how do i search incognito on safari

How-To Geek

How to use safari private browsing on an iphone or ipad.

Browse the web without leaving a local record on your iPhone or iPad with Private Browsing mode. Here's how to use it.

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What is private browsing mode, how to use private browsing mode on iphone, how to use private browsing mode on ipad.

Sometimes, you'd like to check a website without leaving a record of it on your iPhone or iPad. Luckily, Safari includes a Private Browsing mode just for this purpose. Here's how to use it.

While using Private Browsing mode on your iPhone or iPad, Safari will not save your your browsing history, AutoFill form information, changes to cookies, and recent searches when you close each Private Browsing window.

However, Private Browsing mode does not protect your browsing history from the host of your network (such as your business or school), your ISP, or websites that might use your IP address to track you across sites .

Related: The Many Ways Websites Track You Online

First, open Safari. If you don't see the toolbar at bottom of the screen, tap once to reveal it. Then tap the "New Window" button. It looks like two squares overlapping each other.

You'll see a window management screen with a list of thumbnails representing all your open browser windows. On this screen, tap the "Private" button in the lower -left corner.

Private Browsing Mode is now enabled. Tap on the plus (+) button at the bottom of the screen to open a new Private window.

From there, you can type in any address you want in the bar at the top or navigate by tapping on your favorites. In Private mode, you can use Safari as you usual, but it won't keep a local record of what you're doing.

When you're done and want to exit Private Browsing mode, tap the "New Window" button again, then tap the "Private" button in the lower-left corner. You will switch back to non-Private mode.

Keep in mind that switching back does not close your Private Browsing windows. To get rid of your Private Browsing windows, you will need to enable Private Browsing mode again and click the "X" on the upper left corner of each window thumbnail until they all disappear.

Private browsing on the iPad works the same as on the iPhone, but the buttons that enable it are in different locations on the screen. To activate Private Browsing, first launch Safari. If you don't see the toolbar at the top of the screen, tap anywhere once to reveal it. Then tap on the "New Window" button in the upper-right corner.

On Safari's window management screen, tap the "Private" button in the upper-right corner.

After Private Mode is enabled, tap the plus (+) button in the toolbar to add a new window. From there, you can operate Safari as usual.

If you want to exit Private Browsing on an iPad, just tap the new button window again (the two overlapping rectangles) and tap "Private."

But be aware: if you just switch out of Private mode, Safari will keep your Private windows open in the background until you launch Private Browsing mode again. If you want to get rid of all of your Private Browsing windows, switch back to Private mode, tap the New Window button, and close each window with the small "X" in the corner of each thumbnail. Happy browsing!

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How to go incognito in Safari on Mac

There may be times when you want complete privacy while browsing the web. Maybe you don’t want others to know which websites you visit or what items you download, or you may also just want to prevent sites from tracking you across browser tabs. The best way to achieve that is by learning how to go incognito in Safari on a Mac.

How to go incognito on Mac with private browsing in Safari

What happens when you use private browsing, how to exit private browsing in safari, how to always use private browsing in safari, what you need.

Mac computer

Safari browser

When you want to initiate a private browsing session in Safari on Mac, you have a few easy ways to do it.

• Use the Safari menu: With Safari open and active, select File from the menu bar and choose New Private Window .
• Use the Safari icon in the Dock: If you keep the Safari icon in your Dock, right-click it and select New Private Window .
• Use a keyboard shortcut: With Safari open and active, press Shift + Command + N on your keyboard.

Once you open a new private window, you’ll notice the appearance is slightly different. The Smart Search field (URL bar) has a dark background with white text.

You’ll also see a message letting you know that private browsing is enabled. Select the X on the right side to dismiss the message and then visit the websites you want.

Although you can browse the web as you normally would in Safari, there are some differences when you use private browsing.

• Any sites you visit, AutoFill details you use, or changes you make to cookies or website data are not saved.
• Your recent searches are unavailable in the Smart Search field.
• Items you download do not display in the Safari downloads list. However, they are still viewable in your Downloads folder.
• You cannot pass private windows using Handoff to your other devices.
• Any webpages you visit are not stored in iCloud and therefore unavailable when viewing Safari tabs on your other devices.
• Websites cannot track your browsing across tabs in Safari because each private browsing tab is isolated from the next.

When you finish using private browsing, you can simply close the Safari window. You can then select File > New Window or use the keyboard shortcut Command + N to initiate a non-private browsing session.

One additional way to go incognito on Mac is to always use private browsing in Safari. With a simple setting adjustment, you can have Safari open in a private window every single time.

Step 1: Open Safari and select Safari > Preferences from the menu bar.

Step 2: Go to the General tab.

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Step 3: Pick the drop-down next to Safari opens with and choose A new private window .

Step 4: Close the Preferences using the X on the top left corner.

Once you change this setting, you’ll use private browsing each time you open Safari. If you change your mind later, you can follow the same steps and select a different option in the Safari opens with drop-down list.

It’s easy to go incognito on a Mac, whether you go once in a while or all the time. Will you?

