of th…

What Your Web Browser's Incognito Mode Really Does

How Does Incognito Mode Work?

Why Is Incognito Mode Useful?

What Doesn't Incognito Mode Do?

Sharing is Nice

Private Browser - How to use Incognito Mode in Chrome and Safari

What is private browsing?

How to enable it in Chrome

How to enable it in Safari

How does it protect you?

What it doesn't do

The Truth Behind Private Browsing or Incognito Mode

How to Use Incognito Mode

Who Coined the Term “Incognito Mode”?

1. Can I open more than one Incognito window?

2. Does Incognito Mode help secure lower prices while booking flights?

3. Does Incognito Mode protect my computer from viruses and malware?

4. Can you disable the Incognito browsing feature?

Incognito Mode: Is Private Browsing Really Private?

Check Out Our Video Guide to Private Browsing in Incognito Mode

What Is Incognito Mode?

What Does Incognito Mode Do?

What Does Incognito Mode NOT Do?

What Is Incognito Mode Mostly Used For?

Is Incognito Mode Actually Private?

Can I Be Tracked In Incognito Mode?

What Is The Disadvantage of Incognito Mode?

How To Use Incognito Mode

Google Chrome

Mozilla Firefox

Microsoft Edge

Apple Safari

Mobile Browsers

Other Browsers

Alternatives To Incognito Mode

Proxy Servers

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

Anti-Tracking Software

Related Articles

Microsoft Edge vs Chrome: Which To Choose In 2024?

6 Most Secure Browsers to Stay Safe and Protect Your Privacy

How to Clear WordPress Cache On Your Site

Private browsing: What it does – and doesn’t do – to shield you from prying eyes on the web

Disclosure statement

How it works

Reasons to use it

What it doesn’t do

What’s in a name

Dean, Faculty of Education

Lecturer in Indigenous Health (Identified)

Social Media Producer

PhD Scholarship

Senior Lecturer, HRM or People Analytics

Our Network

How to go incognito in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari

How to keep web browsing private

How to go incognito in Google Chrome

How to privately browse in Microsoft Edge

How to do private browsing in Mozilla Firefox

How to browse privately using Apple’s Safari

Related content

More from this author

Show me more

Proton launches ‘privacy-first’ alternative to Word and Google Docs

Will your business apps run on the latest Copilot+ PCs?

Podcast: Are audio AI companies infringing on musicians' rights?

Podcast: What skills will future tech leaders need?

Podcast: Is social media as dangerous as smoking?

Music companies strike back against audio AI

Skills that future tech leaders will need

Is social media usage as unhealthy as smoking?

How can we help you?

Privacy & Kids

The incognito myth: how private browsing really works

How incognito mode works

Five billion’s worth of incognito data

How websites track incognito visitors

What you should and shouldn’t do in private browsing mode

What’s better than private browsing?

E-mail attacks on the hotel business