invisible mode safari

How to Turn on Safari Private Browsing on iPhone: A Step-by-Step Guide

Turning on Safari Private Browsing on an iPhone is a simple process. Open the Safari app, tap the tabs button (which looks like two overlapping squares), then tap “Private” to turn on Private Browsing Mode. Now, Safari won’t remember the pages you visit, your search history, or your AutoFill information.

After you complete this action, your browsing activity will not be saved in Safari. This means that websites you visit won’t appear in your history, and information entered in forms won’t be saved for AutoFill.

Introduction

In today’s digital age, privacy is a hot commodity. With every click, tap, and scroll, we leave digital footprints that can tell a story about who we are and what we like to do online. That’s why learning how to turn on Safari Private Browsing on your iPhone is essential. Whether you’re entering sensitive information, researching a surprise gift, or simply want to keep your browsing history to yourself, Private Browsing Mode is your go-to feature.

This function is particularly handy for shared devices or when you want to keep your browsing habits under wraps. So, if you’re an iPhone user looking to browse the web without leaving a trace, you’re in the right place. We’ll show you how to enable this feature in just a few easy steps.

Step by Step Tutorial on How to Turn on Safari Private Browsing on an iPhone

Before we dive into the steps, let’s clarify what we’ll achieve here. By following these simple steps, you’ll enable Private Browsing Mode in Safari, which prevents Safari from keeping track of your browsing history, search records, and AutoFill information.

Step 1: Open the Safari App

Navigate to your iPhone’s home screen and tap on the Safari app to open it.

Opening the Safari app is your gateway to the internet on your iPhone. Make sure you’re connected to the internet before you proceed.

Step 2: Access Your Open Tabs

Look for the tabs button, which resembles two overlapping squares, and tap on it.

This button will show you all your currently open tabs. If you have many tabs open, you may have to swipe left or right to find the “Private” option.

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.

Additional Information

Now that you’re all set with Private Browsing Mode on Safari, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, while your browsing activity isn’t saved on your iPhone, your internet service provider or employer can still track it. Also, if you download files while in Private Browsing, they’re saved to your phone and visible in the Downloads folder.

Moreover, not all Safari features are available in this mode; for example, you can’t use Handoff to pass browsing activity between devices. Lastly, remember to close all private tabs before returning to regular browsing to maintain your privacy.

• Open the Safari app on your iPhone.
• Tap the tabs button to view your open tabs.
• Tap “Private” to enter Private Browsing Mode.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does private browsing hide my activity from my employer or internet service provider.

No, Private Browsing only prevents Safari from saving your browsing data on your iPhone. Your activity can still be tracked by your internet service provider or employer.

Will downloads in Private Browsing show up in my regular downloads folder?

Yes, any files you download while in Private Browsing Mode will be saved to your iPhone and visible in the Downloads folder.

Can I use Handoff with Private Browsing?

No, Handoff does not work with Private Browsing tabs, as your browsing activity isn’t saved.

Can websites track me while I’m using Private Browsing?

Some websites may still track your activity using cookies during your Private Browsing session, but they will not be saved once you close the tabs.

How do I turn off Private Browsing?

To exit Private Browsing Mode, open the tabs view, tap “Private” again, and it will switch back to regular browsing.

Turning on Safari Private Browsing on your iPhone is a surefire way to maintain your online privacy. Whether it’s to shop for a surprise, handle sensitive work, or simply because you value your digital privacy, navigating this feature is a breeze. Just remember that while Private Browsing protects your data on your device, it doesn’t make you invisible online. Always exercise caution and use additional privacy tools if needed. Happy private browsing!

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.

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How to Use Private Browsing in Safari

Private browsing, also known as incognito mode, lets you surf the web without storing your browsing or search history. Here's how to quickly turn private browsing on or off in Safari.

It's worth noting that private browsing won't disguise you from the sites you visit. They could still record your IP address and any information you enter into their sites, such as search terms. Additionally, private browsing won't protect you from web-based malware attacks, so you'll still need to be careful about what you click on whether you're in private or normal browsing mode.

Private browsing mode is helpful when you don't want other users to discover (accidentally or not) the sites you've been looking at. Apple iCloud syncs your browsing history between the Mac and the iPad and iPhone , so if you share devices, you can protect your privacy with private browsing mode. This also comes in handy if you're using a public computer and don't want to leave any AutoFill information behind.

Turn on Private Browsing on the Mac

In OS X, the quickest way to open a new private browsing window is with the keyboard shortcut.

1. Hold down Command+Shift+N. This will open a new window with private browsing enabled. Alternatively, go to File > New Private Window.

2. Search or browse the web as you normally would. The web pages you visit, your search history, and AutoFill information while you use the private browsing window won't be recorded.

3. Close the window when you're done with private browsing.

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Note that private browsing is OS X applies only to the private browsing window you have opened. If you open a new window with Command+N or File > New Window, that window will save your search history and other private browsing information.

Turn on Private Browsing in iOS

Safari on the iPad has a private browsing mode as well.

1. Tap the Pages button , which is shaped as two squares in Safari's menu.

2. Tap Private.

3. Tap the Search field to search for a site to visit.

4. Tap Pages then Private again to turn off private browsing mode.

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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

In This Article

Jump to a Section

• Turn on Incognito Mode in Google Chrome
• Use InPrivate Browsing in MS Edge
• Turn on Private Browsing in Firefox
• Enter Incognito Browsing in Apple Safari
• Open a Private Window in Opera
• Frequently Asked Questions

This article explains how to turn on incognito mode for private browsing in the five most popular browsers.

Incognito mode prevents a browser from recording session data but it doesn't block or mask your IP address. To do that, you need to use a VPN, a proxy server, or the Tor Browser.

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.

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How to browse the web privately in Safari

Use Safari’s private browsing mode to surf the internet without having all of your information tracked and recorded. Private browsing prompts Safari to block websites from tracking your search behavior. The browser won’t remember any webpages you visit and your search history won’t get logged. Follow along with us to learn how to open Safari in private browsing mode on your iPhone, iPad and Mac.