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Luckily, checking your available storage -- and then freeing up space for the things you want to keep -- is very easy to do. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of checking your Mac’s storage space, then show you a few quick ways of clearing out the junk you no longer need.

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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. 

How to Exit Incognito Mode in Safari on iPhone

2. Tap [numbers] Tab to exit private browsing mode 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 Mac

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

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

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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.

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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..

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.

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Gregg Keizer covers Windows, Office, Apple/enterprise, web browsers, and web apps for Computerworld.

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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.

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Incognito Mode iPhone: How to Browse Privately on Your Device

Looking to browse privately on your iPhone? Incognito mode is the way to go. It’s a feature in your web browser that allows you to surf the web without saving any history, cookies, or cache. After reading this quick overview, you’ll know exactly how to enable incognito mode on your iPhone and browse with peace of mind.

How to Enable Incognito Mode on iPhone

Before we dive into the steps, let’s understand what we’re achieving here. Enabling incognito mode on your iPhone allows you to visit websites without leaving a digital footprint on your device. It’s perfect for when you want to keep your browsing habits to yourself.

Step 1: Open Safari

Open the Safari app on your iPhone. This is the blue compass icon typically found on your home screen.

Safari is the default web browser for iPhone, and it comes with a built-in incognito mode feature known as Private Browsing. Make sure your Safari app is updated to the latest version to ensure a smooth experience.

Step 2: Tap the Tabs Icon

Tap the tabs icon in the lower right corner of the screen. It looks like two overlapping squares.

By tapping on the tabs icon, you’ll be able to see all the open web pages. From here, you can manage your tabs or open a new one in incognito mode.

Step 3: Tap ‘Private’

Tap ‘Private’ in the lower left corner of the screen to enter incognito mode.

Once you tap ‘Private’, your iPhone will switch to incognito mode. You can confirm you’re in incognito mode by the dark color of the browser interface.

Step 4: Tap the Plus Icon

Tap the plus icon in the bottom center of the screen to open a new incognito tab.

Now that you’re in incognito mode, you can open a new tab and start browsing privately. Any websites you visit in this mode won’t be saved in your browsing history.

After completing these steps, you’ll be browsing in incognito mode. When you’re finished, just close the tabs and exit incognito mode. Your private browsing session will then be completely private, leaving no trace on your iPhone.

Tips for Using Incognito Mode on iPhone

• Incognito mode does not make you invisible on the internet. Your internet service provider and the websites you visit can still track your activity.
• Use incognito mode when entering sensitive information, like passwords or credit card numbers, on a shared device.
• Remember to close all incognito tabs after your browsing session to ensure complete privacy.
• Incognito mode can also be useful for logging into multiple accounts on the same website simultaneously.
• If a website looks different in incognito mode, it could be due to cached data or cookies not being used.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does incognito mode save any data.

No, incognito mode does not save your browsing history, cookies, or any form data.

Can I use incognito mode on other browsers besides Safari?

Yes, most modern web browsers like Chrome and Firefox also have a private browsing or incognito mode feature.

Will bookmarks saved in incognito mode appear in normal mode?

Yes, if you save a bookmark while in incognito mode, it will be accessible in normal mode.

Is it possible to recover history from incognito mode?

No, once you close an incognito tab, there’s no way to recover the browsing history from that session.

Can my employer track my browsing if I use incognito mode on my work phone?

Yes, employers can still track your browsing activity if they have monitoring software installed on your work device.

• Open Safari
• Tap the Tabs Icon
• Tap ‘Private’
• Tap the Plus Icon

So there you have it, the ins and outs of incognito mode on an iPhone. It’s a handy feature that takes just a few taps to enable, providing you with a layer of privacy as you browse. Whether you’re shopping for a surprise gift, planning a secret getaway, or just value your online privacy, incognito mode is there to help. Remember, though, that it doesn’t make you completely anonymous online. Your ISP and websites can still track your activity, so always use the internet responsibly.

For those interested in further safeguarding their online activity, consider exploring additional privacy tools such as VPNs or privacy-focused browsers. And always keep your devices and apps updated for the best security measures.

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 use incognito mode to browse the web privately on any phone or computer

• Incognito mode stops your web browser from saving data about you as you browse.
• Using incognito will disable your internet and search history, autofill information, and cookies.
• Incognito mode is available in every major web browser, often with shortcuts to access it faster.

Incognito mode — also known as "private browsing mode" — is a sneakier way to use the internet.

When you browse the internet with incognito mode on, you won't leave any trace on the device you're using. Your browser won't save your browsing or search engine history, and won't remember what sites you've logged into — or even what your username and password is.

It's great if you share your computer or phone with other people, since no one else will be able to see what you've done once you close the window.

Nonetheless, incognito mode is great for enforcing privacy on a busy or shared device. Here's how to turn on incognito mode on your computer or phone.

What is incognito mode?

Incognito mode is a mode for most browsers where the browser automatically deletes – or doesn't remember to begin with – your browsing history and cookies for that session. 

However, it is also liable to give users a false sense of security that their habits are not tracked by anyone. The reality is that your Internet Service Provider and websites that you visit in that mode are still capable of knowing your IP address and what you viewed.

