safari incognito gone

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Private browsing option missing

When I am using my safari browser with google search the option to put the browser into privacy mode is not

I also do not have the ability to clear out the history as seen in the attached photos there is a history of searching.

iPhone 8 Plus, iOS 15

Posted on Sep 24, 2021 9:56 AM

Posted on Sep 24, 2021 11:44 AM

Do you have any restrictions turned on? See the "Prevent web content" section of Use parental controls on your child's iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

That will remove the private browsing option.

Is Private Browsing Button Grayed Out in Safari on iPhone or iPad? How to Fix It

Step #1. Open Settings → Tap on Screen Time (If you have set the passcode for Screen Time, it may ask you to enter to proceed further.)

Tap on Settings then Screen Time on iPhone or iPad

Step #2. Tap on Content & Privacy Restrictions then tap on Content Restrictions.

Tap on Content Restrictions in Screen Time Settings on iPhone or iPad

Step #3. Tap on Web Content and Select Unrestricted Access.

Step #4. If that’s selected already, tap on Limit Adult Websites and then tap on Unrestricted Access again.

Allow All Websites in Safari on iPhone or iPad

Step #5. Quit Settings and Safari (if it’s open.)

Re-open Safari and go to the tab-view (tap on +). Hopefully, you should now see the “Private mode link.

Also, within Settings → Safari, check if Clear History and Website Data is now enabled. Note that you should have visited a few websites (basically, have some history) before the link/button becomes clickable again.

That’s all, folks!

Do share your feedback with us in the comment below.

Jignesh Padhiyar is the co-founder of iGeeksBlog.com, who has a keen eye for news, rumors, and all the unusual stuff around Apple products. During his tight schedule, Jignesh finds some moments of respite to share side-splitting content on social media.

View all posts

🗣️ Our site is supported by our readers like you. When you purchase through our links, we earn a small commission. Read Disclaimer .

5 Ways to Fix Safari Private Browsing Not Available on iPhone or iPad

Dilum Senevirathne is a freelance tech writer specializing in topics related to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Microsoft Windows, and Google web apps. Besides Guiding Tech, you can read his work at iPhone Hacks, Online Tech Tips, Help Desk Geek, MakeUseOf, and Switching to Mac.

Arshmeet has been a tech tinkerer since childhood, but she realized her love for technology and writing about 5 years ago. Since then, she has been honing her skills and helping people figure out how things work, troubleshoot problems, choose the right app and products, and dig deep into the new and old concepts of technology. She is a self-professed Apple Enthusiast who loves debating what’s good and what’s not. It is her passion for finding techniques, hacks, apps, and products that make everyday life simpler.

Private Browsing , aka, the incognito mode allows you to surf the internet without leaving a trace of your online activities. Whether you want to surf the web anonymously or avoid targeted advertising, it is a useful asset. Although what if Safari Private Browsing is not available on your iPhone or iPad? Well, read along for some quick, easy, and effective solutions.

Safari_Private_Browsing_Option_Missing_on_iPhone_or_iPad

There can be a few reasons behind your Private Browsing option is missing, greyed out, or not functioning as expected. This article explores the potential reason and offers solutions to restore the Private Browsing option on Safari for iOS devices. So, let’s get going.

Best Ways to Fix Incognito Mode Not Working On iPhone

1. unlock private browsing in safari on ios 17.

Do you see a ‘Private Browsing Is Locked’ message when accessing the incognito mode. This is because the latest iOS security features introduced with iOS 17 . The feature allows you to lock Private Browsing with Face ID.

Although, it should not prevent you from using Private Browsing, a glitch might be causing the issue. To test the theory and disable the lock, open the Settings app → Safari → Privacy & Security → toggle off ‘Require Face ID to Unlock Private Browsing’.

2. Check Screen Time Restriction

While it could be caused due to a bug or a minor settings error, the key reason behind the Private Browsing option missing from your device could be content restrictions . To check it out,

Step 1 : Go to Settings → Screen Time.

Step 2 : Select ‘Content and Privacy Restrictions’.

Open Screen Time and select Content and Privacy Restrictions

Step 3 : Enter your Screen Time passcode when prompted.

Step 4 : Here, you have two options,

Toggle off Content Restrictions – However, this will completely disable all content restrictions, if you don’t want that, choose the next option.

To just disable the block on Private Browsing, go to Content Restrictions → Web Content → Unrestricted.

Tip : If you’ve forgotten the Screen Time password , you can remove it or reset it from the attached link.

Turn off Screen Time Restriction From Parent’s Device

If your device is monitored by your parent or guardian, the Screen Time restriction can only be turned off from their device.

Step 1 : On the Screen Time settings screen, tap the name of a family member under the Family section.

Step 2 : Tap the Content & Privacy Restrictions option.

Open Content Privacy Restriction for your Child

Step 3 : Here, select Web Content and select Unrestricted Access.

Unlock Private Browsing from screen time

Afterward, the family member should be able to surf anonymously in Safari. Of course, you can re-impose the restrictions at any time by following the above steps to select the Limit Adult Content option instead.

3. Restart Safari

Sometimes, minor glitches in Safari can cause the Private Browsing option to disappear. And restarting the Safari browser may effectively fix the issue.

Step 1 : Bring upon the app switcher,

On iPhone with Face ID : Swipe up from the bottom edge and pause in the center of the screen.
On iPhone with Touch ID : Double-click the Home button.

Step 2 : Here, swipe right or left to find the app.

Step 3 : Then swipe up the app, to close it.

4. Restart iPhone

Another easy to fix any bug or glitch-related problem is to restart the iPhone or iPad. To do so,

On iPhone with Face ID : Press and hold either the volume button or the side button until the power-off slider appears.
On iPhone with Touch ID : Press and hold the side button until the power-off slider appears

To switch off iPhone, drag the slider.

5. Update Safari and iOS

If restarting the device isn’t working for you, the next logical solution is to update Safari. An updated Safari could resolve the bug by itself. However, updating Safari is not that easy, it’s automatically done when you update the iOS software.

So, check if a software update is available for your device and then update. Go to Settings → General → Software Update. If an update is available, tap Download and Install.

FAQs Regarding Getting Private Tabs Back

Yes, Private Browsing works as any other Safari tab and you can open multiple private browsing tabs or windows. Notably, each private browsing session is isolated from the others, allowing you to perform different tasks simultaneously without them affecting each other.

Using private browsing should not significantly impact internet speed or performance. However, if you have many open tabs or windows, that consume a lot of system resources, the device will potentially slow down regardless of the browsing mode.

Private browsing does not offer protection against malware and viruses. It only deals with local data storage during the browsing session.

Private browsing may help bypass certain paywalls or restrictions imposed by websites that use cookies or cached data to track user visits. However, many websites have more sophisticated methods to detect and prevent paywall circumvention.

How to Restore Private Tabs on Safari

Private Browsing is an essential security feature for iOS and you should exercise the feature as regularly as possible. But if you can’t access the Private Browsing, all of this becomes a moo point. So, follow the guide and get your incognito mode fixes as soon as possible.

Was this helpful?

Last updated on 01 August, 2023

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

The article above may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. The content remains unbiased and authentic and will never affect our editorial integrity.

DID YOU KNOW

Dilum Senevirathne

How to Sync Apple Notes with OneNote

How to Check Apple Watch Battery Health

Join the newsletter.

Get Guiding Tech articles delivered to your inbox.

Your Guide to Private Browsing in Safari

Private browsing is often misunderstood, but it can be a helpful feature if you know what’s what.

Quick Links

What private browsing does in safari, how to use safari private browsing on iphone and ipad, how to use safari private browsing on a mac, how to disable safari private browsing on iphone and ipad, how to disable safari private browsing on a mac, key takeaways.

Private Browsing in Safari hides browsing history, autofill details, downloads, and locks tabs after inactivity.
Safari on Mac groups private and non-private tabs, while on iPhone it shows all tabs regardless of mode.
To use Private Browsing in Safari, identify it by a dark address bar, "Private" indicator, or "Private" next to the site URL.

Most browsers offer a private browsing mode that aims to keep the websites you view off the record. But what exactly does it do in Safari and how do you get the best out of it?

First and foremost, Private Browsing keeps the website pages you visit out of your History . The aim is to prevent someone else from seeing which pages you have visited if they have access to your phone or computer.

In Safari, Private Browsing does a lot more than just hide URLs. It also:

Prevents recent searches from showing up in your history.
Stops remembering details you enter in forms for autofill.
Keeps downloaded items from appearing in your Downloads list.
Locks private tabs after a period of inactivity.
Adds tracking and fingerprinting protection.