How private browsing mode works

Browsing the internet in Safari’s private-browsing mode strengthens your online privacy. When surfing the web privately, website tracking is limited and none of your browsing history or login information is saved. This prevents others with have access to your device to view a list of websites you visited. Read: How to turn off Safari website tinting

Browsing certain websites privately in Safari ensures that those histories don’t pop up in everyone’s faces. For instance, you may want to perform a web search incognito or browse adult websites privately. As mentioned, private tabs don’t appear in Safari’s history. And to boost your privacy even further, private tabs also won’t show up in the list of synced tabs on your other devices.

• Private browsing : Private browsing won’t remember your search history, show the pages you visit or reveal any automatically filled passwords. Private browsing also blocks some websites from tracking your search behavior.
• Regular browsing : Public browsing isn’t private so it will in fact record your browsing and searching history, as well as your Autofill information like saved passwords.

Of course, Safari allows you to manually clear your browsing history and website data, including cookies, at any time. But with private browsing mode, you don’t need to do that because nothing gets remembered in the first place.

How to use private browsing in Safari for iPhone

To open a new private browsing tab on your iPhone or iPod touch, you must choose the Private tab group from the browser’s New Tab screen.

• Open Safari on your iPhone or iPod touch with iOS 15.0 or later.
• Touch the New Page  icon in the bottom-right corner.
• Hit “ ⌄ ” in the center of the tab bar at the bottom of the screen, then choose Private.
• Touch  Done to start browsing the web privately.

When in private browsing mode, Safari appears black or dark instead of white or gray. Specifically, the URL field turns gray and uses white text. You will also see a message near the top of the private window saying “Private Browsing Mode”.

When opening multiple private tabs, Safari nests them under a group titled “Private”.

To close a single private tab, hit the New Page icon to get thumbnails of all your private tabs, then swipe left each of the private tabs you wish to close. To exit private browsing mode, first touch the New Page button in the bottom-right corner, then choose Private . Now simply select a different, non-private tab group and then hit Done  in order to switch to it.

How to use private browsing in Safari for iPad

Entering private browsing mode in Safari for iPad requires bringing the browser’s sidebar into view. The sidebar includes all the private tab options you need.

• Open Safari on your iPad with iPadOS 15.0 or later.
• Hit the sidebar icon near the top-left corner to open the Safari sidebar.
• From the Safari sidebar on the lefthand side, choose the option labeled Private .

Doing so creates a new tab in a group dubbed “Private”. You can open multiple private tabs in this tab group. Private tabs don’t leave traces in the Safari history nor do they appear in the list of tabs on your other devices.

To hide your private tabs and exit private browsing mode, switch to a different tab group from the Safari sidebar. Don’t worry, any open private tabs you have will reappear the next time you invoke the private browsing mode.

Forcing mobile Safari to always open in private mode

Unfortunately, Apple hasn’t provided a toggle in iOS/iPadOS to force Safari to always open in private browsing mode similar to macOS Monterey. Thankfully, there’s a simple trick that’ll let you do just that.

The trick is in creating a new private tab like you normally would and leaving it intact when you exit Safari. Doing so makes your private tabs persist across sessions, with Safari automatically showing your private tabs the next time you launch the browser.

If you exit private mode though, the next tab you open won’t be private. Safari will default to opening private windows each time you launch it.

How to use private browsing in Safari for Mac

You can open a new private browsing window in Safari on your Mac either by leveraging a dedicated menu option or invoking a special keyboard shortcut.

• Open Safari on your Mac
• Click Safari’s File menu, then choose New Private Window .

Doing so creates a new private window that has dark-colored borders, with the URL field set against the white text to distinguish it from regular Safari windows. You will also see a message near the top of the private window saying “Private Browsing Enabled”.

To open a private window faster, hit Shift (⇧) – Command (⌘) – N on the keyboard.

Forcing desktop Safari to always open with a private window

You can also force Safari for Mac to automatically launch in private browsing mode.

• Open Safari on your Mac.
• Click the Safari menu, then choose  Preferences .
• In the Safari preferences window, select the  General  tab.
• Click the menu next to  Safari opens with , then choose  A new private window .

Safari will default to opening in private browsing mode each time it’s launched.

A support document on the Apple website instructs people who don’t see this option to tick  Close windows when quitting an app  in  System Preferences → General .

To close the current private window, simply close it. Switching to a non-private Safari window or opening one will also turn off private browsing temporarily until you click the private window again. Apple advises closing all private windows when you’re done using Safari’s private browsing mode in order to prevent other people from clicking Safari’s back and forward buttons to see pages you visited in the private windows.

What private browsing mode in Safari actually does

Wondering what all of the features of Safari’s private browsing mode are? Apple notes in support documents for Safari for iPhone , iPad and Mac that all of the following are true:

• All of your tabbed windows are isolated from one another, so none of the websites that are open in your private window can see what other websites you might have open in the same window.
• All of your login sessions and AutoFill information will be forgotten the next time the web browser is used.
• Any of the webpages that you have open are kept out of iCloud so that other devices won’t have access to any of the webpages you have open in the private browsing window. Also, your recent searches won’t appear as suggestions when typing a search phrase into the URL field.
• All of your search results from searches performed in a private browsing window are hidden and not stored.
• Anything you download while in the private browsing window is not saved in your download history (downloaded items still end up in your Downloads folder or designated download location).
• Private windows are not passed to other devices when Handoff is turned on.
• All websites you visit are asked not to track you and Safari won’t remember cookie information from your current private browsing window when you begin your next browsing session.
• Any plug-ins you have installed will also be limited to tracking your information from the private browsing window.

Use private browsing to surf the web anonymously

Your online privacy is important, and you should never give it up!