The workaround for this is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) , but they aren't all created equal. Thankfully, Insider has compiled a list of the best VPN services for secure and private internet access that might be of use in picking your next VPN.

How to go incognito on your Mac or PC

You can use incognito or private mode on various desktop browsers like Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox. 

Incognito on Chrome

1. Open Google Chrome.

2. Click the three dot icon in the upper-right corner.

3. Click on New Incognito window from the drop-down menu. A window will open, darker colored than normal, and you'll see a page explaining how incognito mode works.

Private browsing on Safari

1. Open Safari.

2. Click File at the top-left corner of your screen.

3. Click New Private Window from the drop-down menu. The window that opens will look almost exactly the same as a regular window, but the URL bar will be colored a dark gray, and there will be a note underneath it explaining how private browsing works.

InPrivate mode on Microsoft Edge

1. Open Microsoft Edge

2. Click on the three dot icon in the upper-right corner.

3. Click on New InPrivate window from the drop-down menu. A window will open, with information about how "InPrivate Browsing" works.

Private mode on Firefox

1. Open Firefox.

2. Click the three lines in the upper-right corner.

3. Click New private window from the drop-down menu. A purple-themed window will open with a search bar and information about private browsing — including a page written by Mozilla about common private browsing myths .

How to go incognito on mobile

You can also use incognito mode on iOS or Android devices. 

On iPhone and iPad

2. Tap the tabs icon — the two overlapping squares in the bottom-right corner on an iPhone, or top-right on an iPad.

3. Tap the button that reads X Tabs (where X is the number of open tabs) and select Private to enter Private Browsing Mode. You can exit it in the same way, just reversed.

1. Open Chrome.

2. Tap the three dot icon in the top-right corner.

3. Tap New incognito tab .

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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 .

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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:

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VPNoverview.com Privacy Anonymous Browsing Everything You Need to Know About Safari Private Browsing

Everything You Need to Know About Safari Private Browsing

Ever wondered what Safari Private Browsing does exactly? Chances are it might not be giving you the level of online privacy you expect. Safari Private Browsing does have some perks, including:

• Stopping Safari from remembering the websites you’ve visited
• Not storing any new usernames, passwords, payments cards, and other information you input into private browsing
• Forgetting any search engine queries you’ve run
• Allowing you to save money by avoiding marketing cookies that might inflate prices

However, this is pretty much all the privacy that you’ll get with Safari Private Browsing. This incognito mode  won’t cloak your IP address, encrypt your internet traffic, or make you safe on public Wi-Fi . Private browsing still leaves you pretty exposed to a lot of the risks that come with connecting to the internet.

For true online anonymity, you’ll need to use a VPN to change your IP address . We’re big fans of ExpressVPN, one of the fastest VPNs in the industry.

Below, you’ll find more information on how to use Safari Private Browsing on all your Apple devices, as well as more details on how this incognito mode does and doesn’t protect your privacy.

If you use a Mac, iPhone, or iPad, then chances are you’ve encountered Safari Private Browsing before. Whether you’re shopping for a partner’s gift or want to snoop on a long-lost colleague’s LinkedIn, there are many reasons why you might want to use private mode in Safari.

In this article, we answer the question, what is Safari Private Browsing ? We’ll also tell you what this handy tool can’t  do to save you any embarrassment or risk to your online security.

What is Safari Private Browsing?

There’s a little more to this method of browsing than meets the eye, but we’ll go into specifics further down in this article. The point is, for a more private experience, you can use Safari’s incognito mode . You’ll be logged out of all accounts, and Safari won’t autofill user logins, passwords, or payment information. When you turn on private browsing, Safari won’t remember :

• Your search engine history
• Webpages you’ve visited
• Browsing activity or history

You should, however, be aware of a major drawback of this tool on Macs: your browsing activity likely isn’t as hidden as you might think. Websites you visit can still see who you are and what you’re doing . You can read more about this in our general incognito mode article .

With Macs, Private Browsing information is logged in a different place, as well: your Terminal archive.

Beware the Mac Terminal archive

On Macs, there’s something called the Terminal archive , and it’s as scary as it sounds — well, for fans of privacy at least. It’s a treasure trove for snoops. The Terminal archive contains all of the websites you visit , whether you’re using Safari Private Browsing or not. This is because your Mac stores static images and other files when you visit a website for the first time. This makes future visits to these sites and page loading much faster, as your Mac pulls the relevant files from the Terminal archive.

This command-line function also lets you make systemic changes to your Mac . For most users, there’ll never be a need to make any changes in the Terminal archive, and you shouldn’t if you don’t know what you’re doing. You could end up breaking something critical in your computer’s operating system if you tinker with the Terminal.

However, it is good to know that, even when you’re using Safari’s Private Browsing mode, your online activity is logged here.

Make your Safari Private Browsing truly private

By now, you might be asking yourself: how do I clear the cache on my Mac? Well, today’s your lucky day.  Below, you’ll find a brief, step-by-step guide to clearing the cache on a Mac . Just make sure not to do anything else while inside the Terminal.