However, it’s important to note that Private Browsing does not stop you from being tracked altogether. Websites you visit will still be able to use various methods to track you, and will still have access to all data that you send them.

On macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, Safari groups private tabs together, and separates them from non-private tabs. On Mac, each Safari window is either private or non-private, and can have as many tabs as you want.

On iPhone, you can switch between private and non-private modes, each of which shows all tabs belonging to that mode.

You can spot when you’re viewing a private tab with these signs:

The address bar has a dark background. This may be less noticeable if you’re using Dark Mode .
On Mac, you’ll see a prominent Private indicator in the title bar.
On iPhone, you’ll see Private alongside the site URL at the bottom of your screen.

The steps to enter Private Browsing mode are nearly identical on an iPhone and iPad. The only difference is that the tab icon is at the bottom of the screen on iOS and the top on iPadOS.

Long-press the tab icon (two overlapping pages) on the bottom-right (iPhone) or top-right (iPad) of your screen.
Tap the New Private Tab menu item.
If locked, enter your passcode to unlock Private Browsing.

You can enter Private Browsing mode on macOS using either a menu item or a keyboard shortcut:

Open the File menu and choose New Private Window .
Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Cmd + n .
Use the browser as you normally would. Any tabs you open from this window will open in the same window, in private mode.

You may want to prevent users of an iPhone or iPad from using Private Browsing mode at all. To do so:

Open the Settings app.
Tap on Screen Time .
Under RESTRICTIONS , click on Content & Privacy Restrictions .
If not already enabled, press the toggle next to Content & Privacy Restrictions to enable.
Tap Content Restrictions .
Change the Web Content setting to Limit Adult Websites .

The option to enter private mode will now be gone.

On macOS, the wording of certain options differs slightly, but the overall process is near-identical to iOS:

Open System Settings via the Apple menu.
Click on Screen Time in the left panel.
Under the Restrictions section, click on Content & Privacy .
Click Content Restrictions .
Change the Access to Web Content setting to Limit Adult Websites .

Private Browsing will now be unavailable in Safari, although any existing private windows will stay open.

Of course, anyone can re-enable Private Browsing using the same process, in reverse. However, you can use Screen Time’s Lock Screen Time Settings option to set a passcode and enforce the setting permanently.

Safari Private Browsing Button Missing? Fix (iOS)

UPDATE (November, 2018): With iOS 12, Apple replaced Restrictions with Screen Time. Your Screen Time password is your Restrictions password . This means that if the Safari Private icon is missing on your iPad or iPhone, now this is because of your Screen Time settings. It is not available because your device settings restrict adult websites. You can change that easily. To change that, simply go to:

Screen Time
Content & Privacy Restrictions (you will need to enter your password, which is your old Restrictions password, if not, read this article to reset )
Content Restrcitions
Web Content (under the Web Content section)
And select “Unrestricted Access”
Now, open Safari, Safari has the private browsing option.

Private Browsing lets you browse the Internet without saving your browsing history. There may be occasions when you don’t want to leave a trace of your web browsing history.

You can easily turn on and off Private Browsing on your iPad or iPhone. Here is how:

Enable private browsing

1-Launch Safari

2-Tap the Pages icon (two squares icon).

3-Tap Private.

When you enable the Private browsing mode, you will notice that Safari appears black instead of white.

If you do not see the Private icon, here is how you can fix:

If your device is running iOS 12 or later, please see the update above.

However, blocking websites using the Restrictions menu will cause the ‘Private’ button to disappear.This means that, If you the “private” link doesn’t show up, it is highly likely that Restrictions (aka parental controls) for websites is turned on. You need to disable website restrictions. Here is how:

1- Go to Settings > General > Restrictions (enter your passcode)

2-Tap Websites

3-Select “All Websites”.

See also: How to Manage & Limit Cellular Data Usage On Your iPhone (iOS 9)

Dr. Serhat Kurt worked as a Senior Technology Director specializing in Apple solutions for small and medium-sized educational institutions. He holds a doctoral degree (or doctorate) from the University of Illinois at Urbana / Champaign and a master’s degree from Purdue University. He is a former faculty member. Here is his LinkedIn profile and Google Scholar profile . Email Serhat Kurt .

Why Does One AirPod Die Faster than the Other One and What to Do to Fix?

AirPods are very popular headphones from Apple. There are two AirPods, one ear bud for each ear. Each bud includes almost the same hardware and software. They both include the same battery. You…

How To Control-Alt-Delete On Mac

Control+Alt+Delete is a keyboard shortcut. On PC computers, when you hold down these together, you will launch the Task Manager utility and this will let you terminate an unresponsive application and shut down…

How to Make App Icons Bigger on iPhone or iPad

If you have issues distinguishing the apps on your iPhone or iPad screen when navigating through youfr device, the app icons may be too small for you. You can increase the size of…

What to Do If You Clicked a Phishing or Scam Link

Scammers target people with email or text messages and phone calls to deceive them into revealing personal or financial information like passwords, social security numbers or credit card details. Scams and phishing attempts…

WhatsApp Notifications Not Working Because It is not Listed in Settings

Some users have complained that WhatsApp notifications are not working on their iPhone. Additionally, users have said that they are unable to find WhatsApp in the Notifications list when they open Settings on…

32 Comments

I can’t find the restrictions from the general section. Is they any advice on that?

It is now Screen Time. Settings > Screen Time. Thanks

Can I say to whoever made this bright idea to have screen time on a child device is very dumb. I am just trying to live my life, why can’t I just be free and do whatever I please with my phone, I already learn what to not do, so why can’t I just be free. None of these steps ever help you have to turn it off completely which means getting ur parent device and turning it off. Plus who came up with the idea of Google WiFi? Cuz they are stupid making it block the child WiFi, so stupid cuz I can’t even be free when I don’t have work, or anything, along with Microsoft family blocking apps such as games or discord, my dad literally block Minecraft… yes you heard me right, Minecraft and I only get like 2 hours of it before it turns of and I can’t even play with my friends because of that. All I am saying is someone needs to rise up and stop this. This is unfair for the child.

I totally agree it’s helicopter parenting and completely ruins your child’s trust in you. IDK if it was my sister or my parents who turned on-screen time for me but it’s just so annoying that they feel they have the right to control someone else’s life.

Seriously like wtaf! I’m growing, I’m a teen, I’m gonna look at weird stuff, and I don’t need my parents dictating it or seeing it!

If anyone still has trouble just go to screen time click on content and privacy restrictions, content restrictions then under “web content” see if it’s on unrestricted, if it is turn it on allowed websites only, open safari for like 5 seconds fully quite Safari then go back go settings amd turn it on unrestricted it should get the private browsing back 🙂

Tried all the steps multiple times. Private mode still isn’t enabled and I cannot delete my search history even though my settings are correct.

Mine is the same way

I don’t think this is a bug. If your iphone/iPad is currently part of a family sharing mode and your parent has control over the main account and they in turn control your phone’s Screen Time through their iPhone/iPad. Then your parent will need to turn off screen time on their family sharing account for your iPhone /iPad first.This will disable private mode on your device.

I tried this and it didn’t work, so I turned off screen time altogether, then turned it back on and the private search icon came back. Don’t know if this’ll work for everyone 🙂

Bro I literally love you

I just have to say that I also have the problem and it’s really annoying, but, if you hold down the button in safari thats shows multiple windows ther’ll be an option for private browsing and you cam click that. However, since the button is gone, there’s no way to get out of private browsin and the only way is to close out of Safari completely, then it’ll go back to the regular browsing. It’s really frustrating but it’s a solution. At least your private browsing is harder to findd incase other people are looking.

I see what you mean about being quick but to be honest apple needs to fix this problem if its not an individual problem then it’s probably something that has to do with the iphone itself.

If screen time was activated, you need to deactivate it completely

I found a way to do it first power of you phone. Then turn it back on.After that go to safari at this point you have to be quick you press the tab button and then you’ll See the private button but you have to be quick and press it if the + is not there just press done make sure not to flip you phone or else it will go back

My private button has just gone too. while I was in private mode, the iPad switched itself to regular mode and private button missing

That’s what happened to mine. I was on it and switched me to normal mode. Have u been able to fix it yet? And if so how?

it still doesn’t work, the private button still isn’t there after i followed the stems and re did them about 10 times ?

same here! I can’t figure out how to fix it

Same here. Out of nowhere it just disappeared

This doesn’t work and isn’t helpful. I followed the steps and I still can’t get the private mode.