Most people won’t want to do all their web surfing privately. Browsing the internet publicly has its advantages, like better website personalization, the ability to view your browsing history and so forth. Read: How to reverse Safari’s polarizing redesign in iOS 15

Browsing certain websites privately in Safari ensures that those histories don’t pop up in everyone’s faces. Private browsing is useful even if you’re the only user of your device because you never know when you’ll be sharing a screen with someone in the future when you go surfing the web. For instance, you may wanna prevent others from knowing what you were looking up in the past such as when you were shopping for the holidays.

So whenever you feel like hiding all traces of your online activity in Safari, remember to switch to the private browsing mode before doing any web surfing.

How to enable and use private browsing in Safari for iOS

Safari for iPhone and iPad will track your search history by default. For users that either share devices with other users or just don't want people nosing through their porn browsing history - hey, we don't judge! - you can enable private browsing which won't track what you're doing and what sites you're visiting.

Here's how:

• Launch the Settings app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.
• Scroll down and tap on Safari .
• Under the Privacy section turn the option for Private Browsing to On .

That's all there is to it. Now when you launch Safari, you will notice that the browser has a black interface instead of light blue. This indicates that private browsing is active. If you'd ever like to turn it off, you can do so by following the same steps above.

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Use Private Browsing windows

When you use Private Browsing windows, Safari doesn’t save your browsing history, and it asks websites you visit not to track you.

Use Private Browsing: Choose File > New Private Window, or switch to a Safari window that’s already using Private Browsing. A window that’s using Private Browsing has a dark address and search field with white text.

When you use a Private Browsing window:

Each tab in the window is isolated from the others, so websites you view in one tab can’t track your browsing in other tabs.

Safari doesn’t remember the webpages you visit or your AutoFill information.

Safari doesn’t store your open webpages in iCloud, so they aren’t shown when you view all your open tabs from other devices.

Your recent searches aren’t included in the results list when you use the address and 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 are not passed to your iOS devices or other Mac computers.

Safari doesn’t remember changes to your cookies or other website data. Safari also asks websites and others who provide those sites with content (including advertisers) not to keep track of your browsing, although it is up to the websites to honor this request.

Plug-ins that support Private Browsing stop storing cookies and other tracking information.

Websites can’t modify information stored on your device, so services normally available at such sites may work differently until you turn off Private Browsing.

Note:   None of the above applies in other Safari windows you may have open that don’t use Private Browsing.

Stop using Private Browsing: Close the Private Browsing window, switch to a different Safari window that isn’t using Private Browsing, or choose File > New Window to open a window that doesn’t use Private Browsing. To further enhance privacy:

Delete any items you downloaded while using Private Browsing windows.

Close any other Private Browsing windows that are still open, to prevent others from using the Back and Forward buttons to see pages you visited in them.

Besides using Private Browsing windows, you can manage cookies and data stored by all websites and have Safari ask all websites not to track you .

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

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How to use private web browsing on Mac

Many web users prefer to keep their browsing history secret and private – from loved ones, colleagues, even total strangers and advertising companies.

There are a few ways to protect your privacy. You could delete your history at the end of every browsing session, or use a VPN to stay anonymous online (our recommendation is NordVPN but we have a separate roundup of the best Mac VPNs ). But for a simple and free solution, we recommend the use of private browsing mode.

For similar advice relating to phone and tablet, see How to use private browsing on iPhone & iPad .

Why your browsing history is at risk

Many of us share our Macs with other people, and you don’t want to worry about any embarrassing websites you’ve been looking at being discovered by your spouse or flatmate.

The classic excuse is that you’ve been ‘researching an anniversary present’ and don’t want to spoil the surprise, but if you’ve been seeking medical advice or applying for jobs online it would be entirely reasonable to want to keep that information to yourself. And, all joking aside, porn users are entitled to their privacy too, particularly if they have kids and don’t want them to stumble across any adult sites.

If you’re thinking of having one machine for sharing and another for the private stuff, bear in mind that it’s not as simple as you might think. Safari features such as Top Sites, Frequently Visited and the Smart Search Field automatically display your history as you use the browser, and iCloud syncs this information between your Apple devices. If you look at a website on your Mac it could pop up when somebody uses your iPhone or iPad or vice versa.

Even if you trust people not to bother searching through your history, they could still accidentally discover what you’ve been looking at when the browser offers it as an autocomplete suggestion.

iCloud privacy

If you’re looking for more things to worry about, there were reports in 2017 that Apple hadn’t been removing deleted Safari web histories from iCloud. We believe the company has since tackled the issue, but it’s another example of the ways in which browsing histories can leak out unexpectedly.

According to ElcomSoft, the data might have disappeared from the devices, but it was still on iCloud and easily recoverable.

“We discovered that deleting a browsing history record makes that record disappear from synced devices,” said company spokesperson Vladimir Katalov. “However, the record still remains available (but invisible) in iCloud… We were able to pull additional information about Safari history entries including the exact date and time each record was last visited and deleted!”

What is private browsing?

Private browsing is an optional mode available in most web browser software where no record is kept of the sites you visit. If you’re looking at a website and you’d rather keep it to yourself, you should turn on private browsing before entering the URL.

Apple has included private browsing as a feature in macOS and iOS since way back in Safari 5.1 (in Mac OS X Lion) and iOS 5.

Private browsing in Safari

The way private browsing works varies from browser to browser . We cover the four most popular Mac browsers individually, but if you’re using one of the more obscure ones, don’t despair: just check the File > menu and look for mention of a private window or similar. (Shift + Cmd + N often works too.)

The key thing with private browsing mode(s) is that it can be applied to certain windows only, so be careful. The fact that you opened a private window doesn’t mean you’ll still be covered if you go back to an old window you had open before (or a new one you open without private browsing applied).

In Safari, you open a new private window by Choose File > New Private Window (Shift + Cmd + N).

You’ll now be viewing a window in private browsing mode. Safari won’t remember any browsing or search history. Once again, it’s important to know that this only applies to this window that you have opened . You can tell it’s a private window because the Smart Search Field will be a dark grey colour.

If you open a new tab within the private window it will also be private. But if you open another window using the standard File > New Window (Cmd + N), it will not be a private browsing window. So be careful to use just the private window(s) for your browsing session.