• Open “ Finder ,” then search for “ Terminal ” in the search bar.
• Run the  Terminal  application.
• Paste the following text into the Terminal and hit enter: sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

You may have to enter your Admin password to proceed. This is going to flush the DNS cache.

Remember that you shouldn’t do anything else inside of the Terminal application unless you know what you’re doing. It only takes a short command to nuke files or entire directories in this app forever! So, tread carefully.

Why You Should Use Safari Private Browsing on Macs and iOS

We can hypothesize all we want, but you’ve probably got a good idea of why you  use private browsing. According to a 2018 research study , the most common reason people use private browsing is so others that are using a shared device can’t see what they’re doing. This comes down to protecting two things from other users of your device:

• Their personal data
• Their browsing activity

Fortunately, these are two things that Safari Private Mode manages to do wonderfully. Below, you can read more about what else Safari Private Browsing does for you .

Online privacy

• Your browser won’t remember what websites you’ve visited.  Anything you browse while you’re in private browsing mode won’t be remembered by Safari. So, if you start shopping online for gifts or a product that you find embarrassing, you won’t usually have to worry about your friends or family coming across your browsing history.
• Safari won’t suggest usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, and so   on.  You’ve probably noticed that Safari can remember usernames, passwords, credit cards, and other information when you use it for the first time. If you tell your Mac, smartphone, or tablet to remember those details, they’ll be automatically filled in the next time you visit the website. With Safari Private Mode enabled, these kinds of details won’t be stored: you won’t be prompted to save or autofill them at all.
• Your search engine queries won’t be remembered . If you’ve been shopping for gifts or trying to self-diagnose, you probably don’t want other users of the computer to see what you’ve searched for . Normally, you’ll see suggested searches popping up in search engines like Google. Based on your past searches and clicks, some links might be colored purple instead of blue, too. In private browsing mode, these won’t appear, nor will any new searches be stored.

How to pay less with Safari Private Browsing

There’s more to private mode options than just online security. You could also save money with Safari Private Browsing, as you won’t be quoted higher prices for products you’ve already viewed. When you visit a website, cookies (small text files) are stored on your computer by your browser.

These kinds of cookies aren’t delicious or rewarding at all. Instead, they allow the site to track you and figure out that you’re interested in, for example, a particular holiday destination. This can result in you seeing higher airfares, hotel booking fees, and more. Just turn on Safari’s Private Browsing to s top cookies from being stored on your browser and avoid hiked prices.

How to Go Incognito on Safari

Safari Private Browsing on a Mac

Using  Safari Private Browsing  on a Mac is simple. If you’re reading this on a Mac, you can skip step one in our step-by-step guide below:

• Open Safari on your Mac.
• Click on “ File ” in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
• Select “ New Private Window .” This will open a new private tab, but you can open as many private tabs in your tab bar as you need.

It’s that simple. Now, any new tab you open within this new private browsing window will be a private browsing tab. Give it a whirl by opening some new private tabs and navigating to a website you frequently log into. You’ll notice that your username and password aren’t suggested for autofill as they usually would be .

Also, you’ll know that you’re in private browsing, as the URL bar will have a gray background rather than the usual white. Just remember to ignore or close your existing browser window if you had any open. If in doubt, check the background color of the URL bar.

Finally, to  turn off private browsing in Safari , simply click the red cross in the corner of the browser window as you usually would.

Safari Private Browsing on an iPhone

Using  Safari’s private browsing mode on an iPhone or iPad is fairly straightforward and could increase your privacy on an iPhone . If you’re running  iOS 14 or earlier , simply follow the steps below:

• Open  Safari on your phone.
• Tap on the “ Tabs ” button. That’s the two small squares in the bottom-right corner of your Safari window on iPhone.
• A new option called “Private” should appear.
• Tap “ Private ” and you’ll be taken to a blank screen confirming that you’re using Private Browsing Mode . You’ll notice that it’s using the same gray color scheme as Safari for Mac.
• Lastly, click on the small “ + ” (plus) icon to launch a private browsing window.

If you’re using  Apple’s latest iPhone update, iOS 15.1.1 , you’ll need to follow a slightly different (and hey, we’ll say it — more confusing) set of steps:

• Tap on the “ Tabs ” button.
• Tap where it says “ X Tab(s) ” – this number will reflect the number of windows you have open.
• Tap “ Private .”
• Now, you’re in Private Browsing mode and can click the small “ + ” (plus) icon to launch a new private window.

Again, turning off private browsing in Safari for iPhones or iPads is simple. Just press the same “ Private ” button that you used to enable the feature. Don’t forget, if you have multiple private tabs open, they won’t close automatically. Swipe each tab closed before you exit private mode if you want to leave no trace.

How to Set Safari Private Browsing as the Default

If you’d rather always browse privately, you can also set Safari Private Browsing as your default, so that it opens automatically whenever you open a new tab or window. Check out the step-by-step instructions below for a Mac :

• Make sure your active application is Safari, then select “ Safari ” from your Mac’s toolbar at the top of your screen. Click on “ Preferences ” next, which can also be accessed using the keyboard shortcut “ Command ” + “ , ” (that’s Command, plus a comma).
• Now, you should see the Privacy window for Safari. Click on the “ General ” tab.
• Next to “Safari opens with”, select “ A new private window ” from the drop-down list.