This is the second time this has disappeared on my phone and like you i can’t get it back. The last time it came back after an IOS update, but mine was there yesterday and gone today.

The same thing is happening to me! I have tried everything multiple websites have told me and it does not work. The Private Browsing button is just gone.

Same idk what to do it showed up for like 5 mins but then disappeared

Same! Mine has just disappeared. It’s nowhere to be seen. I don’t know how to fix it. Nothing is working.

Instead of clicking the + to add a new tab, click the cascaded windows icon. Private appears at the top.

The “+” with the Cascade Windows thing isn’t working. The private button is literally gone, i’ve tried everything!!

We just updated the article.

you probably already figured it out by now but just download the ggogle chrome app because that works

I’ve tried everything available On the web but settings>privacy>browsing>on device history is completely gone. My website restrictions are turned of,f I’ve updated google. My IOS is 10.1.1 I’d like to know what I’m doing wrong. Can anyone help?

Open a new tab by clicking on the cascaded window button instead of the “+” You will see PRIVATE at the top.

How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPhone, iPad & Mac

How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPhone

3. Tap Done or the “+” button to open a new private tab in Safari.

Private Browsing Window in Safari on iPhone

How to Exit Incognito Mode in Safari on iPhone

2. Tap [numbers] Tab to exit private browsing mode in Safari on iPhone.

Exit Private Browsing in Safari on iPhone

How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPad

3. You will know that you’re browsing privately in Safari as the address bar will turn dark or black, and the buttons also turn black (instead of blue).

How to Exit Incognito Mode in Safari on iPad

How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPhone, iPad & Mac

How to Go Incognito in Safari on Mac

1. Open Safari and click on File in the menu bar at the top.

Open Safari in Mac and go to File option in the Menu Bar

How to Make Incognito the Default Mode in Safari

If you are a privacy-concious user, you can choose to always start Safari in incognito mode for private browsing. When you do this, Safari is going to open a private window by default on your Mac. Here’s what you need to do:

How to Exit Private Browsing in Safari on Mac

Frequently Asked Questions

Beebom Staff

Bringing the latest in technology, gaming, and entertainment is our superhero team of staff writers. They have a keen eye for latest stories, happenings, and even memes for tech enthusiasts.

Privacy Protection: Ensuring the privacy of our online activities is of utmost importance. Opting for Utopia P2P web proxy as a private browsing solution is the best decision due to its advanced features and decentralized network, which provide comprehensive privacy protection.

Add new comment

How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPhone: A Step-by-Step Guide

Going incognito in Safari on your iPhone is a piece of cake! All you have to do is open Safari, tap on the tabs button, then tap on “Private” to switch to incognito mode. This hides your browsing history from others who might use your device. Now, let’s dive into the details.

Step by Step Tutorial: How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPhone

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s clarify what going incognito means. It means your browsing history won’t be saved, and the websites you visit won’t be able to track you as easily. Handy, right? Let’s get started.

Step 1: Open Safari

Open the Safari app on your iPhone. This is usually found on your home screen.

Once you’ve opened Safari, you should see your current tabs or your homepage, depending on how you left the app last.

Step 2: Tap the Tabs Button

Look at the bottom right corner and tap the tabs button. It looks like two overlapping squares.

This will show you all your open tabs, so you can easily switch between them or close ones you don’t need anymore.

Step 3: Tap “Private”

Now, you’ll see “Private” at the bottom left corner. Tap it to switch to incognito mode.

When you’re in Private mode, the browser interface should turn dark, signaling that your browsing is now private.

After you’ve completed these steps, your Safari browser will be in incognito mode. This means your browsing activity won’t be saved to your history, and cookies (those little data trackers) won’t be stored after you’re done. Pretty cool, right?

Tips: Enhancing Your Incognito Experience in Safari on iPhone

Always make sure you close all incognito tabs before lending your iPhone to someone else.
Remember that incognito mode doesn’t make you invisible online. Your ISP and websites can still track you.
Use a VPN alongside incognito mode for an extra layer of privacy.
Don’t forget to log out of any accounts you accessed while in incognito mode.
Be aware that bookmarks and downloads are still saved even in incognito mode.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does going incognito in safari hide my activity from my isp.

No, incognito mode doesn’t hide your activity from your Internet Service Provider. They can still see what you’re doing online.

Can I use incognito mode on a shared iPhone?

Yes, you can, but remember to close all your tabs before handing the phone back to ensure your browsing remains private.

Is incognito mode the same as a VPN?

No, a VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your data, while incognito mode just doesn’t save your browsing history.

Does Safari save my bookmarks and downloads in incognito mode?

Yes, anything you bookmark or download will still be saved on your device.

Can websites track me in incognito mode?

Some tracking can still occur in incognito mode, but it’s significantly reduced.

Open the Safari app.
Tap the tabs button.
Tap “Private” to switch to incognito mode.

There you have it, folks – a simple and straightforward way to keep your browsing on the down-low when using Safari on your iPhone. Whether you’re shopping for a surprise gift, planning a secret getaway, or just value your privacy, going incognito is the way to go. Remember, while it doesn’t make you invisible online, it’s a useful tool for maintaining a cleaner digital footprint. Plus, it’s super easy to activate. So next time you’re about to embark on a browsing adventure, why not go incognito in Safari on your iPhone and surf the web with a little more peace of mind?

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

Read his full bio here.

How to Use Safari's Private Browsing Mode

This article explains how to use Safari's Private Browsing mode, which prevents your browsing history from being logged on your Apple devices. It's a useful feature if you're buying gifts online for friends or family, for instance, and you don't want anyone with access to your devices to find out what you're up to.

Using Safari's Private Browsing Mode

Enabling Private Browsing limits Safari in three important ways: It prevents the browser from creating a history of the pages you visit, it stops AutoFill information like website usernames and passwords from being remembered, and any tabs you open won't be stored in iCloud .

Also, for added peace of mind when you browse privately, Safari automatically prevents cross-site tracking , and requests that sites and third-party content providers don't track you as a rule. Additionally, the privacy mode stops sites from modifying any information stored on your iOS device, and deletes cookies when you close the associated tab.

To enable Private Browsing in Safari, follow these steps.

Open Safari on your iPhone or iPad , tap the Pages icon (consisting of two squares) to bring up the open tabs view, and then tap the profile icon, centered at the bottom of the screen.

When you're done browsing, return to the open tabs view, individually swipe any open tabs to close them if you wish.
Tap the profile icon again, then choose your regular profile at the top. Your private browsing session is now cleared from memory.

Clearing Existing Browsing History

When you clear your browsing history on a device running iOS 11 or higher, the same logs are cleared on any other devices signed into your ‌iCloud‌ account. The following methods also clear all cookies and web data on the device you're currently using, although AutoFill information remains unchanged.

The first method outlined below allows you to either limit the clearing of history, cookies and website data to a specific timeframe, or to delete your existing web history altogether.

Open Safari and with a tab open, tap the Bookmarks icon (the open book) located at the bottom of the screen.
Tap the tab at the top of the screen with a clock symbol, and you'll see a history of your browsing activity.
To remove instances of recorded visits to specific web pages, swipe leftwards across individual logs in the list and tap the red delete button that appears.
To delete the entire browsing history list, tap Clear .
Choose the timeframe to clear ( Last hour , Today , Today and yesterday , or All history ), choose the profile or select All Profiles , then tap Clear History .

The second method of wiping your browsing history might be considered the 'nuke' option, since it clears all history, cookies and website data on that device, regardless of when the sites were accessed.

Open the Settings app and scroll down to Safari in the list.

And that's it. Note that these built-in Safari features only make you safer from discovery by other people in the same household.

If your privacy concerns extend to a desire for enhanced security and anonymity online, consider subscribing to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service that offers an iOS client or supports OpenVPN ( Private Internet Access and ProtonVPN are two popular options), and using a Tor-powered browser for iOS .

Get weekly top MacRumors stories in your inbox.

Top Rated Comments

This article explains how to use Safari's Private Browsing mode, which prevents your browsing history from being logged on your Apple devices. It's a useful feature if you're buying gifts online for friends or family, for instance, and you don't want anyone with access to your devices to find out what you're up to.

I can really use this info, because I’m always “buying gifts”. ;) :cool:

Apple Apologizes for 'Crush' iPad Pro Ad, Won't Put It on TV

OpenAI Announces ChatGPT App for Mac, GPT-4 for Free, and More

Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue Face ID Single Camera Hole

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.5 With Cross-Platform Tracking Detection, EU App Downloads From Websites and More

Apple Releases tvOS 17.5

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.5 With Apple News+ Improvements

Next article.