Private browsing in Chrome

Chrome’s private browsing mode is called Incognito, but it’s otherwise the same idea. Select File > New Incognito Window, or press Shift + Cmd + N.

You’ll notice that Chrome’s Incognito windows are a totally different colour to its normal ones.

Private browsing in Firefox

Select File > New Private Window, or press Shift + Cmd + P.

Private browsing in Opera

Select File > New Private Window, or press Shift + Cmd + N.

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How to Disable Safari Private Browsing on Mac

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.

Atish is a seasoned tech enthusiast fueled by caffeine and a Computer Science engineering degree. He stumbled into the blogging world in 2015 and hasn't looked back. Over 2000+ articles later, his work has been featured on sites like Gizbot, Firstpost, PhoneArena, GSMArena, and IBTimes. At GT, he's your go-to guy for how-tos, invaluable tips, and troubleshooting guides that actually work. He's also an SEO and digital marketing whiz and content strategist, so his tech takes are always on point and ethical.

If you hand over your Mac to someone else, you may not know what they were up to during their browsing sessions. Now,  put kids into the equation , and that becomes a severe issue due to the numerous harmful websites out there. That is why you should know how to disable Safari Private Browsing on Mac.

But before we begin with the article, it is vital to know the risks associated with disabling Private Browsing on Safari for Mac. When you disable Private Browsing, your browsing history, cookies, and other browsing data are stored, which can compromise your privacy.

However, on the flip side, it also offers benefits such as personalized browsing experiences and easier access to previously visited sites. With this understanding, let’s begin with the article.

How to Use Screen Time to Turn Off Private Browsing on Safari

Screen Time made its debut on the iPhone and iPad alongside iOS 12. Not only does it provide the ability to keep a tab on the activities across all of your iOS devices, but it also contains a healthy dose of web content restrictions. The adult content restriction, in particular, not only blocks all NSFW content but also deactivates Safari’s Private Browsing tabs .

Let’s begin with the steps.

Step 1: Press the ‘Command + Space’ key on your keyboard to open Spotlight Search. Then, type Settings or System Settings , and hit the Return key.

Step 2 : In the Settings window, go to Screen Time on the left pane.

Step 3 : On the right pane, scroll down, and under Restrictions, click on ‘Content & Privacy.’

Step 4 : Under ‘Content & Privacy,’ toggle on the feature.

Step 5 : Now, click on Content Restrictions.

Step 6 : In the pop-up modal, click on the chevron (arrow) drop-down icon next to the ‘Access to Web Content’ option.

Step 7 : From the drop-down menu, choose ‘Limit Adult Websites.’ Then, click Done.

And that’s it. Private Browsing in Safari is now disabled. You can no longer open Private Browsing windows within Safari — the New Private Window option on the Safari File menu will appear grayed out, and the related ‘Shift + Command + N’ keyboard shortcut will also not work.

If you want to re-enable Private Browsing in Safari on your Mac, head back into Settings > Screen Time > click ‘Content & Privacy’ > Content Restrictions > Access to Web Content > Unrestricted Access.

Synced Devices and Screen Time Passcodes

If you have other macOS or iOS devices tied to your Apple ID , your restrictions will also carry over to them by default. If you want to stop that from happening, follow the below steps.

Step 3 : On the right pane, scroll down, and below ‘Content & Privacy’ toggle off ‘Share across devices.’

There you go. The settings you made on the current device will not get synced across your other Apple device. Additionally, you can also set up a Screen Time Passcode , which will help prevent anyone else from messing around with your Screen Time settings.

How to Get Rid of Private Browsing in Guest Mode

By default, macOS imposes adult content filters when logged in as a guest user. That means Private Browsing in Safari is already disabled. But if that doesn’t appear to be the case, then here’s what you must do:

Step 2 : From the left pane, navigate to ‘Users & Groups.’ On the right pane, click on the ‘i’ button right next to the Guest User.

Step 3 : Toggle on ‘Allow guests to log in to this computer.’

Step 4 : To enable this setting, you’ll need to enter your Mac’s password.

Step 5 : Once enabled, toggle on ‘Limit adult websites.’

This should disable Private Browsing windows when using Safari as a guest. However, all data within the Guest User account is deleted each time that a user signs out, which kind of beats the purpose of having Private Browsing disabled in the first place. But imposing limits on NSFW content is still a major plus point.

That said, if you have any queries we missed addressing, check out the FAQ section below.

FAQs on Disabling Safari Private Browsing on Mac

No, Safari does not have a built-in feature to password-protect Private Browsing. Once it’s disabled, anyone with access to your computer can enable it again.

Disabling Private Browsing does not delete your existing browsing history. However, your future browsing activities will be recorded in the history if Private Browsing is turned off.

No, Safari does not provide built-in tools for monitoring or tracking Private Browsing activity.

Turn off Private Browsing

Now that you know how to disable Safari Private Browsing on Mac, you can know what goes on when someone else uses your Mac. You may also want to know how to disable incognito mode in  Google Chrome  and  Microsoft Edge .

Was this helpful?

Last updated on 23 February, 2024

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

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How-To Geek

How to permanently disable incognito mode in your browser.

Deactivate private browsing mode.

Quick Links

Turning off vs. disabling incognito mode, how to disable incognito mode in chrome for windows, how to disable incognito mode in chrome for macos, how to disable private browsing in safari on iphone and macos, how to disable inprivate mode in edge for windows, can you disable private browsing in firefox, key takeaways.

• You can turn off private browsing in Chrome on Windows and macOS by running a command in Command Prompt and Terminal.
• In Microsoft Edge, you can turn off private browsing through Registry Editor. Unfortunately, there's no native way to turn it off in Firefox.
• You'll need to adjust content restriction settings to turn off private browsing mode in Safari on macOS and iOS.

If you share your phone or computer with children or minors and want to monitor their browsing activity, consider turning off the private browsing mode. Let's explore how you can turn it off in Google Chrome for Windows and macOS, Microsoft Edge for Windows, and Safari for iPhone and macOS.