While you  can’t automatically use Safari Private Browsing by default on mobile , there are some options for minimizing what’s remembered, stored, or recommended. Here’s how you get there:

• Open the “ Settings ” application.
• Scroll down until you see “ Safari ” and tap on that option.

Now, you’ll have the choice to use a number of features. You can:

• Disable search engine suggestions
• Disable Safari suggestions specifically
• Turn off autofill for Safari , either for personal information, payment information, or both
• Disable “ Favorites “, which you can save in your Safari app’s home screen
• Turn off “ Frequently Visited Sites “, which appear below your favorites

In this menu, you can also  prevent cross-site tracking and  block all cookies on the websites that you visit. In the event that you forget to launch Safari Private Browsing, these options should give you at least a little more privacy whenever you go online.

Is Safari Private Browsing Safe?

That last risk is surprisingly common on public Wi-Fi networks  too. Bear in mind that private browsing doesn’t protect you against malware (malicious software) either, nor does it protect your payment information or other personal details . For true online anonymity and to  improve your online security , you should give serious thought to using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) .

How to use a VPN with Safari Private Browsing

Using a VPN along with Safari Private Browsing should give you the online security you’re looking for. In addition to avoiding any logged browsing history or search history , you’ll be much harder to track and enjoy greater online anonymity. You can check out the many advantages of a VPN for more information. Want to get started right away? The following steps will only take a few minutes of your time:

• Choose a VPN provider and create an account. We recommend checking out our list of the best VPNs if this is new ground for you. Alternatively, ExpressVPN is a market-leading VPN provider that we’re always happy to recommend.
• Download and install  the VPN software onto your Mac. You can also download ExpressVPN for mobile on your iPhone. Other premium providers like NordVPN, CyberGhost, and Surfshark all offer really slick mobile apps for iOS, too.
• Log into your account , either in the desktop software or the mobile app.
• Choose a VPN server in a country of your choice. If you’re purely interested in online security, then the location you choose isn’t  too  important (though some will be faster than others). However, if you want to  save money on subscriptions , for example, you should give it some more thought.
• Connect to the VPN server . When you connect, you’ll be  changing your IP address to mirror the VPN server’s IP. It’s safe, legal ( in most countries ), and best of all, it’ll give you far greater online security than simply using Safari Private Browsing alone.

Safari Private Browsing is perfect for hiding those Christmas or birthday purchases from your family before the big day. It’s also a great way to save money on flights, hotels , or other purchases. However, it won’t do much for your online security. If you want  truly private browsing , then use a VPN along with Safari private mode.

Interested in exploring other private browsers? Check out these articles below:

• How Anonymous Is DuckDuckGo?
• Is Vivaldi Browser Safe?
• How to Set Up Firefox as an Anonymous Browser

Do you want to know how to enable private browsing on Safari? Are you wondering how much privacy Safari Private Browsing actually gives you? You’ll find these answers and more in our frequently asked questions below.

To turn on Private Browsing in Safari for Mac, follow these simple steps:

• Make sure Safari is the active application that you’re using.
• Click on  File in the menu bar along the top of the screen.
• Click on  New Private Window to switch to private browsing mode.

To turn on Private Browsing in Safari for iPhone or iPad, the process is much the same:

• Open the  Safari application.
• Tap on the  Tabs icon (the two small squares in the lower-right corner of your screen).
• Tap on  Private to switch to private browsing.
• Click on the small  + (plus) icon to open a new private browsing tab.

Check out our full article for more information on Safari Private Browsing.

No. Safari Private Browsing, like any browser’s private mode, won’t protect you against a lot of online threats. Your IP address will still be visible to many third-party individuals and organizations. For example, your ISP will know what websites you’ve visited, and hackers could determine your location using your IP (though some private modes do limit location tracking). For true online privacy and anonymity, you’re safer using a VPN like ExpressVPN .

With Private Browsing, it’s more difficult for websites to track you, since cookies are cleared the moment you close the browser — but it’s not impossible. Your ISP (Internet Service Provider), employer, school, or college could still see your internet history . That is, unless you use a VPN along with the incognito mode.

Yes. The owner of an internet connection can absolutely check up on your browsing session if they have the right technical knowledge. Some routers can be set up to remember all URLs a device accesses. So, if you’re trying to fly under your parents’ radar, for example, they could potentially bust you using the family router, even if you’re exclusively using private browsing modes.

For true anonymity , you’ll want to use a VPN. With a VPN connection, all of your internet traffic is encrypted, which gives you far better anonymity and privacy than using private browsing on its own.

Chris Bluvshtein Author

Senior journalist.

Chris is a tech journalist with many years’ experience covering online privacy and cybersecurity. He’s also a published author and works as a Product Manager for some of the most innovative software development companies.

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Hi Chris , I’m finding while using private mode in safari my sound is being cut out and I have not been able to find a way to reconnect it. I use it on a iPad with a vpn and trend anti spam for protection as much as it can in private mode. I have not been able to find any reason as to why this is happening.