Our comprehensive guide highlighting every major new addition in iOS 17, plus how-tos that walk you through using the new features.

Apple News+ improvements, cross-platform tracker alerts, website app downloads for the EU, and more.

Get the most out your iPhone 15 with our complete guide to all the new features.

A deep dive into new features in macOS Sonoma, big and small.

Revamped models with OLED displays and M4 chip, plus Apple Pencil Pro and redesigned Magic Keyboard accessories.

Updated 11-inch model and new 13-inch model, both with M2 chip.

Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference will kick off with a keynote on June 10.

Expected to see new AI-focused features and more. Preview coming at WWDC in June with public release in September.

How To : Safari's Private Browsing Mode Just Made Your Private Tabs Way More Private on iOS 17

Private Browsing mode finally lives up to its name in Apple's huge Safari 17 update for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. So whether you search for things you don't want anybody to know about or want to ensure websites and trackers aren't eavesdropping on your activity, you'll want to update your devices pronto.

By default, each tab in Safari's Private Browsing mode on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS is its own environment, isolated from your other tabs, so websites can't track your activity from the current tab to another session. You also won't see any recent private searches suggested when performing new searches in other tabs.

Don't Miss: 15+ New Apple Notes Features for iPhone and iPad That Will Finally Make It Your Go-To Notes App

Private tabs do not sync with iCloud, so they won't show up on your other Apple devices, and they won't work with Handoff or show downloaded files in Safari's downloads list. Once you close a Private Browsing tab, Safari forgets the pages you visited, your search history, your AutoFill information, and any new cookies or website data from the session.

But incognito browsing in Safari has even more protection available with the iOS 17 , iPadOS 17 , and macOS 14 Sonoma software updates. Here's everything you get with the new for-you-eyes-only browsing experience:

1. Face ID, Touch ID, or Password Protection

Safari's Private Browsing mode is now protected behind biometric authentication or your device passcode or password. So whenever you switch to Private Browsing from regular browsing or return to it from another app or window, you'll need to authenticate yourself using Face ID or Touch ID on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

If the biometrics scan doesn't work or your device is not equipped with biometric protection, you can use your device's passcode or password instead.

While it's more useful on iPad and Mac, devices frequently shared between family members or housemates, it can also ensure no one can access your locked incognito tabs on your iPhone whenever someone borrows it or hacks into it.

If Private Browsing is not locked on your device or you want to disable it, you can quickly turn it on or off.

On iPhone/iPad: Go to Settings –> Safari –> Privacy & Security, toggle on or off "Require Face ID to Unlock Private Browsing" or "Require Touch ID to Unlock Private Browsing," and confirm with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. ( Shown below. )
On Mac: Go to Safari –> Settings –> Privacy, then check or uncheck "Require Touch ID to view locked tabs" or "Require password to view locked tabs."

2. A Separate Search Engine

You could already change Safari's search engine on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, but now you can choose separate search engines for regular and private browsing.

For example, you may like Google as your regular search engine, but you may want something like DuckDuckGo, which does not build user profiles and aims to prevent online tracking, as your search engine for Private Browsing mode. This can make Private Browsing even more private.

On iPhone/iPad: Go to Settings –> Safari –> Private Search Engine, then choose the one you want. ( Shown below. )
On Mac: Go to Safari –> Settings –> Search, click the browser next to "Private Browsing search engine," and choose the one you want.

You can choose between "Use Default Search Engine" or any available search engine, including Google, Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuck Go, and Ecosia. If you have additional languages installed on your device, you may see other options, such as Baidu, Sogou, Yandex, and 360 Search.

3. Protection Against Extensions That Access Page Content

Before, any Safari extensions you had turned on for regular browsing also applied to Private Browsing mode. Now, "extensions that inject scripts or can read information about the pages [you visit]" are disabled by default in Private Browsing mode on iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS 14 Sonoma, according to Apple.

In contrast, content blockers and other extensions that don't access any content on webpages are allowed in Private Browsing mode by default. This is because they don't pose any additional privacy or security concerns.

4. Customization Options for Extensions

As you could probably guess from the previous section, Safari 17 now lets you toggle extensions on or off for Private Browsing mode without affecting their status in regular browsing mode. So if you ever want to turn on an extension that Safari automatically disabled for Private Browsing, you can do that. And you can turn off any extension in Private Browsing you don't want or need when searching incognito.

On iPhone/iPad: Go to Settings –> Safari –> Extensions, tap an extension, and toggle the "Private Browsing" switch on or off. ( Shown below. )
On Mac: Go to Safari –> Settings –> Extensions, click on an extension, and toggle "Private Browsing" on or off.

When an extension is completely disabled, you won't be able to turn it on for Private Browsing alone. But when enabled on your "Personal" profile , you can turn it on or off for Private Browsing and any of your other profiles .

5. Automatic Tracker Blocking on Websites

Safari 17 has more advanced tracking and fingerprinting protection. In Private Browsing mode, it completely blocks known trackers from loading on pages.

6. Automatic Removal of Tracking IDs in Links

Safari 17 also includes Link Tracking Protection automatically for Private Browsing. Link Tracking Protection disables known tracking parameters appended to URLs that websites use to monitor your movements across the web and build profiles on you. For example, it may turn this:

To ensure it's enabled for Private Browsing, follow the applicable instructions below.

On iPhone/iPad: Go to Settings –> Safari –> Advanced –> Advanced Tracking and Fingerprint Protection, then choose either "All Browsing" or "Private Browsing." ( Shown below. )
On Mac: Go to Safari –> Settings –> Advanced, click "in Private Browsing" next to "Use advanced tracking and fingerprinting protection," and change it to "in all browsing" or "in Private Browsing."

Link Tracking Protection is an improvement in privacy, for sure, but it's not going to stop all marketing companies as there are ways to bypass parameter removals.

Other New Safari Features Also Work in Private Browsing

While the above features improve privacy when using Private Browsing mode, you can also use many of the other new features Safari has to offer when browsing incognito. Features that work in regular browsing that also work in Private Browsing include speedier Tab Group switching, faster and more relevant search suggestions, the new screen reader, and more.

Just updated your iPhone? You'll find new emoji, enhanced security, podcast transcripts, Apple Cash virtual numbers, and other useful features. There are even new additions hidden within Safari. Find out what's new and changed on your iPhone with the iOS 17.4 update.

Be the First to Comment

Share your thoughts, how to : 7 hidden iphone apps you didn't know existed, how to : apple's ios 17.5 gives your iphone 32 new features and changes — here's everything you need to know about, how to : apple has a killer new word game puzzle called quartiles on ios 17.5, how to : apple's repair mode for ios makes prepping your iphone to be fixed easier and more secure, how to : 11 big new features for apple news on your iphone with ios 17.5, how to : 15 iphone tips for busy users to maximize your productivity, how to : 34 new features and changes for your iphone on ios 17.4, how to : trigger imessage effects with just a keyword, how to : unlock your iphone's secret apple tv remote app for home screen, app library, siri, and more — no control center needed, how to : make siri say whatever you want every time you connect your iphone to a charger, how to : the easiest way to secretly record someone's conversation with your iphone, how to : there's a hidden app on your iphone — one that won't show up on your home screen or app library, how to : use this trick to quickly access spotlight search from anywhere on your iphone, how to : 16 harry potter spells for siri that turn your iphone into a magical elder wand, how to : turn any website into a full-screen app on your iphone, how to : see your iphone's actual signal strength for cellular reception, how to : hide private photos on your iphone, how to : completely close out running applications on your iphone, warning : sensitive info you black out in images can be revealed with a few quick edits on your iphone, how to : dial these secret codes to see if someone is hijacking calls & texts on your iphone.

All Features
All Hot Posts

Stream Your Favorite Sports
Where to Watch WNBA Games

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

Incognito mode doesn't block or mask your IP address but it does prevent a browser from recording session data

How to Turn on Incognito Mode in Google Chrome

While surfing the web incognito in Google Chrome, the browser doesn't save your history or other private data. To open a private browsing session in Chrome, follow these steps:

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

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 .

To exit Incognito mode, close the browser window or tabs.

To activate Chrome Incognito Mode on an iOS device , tap Menu > New Incognito Tab . On an Android device, tap More > New Incognito Tab .

How to Use InPrivate Browsing in Microsoft Edge

The Microsoft Edge browser in Windows 10 allows incognito browsing through the InPrivate Browsing function.