If you've opened private browsing mode and only want to leave it, turning it off is simple in all major browsers on desktop and mobile devices . Just exit the browser completely, and you'll be out of incognito mode the next time you open it.

However, if you want to completely disable incognito mode to prevent others from using it on a device, you'll need to turn it off permanently, and that has a few more steps involved.

To turn off private browsing mode in Chrome on a Windows device, type CMD into the Windows Search bar, right-click the "Command Prompt" app, and select "Run as Administrator." Ensure you run the Command Prompt utility with administrative privileges to avoid encountering errors while turning off private browsing mode.

Once you've opened Command Prompt as an administrator, copy and paste the following command into the window, and then press the Enter key:

After executing this command, exit the Command Prompt window. You should now see that Incognito mode has been disabled (grayed out) in Chrome.

If you decide to re-enable private browsing later, use the above command again in Command Prompt, but replace the "1" with "0," like so:

To turn off private browsing in Chrome on a macOS device, first launch Terminal . Press Command+Space to open the Spotlight search window. Then, type Terminal and double-click "Terminal" in the search results to open it.

In the Terminal window, enter the following command:

Press Enter after typing the command.

After executing the command, close the Terminal window. You'll find that private browsing mode has been turned off in Chrome.

Safari doesn't offer a direct option to turn off private browsing mode. However, by adjusting content restrictions for web content, you can disable Safari's private browsing mode on both iPhone and macOS.

Disable Private Browsing on an iPhone

To adjust these permissions on an iPhone, open your device's settings and tap "Screen Time." If Screen Time isn't enabled, tap "Turn on Screen Time," then tap "Continue" on the following page to activate it.

Next, set up a passcode for Screen Time to prevent your child from making unauthorized changes. To do this, tap on "Use Screen Time Passcode," set a passcode, and confirm it on the next page. This will protect Screen Time with the passcode.

Now, navigate to "Content and Privacy Restrictions." Enable the toggle next to "Content and Privacy Restrictions" and tap on "Content Restrictions." You may need to enter the passcode to access the content restrictions settings.

In this menu, tap "Web Content" and select "Limit Adult Websites" from the available options. Once done, exit this menu, and you'll notice that the private browsing option is no longer available in Safari.

Disable Private Browsing on a Mac

To turn off private browsing mode on a macOS device, open System Preferences from the Dock, navigate to "Screen Time" in the left sidebar, and, under Restrictions, open "Content and Privacy" settings.

Enable the toggle next to Content and Privacy. Then, open the "Content Restrictions" settings and select "Limit Adult Websites" from the Access to Web Content menu. Once selected, click "Done" in the bottom-right corner.

Upon returning to Safari, you'll notice that the "New Private Window" option has now been grayed out, indicating that the private browsing mode has been successfully disabled.

If you use Microsoft Edge as your default browser on a Windows device, you can turn off private browsing mode via Registry Editor.

To open Registry Editor, press Win+R, type regedit , and press Enter. Then, click "Yes" in the User Account Control (UAC) window.

In the Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Policies > Microsoft > Edge.

If some of these keys don't exist already, you can create them by right-clicking and selecting New > Key. Then, rename the key accordingly.

Select "Edge," right-click in the right pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it InPrivateModeAvailability . Double-click the value, set the Value Data to "1," and click "OK."

Now, close the Registry Editor and restart your Windows PC.

Misconfiguring Registry Editor can lead to severe consequences. Make sure to follow the above steps carefully when tweaking the keys. For added safety, you can make a backup of the Registry. .

Unlike other browsers, there's no browser or operating system-level solution to turn off private browsing in Mozilla Firefox. The only available method involves using an extension that turns off private browsing. However, due to the associated risks with third-party extensions, we strongly advise against using them.

If you use Firefox as the default browser, remove it from your computer, set Chrome or Edge as your default browser, and turn off private browsing for them. If you have a Windows laptop, you can use Microsoft's Family Safety app to restrict access to any browser other than Edge. Also, you can implement content filters within Edge to disable access to inappropriate content.

You can now prevent your child or other users from browsing privately.

While the above methods will turn off private browsing in browsers, keep an eye on your child whenever they browse the web. They may find ways to work around these restrictions.