Hey Wayne, I've done a bit of digging, and I've found something that might be worth a try. It seems that recent versions of Safari have a built-in feature that can prevent audio from playing when you visit a website; it's enabled by default too. Give this a try and let me know if the issue goes away: 1. Open the Safari menu and click preferences 2. Click on the websites tab 3. Look for the setting: "When visiting other websites", which has a drop-down selection beside it 4. Change this setting so that it allows websites with media to play sound. You can alternatively add individual websites to this list if you'd rather have control over which ones can play sound by default.

Hi Chris Just tried your Terminal Commands, I am running macOS Monterey The Terminal Commands Below are not working dscacheutil -cachedump -entries Host dscacheutil -flushcache

You're right. Thank you for pointing it out to us! There is a new terminal command you'll now need instead: "sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder". We've adjusted the article to reflect this. Hope this helps!

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How to See Incognito History on iPhone: A Step-by-Step Guide

In today's Internet era, users attach great importance to online privacy. Incognito mode on iPhone lets you browse the web discreetly without leaving any traces of your sessions. Well, do you know what incognito mode is, how to go to this mode, and how to see incognito history on iPhone? If you don't have no idea, you've come to the right place. This article covers everything you need to know about iPhone incognito mode. It's recommended to bookmark it and take your time reading.

Part 1: What is Incognito Mode on iPhone?

Part 2: how to turn on & off incognito mode on iphone.

• Part 3: How to See Incognito History on iPhone > 1: How to See Incognito History on iPhone Google Chrome > 2: How to Check Incognito History on iPhone Safari
• Part 4: How to See and Recover Private Browsing History on iPhone [HOT!]

FAQs on Viewing Incognito History on iPhone

Incognito mode is a privacy feature in most web browsers such as Safari, Chrome, etc. Once you turn on incognito mode on your iPhone, you can remain invisible and browse content while cookies, website login information, and other user data and temporary files will not be saved, so no traces will be left. This is undoubtedly a great feature for protecting privacy.

Looking for a reliable security app to protect your phone from prying eyes and malicious intruders? Here are proven iPhone security apps for you to choose from.

Section 1: How to Turn on Incognito Mode on iPhone?

So, how to enter incognito mode on iPhone? It's actually very simple. Below we take Safari, the iPhone's default browser application, as an example to tell you how to go incognito mode on iPhone.

• Open Safari on your iPhone.
• Tap the "Tabs" button on the bottom right corner.
• Tap [number] Tabs or Start Page to show the Tab Groups list.
• Select the "Private" option to enter Incognito Mode on iPhone.
• Click Done to confirm your action.

You can now click on the + button in the bottom left corner to browse the internet in privacy mode. None of the trace of your browsing will be saved or tracked. ( How to erase private info from iPhone ?)

Section 2: How to Turn off Incognito Mode on iPhone

• Tap the Tabs icon.
• Swipe to the [number] Tabs tab group, then select the tab you wish to open.

In iOS 16 or earlier:

• Tap "Private" to reveal the Tab Groups list.
• Choose [number] Tabs, then tap "Done."

Part 3: How to See Incognito History on iPhone

1: how to see incognito history on iphone google chrome.

Sorry you can't view the incognito history on Google Chrome directly on your iPhone. After all, in incognito mode, no traces of your browsing activities are retained, and the purpose of this is to protect privacy. However, if you have synced your browsing history with your Google Account, you can access your browsing history by signing in to your Google Account on Chrome while browsing in Incognito mode on another device.

Proceed as follows:

• Open the Chrome app on your iPhone.
• Click on the three dots in the lower right corner to open the menu.
• Click "Settings" in the menu.
• Sign in to your Google Account.
• Once logged in, your browsing history on other devices (including those in stealth mode) will be synced and accessible.

Note that this feature only works if you've previously enabled sync with your Google Account and you're signed into Chrome on another device while browsing in Incognito mode.

Want to keep your Google Chrome browsing session private and don't want others to see what you just searched for, you'll need to clear the Google search history on your iPhone at any time.

2: How to Check Incognito History on iPhone Safari

Is it possible to view my incognito history on iPhone Safari directly? The answer is NO . Safari, the default browser on iOS devices, does not offer the ability to view incognito history. Even if you turn off a private browsing session in Safari, the history of browsing during private mode cannot be retrieved from that session because it is intentionally not saved to protect privacy.

If you need to track your Safari browsing history or revisit previously visited websites, you'll need to do this during a regular browsing session rather than using private browsing mode.

Part 4: How to See and Recover Private Browsing History on iPhone

Is it possible to look at incognito history on iPhone directly? As mentioned in the previous section, since your browsing data is not saved in incognito mode, you cannot view incognito history on iPhone directly. But you can be sure that traces of your private browsing are still there. You can try using third-party program to check and recover your iPhone incognito history. Here we strongly recommend the full-featured MobiKin Doctor for iOS to help you.

Remarkable Features of Doctor for iOS:

• Check and recover iPhone incognito history on PC.
• Restore Safari browsing data, photos, videos, deleted contacts, text messages, and more.
• Recover lost files from iPhone, iCloud backup, and iTunes backup.
• Support all iPhone models like iPhone 15/14/13/12/11/X/XR and iOS versions like iOS 17/16/15, etc.
• User-friendly interface with clear and straightforward data recovery steps.