Open the Edge browser and select the More Actions menu (three dots).

Select New InPrivate Window .

On a Windows computer, use the Ctrl + Shift + P keyboard shortcut to enter an InPrivate Browsing window quickly.

A window opens, explaining the Edge InPrivate Browsing mode.

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

To enter InPrivate Browsing mode in Edge on an iOS or Android device, select the Tabs icon and then tap InPrivate .

How to Turn on Private Browsing in Firefox

Incognito browsing in Mozilla Firefox is called Private Browsing mode. Here's how to activate the feature:

Select the Firefox Menu (three vertical lines), and then choose New Private Window .

A Firefox private browsing window opens.

To quickly open a Firefox Private Browsing window, press Shift + Command + P on a Mac or Control + Shift + P on a Windows PC.

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 .

To enter Firefox Private Browsing mode on an iOS device, tap the Tabs icon at the bottom of the screen, and then tap the Mask icon. On an Android device, tap the Mask icon at the top of the screen.

How to Enter Incognito Browsing in Apple Safari

Safari is the default browser for macOS. Here's how to enter the Safari Private Browsing mode:

Open Safari on a Mac.

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

Press Shift + Command + N to quickly open a private browsing 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 .

How to Open a Private Window in Opera

The Opera web browser's incognito mode is called Private mode. Here's how it works:

Open Opera on a PC or Mac.

To quickly open a private window in Opera, press Ctrl + Shift + N on a Windows PC or Command + Shift + N on a Mac.

A window that explains Opera's Private mode appears.

To open a link in Private mode in Opera, right-click it (or press Control + Click on a Mac) and select Open in New Private Window .

To enter Private mode in the Opera iOS mobile browser, tap the More (three horizontal lines) menu and select Private Mode .

Private browsing prevents other users from seeing your internet history. It also blocks 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
Use Private Browsing Mode in Opera for Desktop
How to Use Firefox Private Browsing
How to Change Settings in iOS Dolphin
How to Change the Default Search Engine in Chrome for iOS
How to Activate InPrivate Browsing Mode in IE 10
How to Use Incognito Mode in Google Chrome
The Top 10 Internet Browsers for 2024
4 Ways of Transferring Files From Android to Mac
How to Stop Pop-Up Ads on Android
How to Activate InPrivate Browsing Mode in IE
How to Turn on Private Browsing on Your iPad
How to Go Incognito on Chromebook
Managing History and Other Private Data in Safari for macOS
The 7 Best Android Browsers of 2024
How to Increase Web Browser Security

PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
EDIT Edit this Article
EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
Browse Articles
Learn Something New
Quizzes Hot
This Or That Game
Train Your Brain
Explore More
Support wikiHow
About wikiHow
Log in / Sign up
Computers and Electronics

7 Easy Ways to Activate Incognito Mode in a Web Browser

Last Updated: May 10, 2024 Fact Checked

Google Chrome on Desktop

Google chrome on mobile, safari on desktop, safari on mobile, microsoft edge, mozilla firefox on desktop, mozilla firefox on mobile.

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly . Rain Kengly is a wikiHow Technology Writer. As a storytelling enthusiast with a penchant for technology, they hope to create long-lasting connections with readers from all around the globe. Rain graduated from San Francisco State University with a BA in Cinema. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,897,740 times. Learn more...

If you want to browse the web privately, you can go into incognito mode with your web browser. This will allow you to browse without saving your internet history, both on desktop and on mobile platforms. If your computer's administrator has disabled incognito mode for your browsers, you will not be able to turn on (or find the option to turn on) incognito mode. This wikiHow will show you how to enable private browsing using incognito mode on your Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android devices.

Browsing in Incognito Mode

Safari on Mac: Click "File" in the top left, then select "New Private Window."
Safari on iPhone: Tap the "Tabs" icon in the bottom-right corner. Go to "Tabs" > "Private" > "+."
Google Chrome on PC or Android: Click the verticle "..." in the upper right corner, then "New incognito window" or "New incognito tab."

Install Google Chrome if you haven't done so already.

If you don't see this option, incognito browsing may be restricted in your Chrome browser.
Once you close your incognito tab, any downloads and page-viewing history from your private browsing session will be erased.
You can also use the keyboard shortcut CTRL + Shift + N (Windows) or Command + Shift + N (Mac) to open a new incognito window.

Google Chrome is available for iOS in the App Store and for Android in the Google Play Store .

On iOS devices, this will look like ••• in the bottom-right corner.

The incognito window has a darker color scheme than a standard Chrome tab.
You can switch back and forth between the regular Chrome and an incognito window by tapping the numbered square at the top of the screen and swiping left or right.
To exit incognito mode, tap the numbered box at the top (Android) or at the bottom-right (iOS). Tap the X on the incognito tabs you want to close. Then, tap the numbered box beside the incognito icon on the top to switch to regular browsing.

Safari's Private Window has a darker color scheme than a standard browsing window.
You can also use the keyboard shortcut Command + Shift + N to open a new private window.
Click the red circle in the top-left corner to close the Private Window.

Make sure to update your iOS device .

A pop-up menu will open.

To exit Private Browsing mode, click the "Tabs" icon in the bottom-right corner. Tap X or swipe left on any incognito tabs you want to remove. Tap Private , then Tabs in the pop-up menu.

Closing the InPrivate window will take you back to your regular browsing window.
You can also use the keyboard shortcut CTRL + Shift + N (Windows) or Command + Shift + N (Mac) to open a new InPrivate window.

Download Firefox if you haven't done so already.

You can also use the keyboard shortcut CTRL + Shift + P (Windows) or Command + Shift + P (Mac) to open a new incognito window.

Firefox is available for iOS in the App Store and for Android in the Google Play Store.

On Android, tap the Incognito mode icon underneath the address bar. This resembles a mask. You'll activate Incognito mode immediately.

Community Q&A

Browsing in incognito mode will not prevent your employer, Internet service provider, or any spyware that may be installed on your computer from seeing your search history. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

↑ https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95464?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop#:~:text=You%20can%20also%20use%20a,Press%20%E2%8C%98%20%2B%20Shift%20%2B%20n .
↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203036#:~:text=How%20to%20turn%20on%20Private,Tap%20Private%20%2C%20then%20tap%20Done .

About This Article

To activate incognito mode on Chrome for your desktop, start by opening Chrome and clicking the 3 vertical periods in the top right corner of the screen. From here, click “New incognito window” to prompt a new Chrome window to open in incognito mode. Once you close your incognito tab, any downloads or pages viewed will be erased from your history. If you prefer, use the keyboard shortcut to enable incognito viewing by pressing “control,” “shift,” and “N” in Windows or “Command,” “Shift,” and “N” on a Mac. To enable incognito mode on your mobile device, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

Send fan mail to authors

Is this article up to date?

Featured Articles

Watch Articles

Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Do Not Sell or Share My Info
Not Selling Info

wikiHow Tech Help Pro:

Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve

Incognito mode: what it is, what it does and doesn’t do

Is Private browsing really private and anonymous as you think?

A smartphone screen showing the Google Chrome Incognito Mode homepage

Over the last few years, the issue around online privacy has become a common focus for both tech companies, governments and users.

From new laws regulating how personal data can be collected and used, to security software like the best antivirus and VPN services preventing people's most sensitive information from going into the wrong hands: everyone is seemingly more aware about the risks of surfing the web.

Even web browsers are doing their part. Regardless if you are using Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Opera, or others – they all give you the possibility to keep your browsing activities more secret.

Most known as Incognito mode or Private browsing, it's a handy feature to easily limit the data your browser collects about you. Each session is like a new, clean slate that gets wiped out as soon as you close it.

However, going Incognito is not as private and anonymous as most users may think. As a 2018 research found out , there are plenty of misconceptions about the degree of protection gained from Private browsing.

Let's then debunk some myths and understand the real advantages you can enjoy when switching to Incognito mode on your favorite browser.

Malwarebytes Premium is today's best anti-malware tool Save 25% on your security: Sometimes free software just isn't enough. Malwarebytes Premium is reasonably priced and uses heuristic analysis to identify new strains of malware, cleans up existing infections, helps protect you from phishing scams, and helps stop you downloading further malicious software.

Save 25%| $33.74

What is Incognito mode?

Depending on your browser, the feature will have a different name. Google Chrome calls it Incognito mode; Private browsing is how Mozilla Firefox , Opera and Apple Safari refer to it; InPrivate mode is the chosen term for Microsoft Edge .

Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox

Get the hottest deals available in your inbox plus news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more from the TechRadar team.

Different denominations, but the same result. Turn on the option to get a blank slate that keeps your browsing history more private.

That's because an Incognito window doesn't record the web pages you visit . Likewise, cookies - text files stored on a device to collect personal data - will be deleted once the session is terminated . It will also automatically log you out from your accounts while halting browser extensions in use.

Besides web browsers, there are a few other services offering an Incognito mode. These include Reddit, YouTube, Google Maps, and Google Play Store.

Why use Incognito mode?

The biggest difference between Private browsing and a normal session is that both your browser and the sites you visit won't remember you once the Incognito window gets closed.

This degree of secrecy can be really useful in some circumstances.

For instance, it gives you the possibility to sign in to multiple accounts simultaneously . That's quite handy for those users wishing to keep their work and personal activities separate.

You may want to open an Incognito window every time you access the internet from a device that doesn't belong to you . As your browsing history will be deleted, no one would be able to go back to your searches.

Similarly, Private browsing is perfect if you want to keep secret some sensitive queries. This can be as you're looking for the best gift for your partner, or some health issues related searches you don't wish to have a record of.

Many users also go in Incognito to get the best deals on flights and hotel rooms . As the site cannot remember you, it won't be able to apply price hikes to returning customers.

Google Chrome Incognito mode opening window

What Incognito does not protect

Despite being useful for some use cases, the protection gained from Private browsing is quite limited.

Firstly, an Incognito window cannot grant you anonymity online. That's mainly because it doesn't hide your IP address nor encrypt your internet traffic . This means that your ISP, school or work place can still snoop on your browsing activities.

Incognito mode offers very narrow security protections, too. It doesn't prevent you from infecting your device with a malware . What's more, cookies and other web trackers can still collect your data while the session is open.

In 2020, Google was actually being sued for tracking users surfing in Incognito mode. While a 2019 research revealed that more than 90% of pages visited in Private mode leaked people's data to third parties.

Closing a private session won't erase all traces of your browsing activities from your device, either. The file you download or pages you bookmark will remain on your device even after you close an Incognito window.

Likewise, your online activities will be recorded every time you log into your accounts - whether this is your social media page, Amazon or Google profile.

How to really browse safely

As we have seen, Incognito mode or Private browsing can protect your data just until a certain extent. To really secure your identity and device when surfing the web, you need to equip yourself with some additional tools.

1. Protect your device with an antivirus software

A reliable antivirus software should be the first step of your defense plan against malware . That's because it can create a layer of protection between your device and the files you download or the pages you visit. It generally works by regularly scanning your smartphone or computer looking out for viruses, rootkit, spyware and other types of malware.

If you're new to the world of antivirus, Malwarebytes might be just the right service for you. As our cybersecurity expert Mike Williams pointed out in his review, Malwarebytes is perfect for newbies as "it's all very straightforward." Its focus on fundamentals and usability is indeed the area where the software shines the most. You can either opt for its free version, paid Premium plan or Privacy bundle for a multifaceted defense strategy.

2. Secure your anonymity with a VPN

Short for virtual private network, a VPN is your best bet to boost your anonymity online. That's because it masks your identity and real location, while encrypting all the data in transit inside its VPN tunnel . As for how the software works, there is a wide array of additional benefits of using a VPN too. It is worth noting, though, that some web trackers will still be able to track down some of your activities.

There are tons of VPN services out there, but not all of them have the same privacy and security features in place. Our number one recommendation in terms of security and performance is ExpressVPN . If you're not ready to invest money on it, make sure to check our guide to the best free VPN around right now. Many of these apps can bring more harm than good unless carefully chosen.

3. Add an extra layer of security using Tor browser

Even though full anonymity and bulletproof security is something impossible to achieve, Tor browser can get you very close to it. Even better as it's 100% free to use. Built on the so-called onion routing, it routes the traffic through at least three servers and encrypts the data each step of the way. You can even combine the use of Tor with your usual VPN software, too. Proton VPN , for example, has done an impressive job to facilitate the integration between the two softwares.

Beware that these additional encryption layers might slow down your connection speeds. So, we recommend using Tor only when your privacy is paramount. For your everyday activities, you might want to consider one of the best anonymous browsers instead. Above all, Mozilla Firefox is a reliable choice thanks to its enhanced security features.

4. Choose your privacy, switching to a private search engine

If securing your browser is an important step, so is opting for a privacy-focused search engine. Our favorite right now is probably DuckDuckGo . Despite being minimalistic compared to its more popular counterparts, it promises not to store any of your personal information ever. Plus, it doesn't allow ads to follow your activities from site to site.

There are also alternatives. For example, one of the best cheap VPN providers, Surfshark , is offering its own Search software with its Surfshark One security bundle. Neeva is then another private and ad-free search engine, developed by an ex-Google Head of Ads to bring back user-first search.

5. Stay on top of your digital hygiene

Employing a diverse range of security software is just the starting point for being more private online. Being aware of how different websites track you down and how to minimize that is another important step to stay on top of your digital hygiene.

Things like regularly erasing your cookies history, using privacy-friendly browser extensions and customizing the data you share with your apps are all tactics to boost your privacy. We wrote more in depth about the ways to browse the web anonymously here .

Discover all of today's best internet security suite with our guide

Chiara is a multimedia journalist committed to covering stories to help promote the rights and denounce the abuses of the digital side of life—wherever cybersecurity, markets and politics tangle up. She mainly writes news, interviews and analysis on data privacy, online censorship, digital rights, cybercrime, and security software, with a special focus on VPNs, for TechRadar Pro, TechRadar and Tom’s Guide. Got a story, tip-off or something tech-interesting to say? Reach out to [email protected]

Microsoft Edge looks to be getting more AI - this time it should help make the browser look better

Love Chrome’s Memory Saver tool? Google will soon give you more control over how aggressive it is

The 7 biggest AI announcements from Google I/O 2024 – from Gemini to Project Astra

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, most popular authors.

Show me more

Windows 10: a guide to the updates.

Apple reports on its forever war against App Store fraud

Microsoft looks to ease the shift to hybrid work with its Places app

Is AI crushing creativity, or creating mediocrity?

Why AI hallucinations are here to stay

Why tech workers are struggling to find jobs

Elon Musk lays off Supercharger team

Safari User Guide

Get started
Go to a website
Bookmark web pages to revisit
See your favourite websites
Use tabs for web pages
Import bookmarks and passwords
Pay with Apple Pay
Autofill credit card info
View links from friends
Keep a Reading List
Hide ads when reading
Translate a web page
Download items from the web
Add passes to Wallet
Save part or all of a web page
Print or create a PDF of a web page
Interact with text in a picture
Change your home page
Customise a start page
Create a profile
Block pop-ups
Make Safari your default web browser
Hide your email address
Manage cookies
Clear your browsing history
Browse privately
Prevent cross-site tracking
See who tried to track you
Change Safari settings
Keyboard and other shortcuts

Browse privately in Safari on Mac

When you browse privately , the details of your browsing aren’t saved, and the websites you visit aren’t shared with your other Apple devices.

A private Safari window with its dark Smart Search field, and a normal Safari window with its light Smart Search field.

Open Safari for me

Browse privately one time

A private browsing window has a dark Smart Search field with white text.

Browse as you normally would.

When you use Private Browsing:

Browsing initiated in one tab is isolated from browsing initiated in another tab, so websites you visit can’t track your browsing across multiple sessions.

Web pages you visit and your AutoFill information aren’t saved.

Your open web pages aren’t stored in iCloud , so they aren’t shown when you view all your open tabs from other Apple devices.

Your recent searches aren’t included in the results list when you use the Smart Search field.

Items you download aren’t included in the downloads list. (The items do remain on your computer.)

If you use Handoff , private browsing windows aren’t handed off to your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or other Mac computers.

Changes to your cookies and website data aren’t saved.

Websites can’t modify information stored on your Mac, so services normally available at such sites may work differently until you use a non-private window.

Note: None of the above applies in non-private Safari windows you may have open.

Always browse privately

Click the “Safari opens with” pop-up menu, then choose “A new private window”.

Open Desktop & Dock settings for me

Stop browsing privately

Do any of the following to further enhance privacy:

Delete any items you downloaded while using private windows.

When you use Private Browsing, “Use advanced tracking and fingerprinting protection” is turned on by default. This setting blocks connections to data collection companies that use advanced fingerprinting techniques (a way of identifying your device based on data gathered while you browse) and known tracking parameters are removed from all URLs. You can turn this setting on for all browsing; see Change Advanced settings in Safari . Some website features may be affected when advanced tracking and fingerprinting protection is turned on. If the website you’re viewing is affected, choose View > Reload Reducing Privacy Protections.