iPhone User Guide

• iPhone models compatible with iOS 17
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• S Max' class='toc-item' data-ss-analytics-link-url='https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphone-xs-max-iphcd2066870/ios' data-ajax-endpoint='https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphone-xs-max-iphcd2066870/ios' data-ss-analytics-event="acs.link_click" href='https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphone-xs-max-iphcd2066870/ios' id='toc-item-IPHCD2066870' data-tocid='IPHCD2066870' > iPhone X S Max
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone SE (2nd generation)
• iPhone 12 mini
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 13 mini
• iPhone 13 Pro
• iPhone 13 Pro Max
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• iPhone 14 Plus
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• iPhone 15 Plus
• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
• Setup basics
• Make your iPhone your own
• Take great photos and videos
• Keep in touch with friends and family
• Share features with your family
• Use iPhone for your daily routines
• Expert advice from Apple Support
• What’s new in iOS 17
• Turn on and set up iPhone
• Wake and unlock
• Set up cellular service
• Use Dual SIM
• Connect to the internet
• Sign in with Apple ID
• Subscribe to iCloud+
• Find settings
• Set up mail, contacts, and calendar accounts
• Learn the meaning of the status icons
• Charge the battery
• Charge with cleaner energy sources
• Show the battery percentage
• Check battery health and usage
• Use Low Power Mode
• Read and bookmark the user guide
• Learn basic gestures
• Learn gestures for iPhone models with Face ID
• Adjust the volume
• Find your apps in App Library
• Switch between open apps
• Quit and reopen an app
• Multitask with Picture in Picture
• Access features from the Lock Screen
• View Live Activities in the Dynamic Island
• Perform quick actions
• Search on iPhone
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• Travel with iPhone
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• Use the Action button on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max
• Create a custom Lock Screen
• Change the wallpaper
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• Use StandBy
• Customize the text size and zoom setting
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• Organize your apps in folders
• Add, edit, and remove widgets
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• Remove apps
• Use and customize Control Center
• Change or lock the screen orientation
• View and respond to notifications
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• Use Live Text to interact with content in a photo or video
• Use Visual Look Up to identify objects in your photos and videos
• Lift a subject from the photo background
• Subscribe to Apple Arcade
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• Connect a game controller
• Use App Clips
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• Manage purchases, settings, and restrictions
• Install and manage fonts
• Buy books and audiobooks
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• Listen to audiobooks
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• Create and edit events in Calendar
• Send invitations
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• Change how you view events
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• Change calendar and event settings
• Schedule or display events in a different time zone
• Keep track of events
• Use multiple calendars
• Use the Holidays calendar
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• Camera basics
• Set up your shot
• Apply Photographic Styles
• Take Live Photos
• Take Burst mode shots
• Take a selfie
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• Take Night mode photos
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• Adjust the shutter volume
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• Record videos
• Record spatial videos for Apple Vision Pro
• Record ProRes videos
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• Change video recording settings
• Save camera settings
• Customize the Main camera lens
• Change advanced camera settings
• View, share, and print photos
• Use Live Text
• Scan a QR code
• See the world clock
• Set an alarm
• Change the next wake up alarm
• Use the stopwatch
• Use multiple timers
• Add and use contact information
• Edit contacts
• Add your contact info
• Use NameDrop on iPhone to share your contact info
• Use other contact accounts
• Use Contacts from the Phone app
• Merge or hide duplicate contacts
• Export contacts
• Get started with FaceTime
• Make FaceTime calls
• Receive FaceTime calls
• Create a FaceTime link
• Take a Live Photo
• Turn on Live Captions in a FaceTime call
• Use other apps during a call
• Make a Group FaceTime call
• View participants in a grid
• Use SharePlay to watch, listen, and play together
• Share your screen in a FaceTime call
• Collaborate on a document in FaceTime
• Use video conferencing features
• Hand off a FaceTime call to another Apple device
• Change the FaceTime video settings
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• Change your appearance
• Leave a call or switch to Messages
• Block unwanted callers
• Report a call as spam
• Connect external devices or servers
• Modify files, folders, and downloads
• Search for files and folders
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• Set up iCloud Drive
• Share files and folders in iCloud Drive
• Share your location
• Meet up with a friend
• Send your location via satellite
• Add or remove a friend
• Locate a friend
• Get notified when friends change their location
• Notify a friend when your location changes
• Add your iPhone
• Add your iPhone Wallet with MagSafe
• Get notified if you leave a device behind
• Locate a device
• Mark a device as lost
• Erase a device
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• Add an AirTag
• Share an AirTag or other item in Find My on iPhone
• Add a third-party item
• Get notified if you leave an item behind
• Locate an item
• Mark an item as lost
• Remove an item
• Adjust map settings
• Get started with Fitness
• Track daily activity and change your move goal
• See your activity summary
• Sync a third-party workout app
• Change fitness notifications
• Share your activity
• Subscribe to Apple Fitness+
• Find Apple Fitness+ workouts and meditations
• Start an Apple Fitness+ workout or meditation
• Create a Custom Plan in Apple Fitness+
• Work out together using SharePlay
• Change what’s on the screen during an Apple Fitness+ workout or meditation
• Download an Apple Fitness+ workout or meditation
• Get started with Freeform
• Create a Freeform board
• Draw or handwrite
• Apply consistent styles
• Position items on a board
• Search Freeform boards
• Share and collaborate
• Delete and recover boards
• Get started with Health
• Fill out your Health Details
• Intro to Health data
• View your health data
• Share your health data
• View health data shared by others
• Download health records
• View health records
• Monitor your walking steadiness
• Log menstrual cycle information
• View menstrual cycle predictions and history
• Track your medications
• Learn more about your medications
• Log your state of mind
• Take a mental health assessment
• Set up a schedule for a Sleep Focus
• Turn off alarms and delete sleep schedules
• Add or change sleep schedules
• Turn Sleep Focus on or off
• Change your wind down period, sleep goal, and more
• View your sleep history
• Check your headphone levels
• Use audiogram data
• Register as an organ donor
• Back up your Health data
• Intro to Home
• Upgrade to the new Home architecture
• Set up accessories
• Control accessories
• Control your home using Siri
• Use Grid Forecast to plan your energy usage
• Set up HomePod
• Control your home remotely
• Create and use scenes
• Use automations
• Set up security cameras
• Use Face Recognition
• Unlock your door with a home key
• Configure a router
• Invite others to control accessories
• Add more homes
• Get music, movies, and TV shows
• Get ringtones
• Manage purchases and settings
• Get started with Journal
• Write in your journal
• Review your past journal entries
• Change Journal settings
• Magnify nearby objects
• Change settings
• Detect people around you
• Detect doors around you
• Receive image descriptions of your surroundings
• Read aloud text and labels around you
• Set up shortcuts for Detection Mode
• Add and remove email accounts
• Set up a custom email domain
• Check your email
• Unsend email with Undo Send
• Reply to and forward emails
• Save an email draft
• Add email attachments
• Download email attachments
• Annotate email attachments
• Set email notifications
• Search for email
• Organize email in mailboxes
• Flag or block emails
• Filter emails
• Use Hide My Email
• Use Mail Privacy Protection
• Change email settings
• Delete and recover emails
• Add a Mail widget to your Home Screen
• Print emails
• Get travel directions
• Select other route options
• Find stops along your route
• View a route overview or a list of turns
• Change settings for spoken directions
• Get driving directions
• Get directions to your parked car
• Set up electric vehicle routing
• Report traffic incidents
• Get cycling directions
• Get walking directions
• Get transit directions
• Delete recent directions
• Get traffic and weather info
• Estimate travel time and ETA
• Download offline maps
• Search for places
• Find nearby attractions, restaurants, and services
• Get information about places
• Mark places
• Share places
• Rate places
• Save favorite places
• Explore new places with Guides
• Organize places in My Guides
• Delete significant locations
• Look around places
• Take Flyover tours
• Find your Maps settings
• Measure dimensions
• View and save measurements
• Measure a person’s height
• Use the level
• Set up Messages
• About iMessage
• Send and reply to messages
• Unsend and edit messages
• Keep track of messages
• Forward and share messages
• Group conversations
• Watch, listen, or play together using SharePlay
• Collaborate on projects
• Use iMessage apps
• Take and edit photos or videos
• Share photos, links, and more
• Send stickers
• Request, send, and receive payments
• Send and receive audio messages