How to recover deleted Safari history on iPhone from iTunes backup selectively with Doctor for iOS:

Step 1 : To see incognito history on iOS, you should download Doctor for iOS on your computer for free. Launch it and follow the directions to connect your iPhone using a USB cord.

Step 2 : Choose the "Recover from iOS Device" function from the left sidebar. Once your iPhone has successfully connected, press the "Next" button to proceed.

Step 3 : To check the whole browsing history on this iPhone, select "Safari bookmarks" and press the "Start Scan" button.

Step 4 : After the iPhone data scanning is complete, you may preview the scanned out browsing history. And if you want to recover private browsing history on iPhone, you can give a click on the "Recover to Computer" button.

Q1: How to tell if someone is in incognito mode?

In incognito mode, while the browser itself protects your virtual identity, your IP address can be accessed and learned by the websites you visit, your organization's administrators, or the school that handles and monitors your account.

Q2: How to delete my browsing history in Safari?

To delete Safari browser history on your iPhone , you can open "Settings", scroll down to choose "Safari", and tap the "Clear History and Website Data" button.

Q3: How to enable incognito mode on Mac?

Open Safari on your Mac, go to the top menu to click "File", and select the New Private Window option from the drop-down menu. Now, you can start browsing privately on your Mac.

Using iPhone's incognito mode allows you to browse websites safely and conveniently. You don't need to be concerned about personal information and the data you browse being tracked. We hope you are clear about what is iPhone incognito mode and how to see incognito history on iPhone now. Please ask any questions you may have about this article or to suggest other subjects you'd like us to write about in the comments area below.

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How to Always Open Your Browser in Incognito Mode

Y ou undoubtedly know about your browser's incognito mode : a special browser state where the software doesn't keep track of your activities in quite as much detail. Most of us will use our browsers as normal most of the time, and switch to incognito when needed—maybe when we need to search for something that we don't want staying on the record and being included in our browsing history.

However, you can also choose to start up your browser in incognito mode right from the start, on both desktop and mobile. It means you leave less of a digital trail behind you, and might suit you better as your default way of working.

How incognito mode works

Any time you use incognito (or private) mode, you need to be aware of what is and isn't being tracked when it comes to your online activities. Simply put, your incognito browser won't log the sites you've visited or the searches you've run. Cookies aren't saved either—those little data files that websites use to remember who you are (if you clear your browser cookies, you'll find you need to log into all of your online accounts again).

So, if you close down a tab while in incognito mode, you can't do the usual trick of bringing it back again: Your browser has already forgotten it existed. It's best used for those times when you don't want searches and site visits to show up again later—whether you're researching a sensitive medical issue or shopping for a secret and surprise present for a loved one.

However, incognito mode doesn't stop your internet provider from seeing what you're doing (you need a VPN for that). If you're at work, your employer can still see the sites you're loading up. And if you sign in anywhere—Google, Amazon, Facebook—then your activity is still being logged by those sites pretty much as normal. It's not something that makes you fully anonymous.

If you don't want your web activity being remembered at all, then you need to take other steps besides using incognito mode—like using the tools Google provides to automatically wipe away evidence of where you've been and what you've been up to. As long as you're clear about how incognito mode works, it's a useful option to have.

Starting in incognito on the desktop

To start Chrome or Edge in incognito mode in Windows, you first need to create a desktop shortcut—the easiest way to do this is to drag the application icon from the Start menu to a blank part of the desktop. Then, right-click on the newly created shortcut, and choose Show more options and Properties .

You'll see the path to the browser program in the Target field. 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 quotes pointing to the actual browser file. With Edge, it's a space and then "inprivate" (without quotes) at the end of the quoted file path.

Firefox makes this little easier: Click the three horizontal lines (top right), then Settings and Privacy & Security , then check the Always use private browsing mode option. On all three browsers, you can also right-click on the browser icon on the taskbar to launch an incognito window—so if the browser is pinned to the taskbar, this is another way to start it up in its private mode.

Over on macOS, in Safari you can open the Safari menu, then click Settings and open the General tab to find the relevant option: Make sure the Safari opens with drop-down menu is set to A new private window , and every time you launch the browser you'll see a private window first of all.

For other browsers on macOS, you need to make use of the Script Editor, which you'll find in the Utilities folder from the Applications pane in Finder. Choose New Document , and you need to enter a particular line of text: For Chrome it's "do shell script "open -a /Applications/Google\\ Chrome.app --args --incognito"", and for Edge it's "do shell script "open -a /Applications/Microsoft\\ Edge.app -n --args --inprivate"" (with Firefox you can use the setting we've already mentioned).

Pick File and Save , give your new file a name with the ".app" extension, and make sure Application is selected as the File Format . This new browser shortcut shows up in the Applications pane, and from there you can put it in the dock, drag it to the desktop, or put it anywhere else you like.