Besides using private windows, you can manage cookies and data stored by all websites and prevent cross-site tracking .

If you forget to use a private window, you can clear your browsing history .

Ask App Sliced > Mac

How Do I Turn On Incognito Mode In Safari?

How do I browse the web in incognito from Safari?

- Asked by Rick K. December 26th, 2013 (Updated: December 21st, 2020 )

Safari for Mac's version of Google Chrome incognito mode is called Private Browsing . This prevents Safari from remembering your page visit history, cookies, or autofill information. To get started with Private Browsing, go to File > New Private Window . Close the window when you are done to exist Private Browsing mode.

For older Macs using OS X Mavericks (10.9) or earlier , launch Safari and go from the Safari menu to Private Browsing. When you're done, go back to Safari > Private Browsing to disable it. Note that you cannot have windows open simultaneously with Private Browsing enabled and disabled. This is only available in newer versions of Safari.

Again, the main benefit when using Incognito Mode in Google Chrome or Private Mode in Safari is that your browsing and search history will automatically deleted at the end of the session. Cookies are also removed at the end of the session.

Private Browsing is also available for iOS. In Safari for iOS , you can switch to Private by pressing the "Private" button on the "new tab" screen. If you're not sure how to get to the "new tab" screen, tap the icon that looks like two squares stacked on another. It can be found at the bottom left corner of the screen in Safari for iPhone and the top right corner in Safari for iPad.

Alternatively, there is a shortcut in iOS to open a new Private tab. Tap and hold on the Tabs icon (again, the one that looks like two squares) and a menu will appear that includes an option for New Private Tab.

You can also use this same menu to close a single tab or close every tab you have open. The Close All Tabs option is especially useful for Safari users that have accumulated tens or hundreds tabs.

And be aware that despite the benefits of private browsing, your internet service provider (ISP) or any nefarious actors can still spy on online activities, so it's not completely secure. For truly anonymous web browsing, try using a VPN service like Private Internet Access or ExpressVPN.

Filed Under: Safari , OS X Mavericks , Private Browsing

Cicadas spotted in Missouri as Brood XIX continues to emerge: See latest on sightings, US map

2024 is the year of the cicada , and that is definitely the case in Missouri, where one brood has started to emerge en masse.

Missouri is one of 17 states expected to see cicadas this year, part of a rare, double brood event . The 13-year Brood XIX emerges every 13 years, and will be found in more states, including Missouri, than the 17-year Brood XIII, although both are expected to emerge in Illinois and Iowa.

They have been underground for the last 13 or 17 years, waiting for the right conditions to emerge, feed, mate and die, where the next generation will then head underground to start the cycle all over again.

Like it or not, Brood XIX cicadas have already been spotted above ground, with many more coming soon. Here's what you should know.

Cicada map 2024: Latest on Broods XIII and XIX as sightings are reported across the South

When are cicadas expected to emerge in Missouri?

According to Cicada Mania , the insects begin emerge when the soil 8 inches underground reaches 64 degrees, and are often triggered by a warm rain.

Cicada nymphs will open half inch-wide holes in the soil surface in late April, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation, and in early May, they emerge from the soil, climb on trees and shed their exoskeletons.

Emergence dates may vary around the country, but Brood XIX has already been spotted across parts of the Southeast and is expected to emerge more broadly around the eastern U.S. by mid-May.

Which cicada brood is in Missouri?

Missouri is expected to only see one of the broods emerging this year: Brood XIX.

The brood last emerged in 2011, and after 2024, is set to emerge again in 2037.

Besides Missouri, Brood XIX will also be found this year in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee.

Where have cicadas been reported in Missouri?

Brood XIX cicadas have already been spotted a few places in Missouri, according to Cicada Safari , a cicada tracking app by Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio. They have been spotted in the state along the Missouri/Arkansas border, near Columbia in central Missouri and near St. Louis in the east.

The Cicada Safari app allows users to submit pictures and video of cicadas in their area, which builds an interactive map tracking the species as they emerge this year.

So far, Cicada Safari users have reported seeing Brood XIX in states including Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and Missouri.

2024 cicada map: Check out where Broods XIII, XIX will emerge

The two cicada broods will emerge in a combined 17 states across the Southeast and Midwest, with Illinois and Iowa expected to host both.

What's so special about the two broods coming out at the same time?

Trillions of Brood XIX and Brood XIII periodical cicadas will emerge this year and stay above ground for a few weeks, where they will eat, mate and die, and new offspring will move underground to wait for another 13 or 17 years.

While both annual and periodical cicadas come out in various areas every year, it is rare for two different broods to emerge at the same time.

Brood XIII (13) has a 17-year life cycle, and last emerged in 2007. Like the other brood, they will begin to emerge in their area once the soil 8 inches underground reaches 64 degrees, and are also often triggered by a warm rain. They will be found in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Broods XIX and XIII last emerged together 221 years ago in 1803 , when Thomas Jefferson was president and there were only 17 states in the Union. After this year, they are not expected to emerge again at the same time until 2245.

Samford University
Advisory Board
Dean's Welcome
Hodges Chapel
Samford & Birmingham
Why Beeson?
Application Process
Preview Day
Scholarships & Tuition
Visit Campus
Alumni Events
Placement Services
Update Contact Info
Center for Women in Ministry
Global Center
Institute of Anglican Studies
Lay Academy
Preaching Institute
Thriving Pastors Initiative
Community Worship
Beeson Magazine
Chapel Messages
Faculty Lectures

From the Archives: A Good Snake Gone Bad

https://www.samford.edu/beeson-divinity/podcast/audio/beeson-podcast-episode-014-robinson-sermon.mp3

For our summer podcast series, we'll be examining previous episodes of the Beeson podcast focused on preaching. In this episode, first published in 2011, founding dean Timothy George and longtime professor Robert Smith Jr. analyze Haddon Robinson's sermon "A Good Snake Gone Bad." This sermon on 2 Kings 18:4 was preached at the Beeson Pastors School.

For more stories like this be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook !

Cookie Preferences | Privacy Policy | Software Plugins

Microsoft Excel®

Microsoft Power Point®

Microsoft Word®

Adobe Portable Document Format

We use cookies to improve our site, personalize content and serve more relevant advertising on other platforms. We do not sell visitor data. View our privacy policy. Accept Preferences

Necessary cookies are not collected for this site.
Preference cookies allow this site to remember your choices.
Performance cookies provide vital information for troubleshooting problems and improving the user experience. They are anonymized and do not personally identify you.

IMAGES

How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPhone, iPad & Mac
How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPhone, iPad & Mac
How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPhone, iPad & Mac
How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPhone, iPad & Mac
How to Enable Incognito Mode in Safari for iOS 15, iPadOS
How To Go Incognito in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari

VIDEO

How to Open Incognito Mode in MacBook
Incognito mode by default in Google Chrome
How to disable Incognito on Safari
How to open an incognito window in Safari on your iPhone
How To Turn Incognito On Safari Private Mode on iPhone
Cómo PONER MODO INCOGNITO en Safari en iPhone