• Animate messages
• Change notifications
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• Delete messages and attachments
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• View albums, playlists, and more
• Show song credits and lyrics
• Queue up your music
• Listen to broadcast radio
• Subscribe to Apple Music
• Play music together in the car with iPhone
• Listen to lossless music
• Listen to Dolby Atmos music
• Apple Music Sing
• Find new music
• Add music and listen offline
• Get personalized recommendations
• Listen to radio
• Search for music
• Create playlists
• See what your friends are listening to
• Use Siri to play music
• Change the way music sounds
• Get started with News
• Use News widgets
• See news stories chosen just for you
• Read stories
• Follow your favorite teams with My Sports
• Listen to Apple News Today
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• Browse and read Apple News+ stories and issues
• Download Apple News+ issues
• Listen to audio stories
• Solve crossword puzzles
• Search for news stories
• Save stories in News for later
• Subscribe to individual news channels
• Get started with Notes
• Add or remove accounts
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• Draw or write
• Add photos, videos, and more
• Scan text and documents
• Work with PDFs
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• Make a call
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• While on a call
• Set up voicemail
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• View photos and videos
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• Trim video length and adjust slow motion
• Edit Cinematic mode videos
• Edit Live Photos
• Edit portraits
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• Search for photos
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• Share photos and videos
• Share long videos
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• Watch memories
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• Use iCloud Photos
• Create shared albums
• Add and remove people in a shared album
• Add and delete photos and videos in a shared album
• Set up or join an iCloud Shared Photo Library
• Add content to an iCloud Shared Photo Library
• Use iCloud Shared Photo Library
• Import and export photos and videos
• Print photos
• Find podcasts
• Listen to podcasts
• Follow your favorite podcasts
• Use the Podcasts widget
• Organize your podcast library
• Download, save, or share podcasts
• Subscribe to podcasts
• Listen to subscriber-only content
• Change download settings
• Make a grocery list
• Add items to a list
• Edit and manage a list
• Search and organize lists
• Work with templates
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• Print reminders
• Use the Reminders widget
• Change Reminders settings
• Browse the web
• Search for websites
• Customize your Safari settings
• Change the layout
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• Open and close tabs
• Organize your tabs
• View your Safari tabs from another Apple device
• Share Tab Groups
• Use Siri to listen to a webpage
• Bookmark favorite webpages
• Save pages to a Reading List
• Find links shared with you
• Annotate and save a webpage as a PDF
• Automatically fill in forms
• Get extensions
• Hide ads and distractions
• Clear your cache
• Browse the web privately
• Use passkeys in Safari
• Check stocks
• Manage multiple watchlists
• Read business news
• Add earnings reports to your calendar
• Use a Stocks widget
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• Subscribe to Apple TV+, MLS Season Pass, or an Apple TV channel
• Add your TV provider
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• Watch sports
• Watch Major League Soccer with MLS Season Pass
• Control playback
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• Keep cards and passes in Wallet
• Set up Apple Pay
• Use Apple Pay for contactless payments
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• Track your orders
• Use Apple Cash
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• Pay for transit
• Access your home, hotel room, and vehicle
• Add identity cards
• Use COVID-19 vaccination cards
• Check your Apple Account balance
• Use Express Mode
• Organize your Wallet
• Remove cards or passes
• Check the weather
• Check the weather in other locations
• View weather maps
• Manage weather notifications
• Use Weather widgets
• Learn the weather icons
• Find out what Siri can do
• Tell Siri about yourself
• Have Siri announce calls and notifications
• Add Siri Shortcuts
• About Siri Suggestions
• Use Siri in your car
• Change Siri settings
• Contact emergency services
• Use Emergency SOS via satellite
• Request Roadside Assistance via satellite
• Set up and view your Medical ID
• Use Check In
• Manage Crash Detection
• Reset privacy and security settings in an emergency
• Set up Family Sharing
• Add Family Sharing members
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• Share subscriptions
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• Share locations with family and locate lost devices
• Set up Apple Cash Family and Apple Card Family
• Set up parental controls
• Set up a child’s device
• Get started with Screen Time
• Protect your vision health with Screen Distance
• Set up Screen Time
• Set communication and safety limits and block inappropriate content
• Charging cable
• Power adapters
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• Use AirPods
• Use EarPods
• Apple Watch
• Wirelessly stream videos and photos to Apple TV or a smart TV
• Connect to a display with a cable
• HomePod and other wireless speakers
• Pair Magic Keyboard
• Enter characters with diacritical marks
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• Change typing assistance options
• External storage devices
• Bluetooth accessories
• Share your internet connection
• Allow phone calls on your iPad and Mac
• Use iPhone as a webcam
• Hand off tasks between devices
• Cut, copy, and paste between iPhone and other devices
• Stream video or mirror the screen of your iPhone
• Start SharePlay instantly
• Use AirDrop to send items
• Connect iPhone and your computer with a cable
• Transfer files between devices
• Transfer files with email, messages, or AirDrop
• Transfer files or sync content with the Finder or iTunes
• Automatically keep files up to date with iCloud
• Use an external storage device, a file server, or a cloud storage service
• Intro to CarPlay
• Connect to CarPlay
• Use your vehicle’s built-in controls
• Get turn-by-turn directions
• Change the map view
• Make phone calls
• View your calendar
• Send and receive text messages
• Announce incoming text messages
• Play podcasts
• Play audiobooks
• Listen to news stories
• Control your home
• Use other apps with CarPlay
• Rearrange icons on CarPlay Home
• Change settings in CarPlay
• Get started with accessibility features
• Turn on accessibility features for setup
• Change Siri accessibility settings
• Open features with Accessibility Shortcut
• Change color and brightness
• Make text easier to read
• Reduce onscreen motion
• Customize per-app visual settings
• Hear what’s on the screen or typed
• Hear audio descriptions
• Turn on and practice VoiceOver
• Change your VoiceOver settings
• Use VoiceOver gestures
• Operate iPhone when VoiceOver is on
• Control VoiceOver using the rotor
• Use the onscreen keyboard
• Write with your finger
• Use VoiceOver with an Apple external keyboard
• Use a braille display
• Type braille on the screen
• Customize gestures and keyboard shortcuts
• Use VoiceOver with a pointer device
• Use VoiceOver for images and videos
• Use VoiceOver in apps
• Use AssistiveTouch
• Adjust how iPhone responds to your touch
• Use Reachability
• Auto-answer calls
• Turn off vibration
• Change Face ID and attention settings
• Use Voice Control
• Adjust the side or Home button
• Use Apple TV Remote buttons
• Adjust pointer settings
• Adjust keyboard settings
• Adjust AirPods settings
• Turn on Apple Watch Mirroring
• Control a nearby Apple device
• Intro to Switch Control
• Set up and turn on Switch Control
• Select items, perform actions, and more
• Control several devices with one switch
• Use hearing devices
• Use Live Listen
• Use sound recognition
• Set up and use RTT and TTY
• Flash the LED for alerts
• Adjust audio settings
• Play background sounds
• Display subtitles and captions
• Show transcriptions for Intercom messages
• Get Live Captions (beta)
• Type to speak
• Record a Personal Voice
• Use Guided Access
• Use built-in privacy and security protections
• Set a passcode
• Set up Face ID
• Set up Touch ID
• Control access to information on the Lock Screen
• Keep your Apple ID secure
• Use passkeys to sign in to apps and websites
• Sign in with Apple
• Share passwords
• Automatically fill in strong passwords
• Change weak or compromised passwords
• View your passwords and related information
• Share passkeys and passwords securely with AirDrop
• Make your passkeys and passwords available on all your devices
• Automatically fill in verification codes
• Automatically fill in SMS passcodes
• Sign in with fewer CAPTCHA challenges
• Use two-factor authentication
• Use security keys
• Manage information sharing with Safety Check
• Control app tracking permissions
• Control the location information you share
• Control access to information in apps
• Control how Apple delivers advertising to you
• Control access to hardware features
• Create and manage Hide My Email addresses
• Protect your web browsing with iCloud Private Relay
• Use a private network address
• Use Advanced Data Protection
• Use Lockdown Mode
• Use Stolen Device Protection
• Receive warnings about sensitive content
• Use Contact Key Verification
• Turn iPhone on or off
• Force restart iPhone
• Back up iPhone
• Return iPhone settings to their defaults
• Restore all content from a backup
• Restore purchased and deleted items
• Sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone
• Erase iPhone
• Install or remove configuration profiles
• Important safety information
• Important handling information
• Find more resources for software and service
• FCC compliance statement
• ISED Canada compliance statement
• Ultra Wideband information
• Class 1 Laser information
• Apple and the environment
• Disposal and recycling information
• Unauthorized modification of iOS