COMMENTS

Private browsing option missing
Sep 24, 2021 10:02 AM in response to iwant97. With iOS 15 on an iPhone, open Safari, tap the the new page icon at the bottom right of the screen, tap Start Page down arrow at the bottom center of the screen, tap Private. Private browsing option missing. .
Browse the web privately in Safari on iPhone
Open the Safari app on your iPhone. Tap . Swipe right on the tab bar at the bottom of the screen until Private Browsing opens, then tap Unlock. To exit Private Browsing, tap , then swipe left to open a Tab Group from the menu at the bottom of your screen. The websites you have open in Private Browsing stay open, and Private Browsing locks.
How to Fix Private Browsing Missing in Safari on iPhone ...
Turns out, "Restrictions" plays a role in enabling/disabling the "Private" mode link in Safari's tab-view. If you have website restrictions enabled, there's a possibility that the private mode link will be hidden. Sometimes it looks like a bug too but anyway, here's how to fix the missing Private link in Safari.
Ways to fix Safari Private Browsing Not Available on iPhone or iPad
Step 1: Bring upon the app switcher, On iPhone with Face ID: Swipe up from the bottom edge and pause in the center of the screen. On iPhone with Touch ID: Double-click the Home button. Step 2 ...
How to Enable Safari Private Browsing Mode in iOS 15 [2 Ways ...
Method 2: Turn on Private Browsing Mode from Safari Tab Menu in iOS 15. Open Safari on your iPhone and tap on the tabs icon at the bottom right corner of the screen. Now, tap on the " X Tabs " option located at the bottom center and choose Private . Next, tap on the "+" button located on the left to open a new private tab and start ...
How to Use Private Browsing in Safari on Mac, iPhone, or iPad
Open the Safari app on your iPhone or iPad, then tap the Tabs button in the bottom-right corner to view your open pages. In the bottom-left corner, tap Private to enable private browsing mode. Then tap the Add ( +) button to open a private browsing window. Tap the Tabs button in the bottom-right corner.
Your Guide to Private Browsing in Safari
The steps to enter Private Browsing mode are nearly identical on an iPhone and iPad. The only difference is that the tab icon is at the bottom of the screen on iOS and the top on iPadOS. Long-press the tab icon (two overlapping pages) on the bottom-right (iPhone) or top-right (iPad) of your screen. Tap the New Private Tab menu item.
How to Turn on Safari Private Browsing on iPhone: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step 3: Enable Private Browsing. Find the "Private" option at the bottom left of the screen and tap it. Once you tap "Private," you'll notice the color of the browser interface changes, indicating that you're now in Private Browsing Mode.
Safari Private Browsing Button Missing? Fix (iOS) • macReports
1-Launch Safari. 2-Tap the Pages icon (two squares icon). 3-Tap Private. When you enable the Private browsing mode, you will notice that Safari appears black instead of white. If you do not see the Private icon, here is how you can fix: If your device is running iOS 12 or later, please see the update above.
How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPhone, iPad & Mac
Here's how to turn on incognito mode on your iPhone: 1. Open Safari and tap the Tabs icon at the bottom right. 2. Tap [Numbers] Tabs to see the Tab Groups. Then, tap the Private option. 3. Tap Done or the "+" button to open a new private tab in Safari. 4.
How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPhone: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step 3: Tap "Private". Now, you'll see "Private" at the bottom left corner. Tap it to switch to incognito mode. When you're in Private mode, the browser interface should turn dark, signaling that your browsing is now private. After you've completed these steps, your Safari browser will be in incognito mode.
How to Use Safari's Private Browsing Mode
To enable Private Browsing in Safari, follow these steps. Open Safari on your iPhone or iPad, tap the Pages icon (consisting of two squares) to bring up the open tabs view, and then tap the ...
Use Private Browsing in Safari on Mac
Always browse privately. In the Safari app on your Mac, choose Safari > Preferences, then click General. Click the "Safari opens with" pop-up menu, then choose "A new private window.". If you don't see this option, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click General, then make sure "Close windows when quitting an app" is selected.
Safari's Private Browsing Mode Just Made Your Private Tabs Way More
Other New Safari Features Also Work in Private Browsing. While the above features improve privacy when using Private Browsing mode, you can also use many of the other new features Safari has to offer when browsing incognito. Features that work in regular browsing that also work in Private Browsing include speedier Tab Group switching, faster ...
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 .
How to Browse Privately in Incognito Mode: 7 Simple Ways
3. Click New Private Window. Doing so will launch a new private browsing window where you can browse and download files without Firefox keeping a record of your history. You can also use the keyboard shortcut CTRL + Shift + P (Windows) or Command + Shift + P (Mac) to open a new incognito window. Method 7.
Incognito mode: what it is, what it does and doesn't do
Google Chrome calls it Incognito mode; Private browsing is how Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Apple Safari refer to it; InPrivate mode is the chosen term for Microsoft Edge. Get daily insight ...
Turn Private Browsing on or off on your iPhone
In iOS 17. Open Safari on your iPhone. Tap the Tabs button. Swipe to the Private tab group button, then tap the tab that you want to open. For additional privacy, you can choose to lock Private Browsing when you're not using it. When you lock your device, your private tabs in Safari will also lock. Then, when you unlock your device again, just ...
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 ...
Browse privately in Safari on Mac
In the Safari app on your Mac, close the private window, switch to a non-private Safari window, or choose File > New Window to open a non-private window.. Do any of the following to further enhance privacy: Delete any items you downloaded while using private windows. Close any other private windows that are still open to prevent other people from using the Back button or Forward button to see ...
How to Always Open Your Browser in Incognito Mode
All you need to do is add some text (what's known as a flag) to this path to tell the browser to launch in incognito mode. With Chrome, add "-incognito" at the end, without quotes, outside of the ...
How Do I Turn On Incognito Mode In Safari?
To get started with Private Browsing, go to File > New Private Window. Close the window when you are done to exist Private Browsing mode. For older Macs using OS X Mavericks (10.9) or earlier, launch Safari and go from the Safari menu to Private Browsing. When you're done, go back to Safari > Private Browsing to disable it.
Cicadas in Missouri 2024: Brood XIX sightings reported; see US map
Cicadas spotted in Missouri as Brood XIX continues to emerge: See latest on sightings, US map. 2024 is the year of the cicada, and that is definitely the case in Missouri, where one brood has ...
From the Archives: A Good Snake Gone Bad
For our summer podcast series, we'll be examining previous episodes of the Beeson podcast focused on preaching. In this episode, first published in 2011, founding dean Timothy George and longtime professor Robert Smith Jr. analyze Haddon Robinson's sermon "A Good Snake Gone Bad." This sermon on 2 Kings 18:4 was preached at the Beeson Pastors School.

Similar questions

Is Private Browsing Button Grayed Out in Safari on iPhone or iPad? How to Fix It

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Related Articles

5 Ways to Fix Safari Private Browsing Not Available on iPhone or iPad

Best Ways to Fix Incognito Mode Not Working On iPhone

2. Check Screen Time Restriction

Turn off Screen Time Restriction From Parent’s Device

3. Restart Safari

4. Restart iPhone

5. Update Safari and iOS

FAQs Regarding Getting Private Tabs Back

How to Restore Private Tabs on Safari

Was this helpful?

DID YOU KNOW

Dilum Senevirathne

How to Sync Apple Notes with OneNote

How to Check Apple Watch Battery Health

Your Guide to Private Browsing in Safari

Quick Links

Safari Private Browsing Button Missing? Fix (iOS)

Enable private browsing

If you do not see the Private icon, here is how you can fix:

Similar Posts

Why Does One AirPod Die Faster than the Other One and What to Do to Fix?

How To Control-Alt-Delete On Mac

How to Make App Icons Bigger on iPhone or iPad

What to Do If You Clicked a Phishing or Scam Link

WhatsApp Notifications Not Working Because It is not Listed in Settings

32 Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPhone, iPad & Mac

How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPhone

How to Exit Incognito Mode in Safari on iPhone

How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPad

How to Exit Incognito Mode in Safari on iPad

How to Go Incognito in Safari on Mac

How to Make Incognito the Default Mode in Safari

How to Exit Private Browsing in Safari on Mac

Beebom Staff

How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPhone: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step by Step Tutorial: How to Go Incognito in Safari on iPhone

Step 1: Open Safari

Step 2: Tap the Tabs Button

Step 3: Tap “Private”

Tips: Enhancing Your Incognito Experience in Safari on iPhone

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use incognito mode on a shared iPhone?

Is incognito mode the same as a VPN?

Does Safari save my bookmarks and downloads in incognito mode?

Can websites track me in incognito mode?

Share this:

Related posts:

How to Use Safari's Private Browsing Mode

Using Safari's Private Browsing Mode

Clearing Existing Browsing History

Top Rated Comments

Popular Stories

Apple Apologizes for 'Crush' iPad Pro Ad, Won't Put It on TV

OpenAI Announces ChatGPT App for Mac, GPT-4 for Free, and More

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.5 With Cross-Platform Tracking Detection, EU App Downloads From Websites and More

Apple Releases tvOS 17.5

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.5 With Apple News+ Improvements

Other Stories

How To : Safari's Private Browsing Mode Just Made Your Private Tabs Way More Private on iOS 17

1. Face ID, Touch ID, or Password Protection

2. A Separate Search Engine

3. Protection Against Extensions That Access Page Content

4. Customization Options for Extensions

5. Automatic Tracker Blocking on Websites

6. Automatic Removal of Tracking IDs in Links

Other New Safari Features Also Work in Private Browsing

Be the First to Comment

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

In This Article

How to Turn on Incognito Mode in Google Chrome

How to Use InPrivate Browsing in Microsoft Edge

How to Turn on Private Browsing in Firefox

How to Enter Incognito Browsing in Apple Safari