Customize your Safari settings on iPhone

Customize your start page

When you open a new tab, you begin on your start page. You can customize your start page with new background images and options.

Scroll to the bottom of the page, then tap Edit.

Choose the options you want to appear on your start page:

Favorites: Display shortcuts to your favorite bookmarked websites. See Bookmark a favorite website .

Frequently Visited: Go straight to the websites you visit most.

Shared with You: See links shared with you in Messages, Mail, and more. See Find links shared with you .

Privacy Report: Stay updated on how many trackers and websites Safari blocked from tracking you. See View the Privacy Report .

Siri Suggestions: As you search, allow websites shared in Calendar and other apps to appear.

Reading List: Show webpages currently in your Reading List. See Add the current webpage to your Reading List .

Recently Closed Tabs: Go back to tabs you previously closed.

iCloud Tabs: Show open tabs from other Apple devices where you’re signed in with the same Apple ID and Safari is turned on in iCloud settings or preferences. See Organize your tabs with Tab Groups .

Note: Your custom start page settings are updated on all your Apple devices where you have Use Start Page on All Devices turned on, and you’re signed in with the same Apple ID using two-factor authentication .

Change the text size for a website on Safari

Use the Page Settings button to increase or decrease the text size.

Tap the large A to increase the font size or the small A to decrease it.

Change the display controls for a website on Safari

You can hide the search field, switch to Reader, and more.

Hide the search field: Tap Hide Toolbar (tap the bottom of the screen to get it back).

See a streamlined view of the webpage: Tap Show Reader (if available).

To return to the normal view, tap Hide Reader.

See what the webpage looks like on a desktop computer: Tap Request Desktop Website (if available).

You can also adjust Safari settings in Accessibility settings. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Per-App Settings. Tap Add App, choose Safari, then tap Safari to adjust the settings.

Choose where to save downloads

When you download a file in Safari, you can choose whether to save it to iCloud or on your iPhone.

iCloud Drive: Select this option to save downloads to the Downloads folder in iCloud Drive. This allows you to access the downloaded file on any iPhone, iPad, or Mac where you’re signed in with the same Apple ID .

On My iPhone: Select this option to save downloads to the Downloads folder on your iPhone.

Share website passwords with a group

You can create a group of trusted contacts and share a set of passwords. Passwords stay up to date for everyone in the group, and you can remove someone at any time.

See Create shared password groups .

Adjust privacy settings for Safari

You can choose what privacy settings you want across Safari, and create individual exceptions for websites. See Browse privately .