Starting in incognito on mobile

If you're wanting to launch your browser app of choice in incognito mode on your phone or tablet, the secret is a long press. On Android, the majority of browsers—including Chrome, Edge, and Firefox—will show some kind of option to launch an incognito tab if you press and hold their icon on the home screens or in the app drawer.

Those of you on an iPhone or iPad device will also see an incognito mode option when you long press on the icons for most browsers on the home screens or in the app library, including Safari, Edge, and Firefox. With Google Chrome, the option actually says Incognito Search , but it opens a normal incognito window—you can run a search, but you can also just type in a website URL or do whatever you need to do.

What Is Incognito Mode? (And How Do I Use It?)

What Is Incognito Mode?

Incognito mode — also known as private browsing or private mode — is a privacy feature available in most web browsers that allows users to browse the internet without saving their history, cached pages, cookies, or other activity data on their device. This mode can be incredibly useful for a variety of purposes, but it’s important to understand what it does and does not protect.

Is Incognito Mode Safe?

Incognito mode is safe and easy to turn on , but you’re not totally invisible online when using it. Here are a few common misconceptions about Incognito mode:

• Not completely private : Incognito mode prevents your browser from saving your browsing history, cookies, and site data locally. However, it does not hide your activity from your internet service provider (ISP), your employer (if using a work network), or the websites you visit.
• Not a shield against tracking : External entities such as ISPs, websites, and government agencies can still track your online activity. Incognito mode doesn’t mask your IP address or prevent browser fingerprinting.

How to Use Incognito Mode

Enabling Incognito mode varies slightly between browsers, but the process is generally straightforward. Here’s how to activate it on some of the most popular browsers:

• Google Chrome
• Microsoft Edge

How to use incognito mode in Google Chrome

• Click on the three dots in the upper-right corner.
• Select “New Incognito window.”
• Windows, Linux, or Chrome OS: Ctrl + Shift + N
• Mac: Command + Shift + N
• Tap the three dots in the upper-right corner.
• Select “New Incognito tab.”
• Tap the three dots in the bottom-right corner.

How to use incognito mode in Microsoft Edge

• Select “New InPrivate window.”
• Tap the three dots at the bottom center.
• Select “New InPrivate tab.”
• Click on the three dots at the bottom center.

How to use incognito mode in Firefox

• Click on the three lines in the upper-right corner.
• Select “New Private window.”
• Windows, Linux: Ctrl + Shift + P
• Mac: Command + Shift + P
• Tap the three dots in either the top or bottom right corner (depending on device orientation and model) to access menu options.
• Select “New Private tab.”
• Tap the Tabs icon at the bottom.
• Tap the mask icon at the top of the screen.
• Tap the Add icon “+” icon to open a private tab.

How to use incognito mode in Safari

• Go to the menu bar.
• Select “File” > “New Private Window.”
• Shortcut : Command + Shift + N
• Tap the Tabs icon in the bottom-right corner.
• Tap “X Tabs” at the bottom center.
• Select “Private.”
• Then click on the Add icon “+” in the bottom-left corner to open a new tab in Private Browsing Mode.
• Tap “Private” at the bottom center.
• Select “X Tabs.”

When to Use Incognito Mode

Incognito mode can be especially useful in the following scenarios:

• Shared d evices : Maintain your privacy on shared or public computers by preventing your browsing history and cookies from being saved.
• Account a ccess : Log into multiple accounts simultaneously without interference from cached login credentials.

Enhancing Your Privacy with Trend Micro VPN Proxy One Pro

While Incognito mode offers a level of privacy, it’s not foolproof. For comprehensive online privacy, consider using a VPN like Trend Micro VPN Proxy One Pro . A VPN (virtual private network) encrypts your internet connection, masking your IP address and making it so third parties cannot track your online activities. Here are some benefits of using VPN Proxy One Pro:

• Complete p rivacy : Protects your browsing activity from ISPs, hackers, and government surveillance.
• Secure p ublic Wi-Fi : Safeguard your data when using public Wi-Fi networks, preventing unauthorized access.
• Access r estricted c ontent : Bypass geo-restrictions to access your favorite websites and services from anywhere in the world.

With VPN Proxy One Pro , you can ensure that your online activities remain private and secure, whether you’re using Incognito mode or not. If you’ve found this article an interesting and/or helpful read, please SHARE it with friends and family to help keep the online community secure and protected. Also, please consider clicking the LIKE button below.

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If you feel comfortable with someone else looking through your search history, raise your hand.

Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Sometimes it’s as innocent as shopping for a gift and not wanting to give away the secret.

Pro tip: Use incognito mode so you don’t get many ads showing precisely what you ordered.

Perhaps you looked up a medical symptom or condition.

You’re entitled to privacy there, too.

Wonder what you share with Amazon if you use its new health clinic? I researched it all for you.

If you’re not already in the habit of occasionally wiping out your search history, you should.

Facebook remembers a whole lot , including your search history. To keep some semblance of privacy on the site and app, follow the steps below to clear your Facebook search history on your computer:

• Log in to Facebook on your browser and tap your profile picture. 
• Select Settings & Privacy > Activity Log . 
• Click the Logged Actions and Other Activity option > Search History .
• Choose Clear Searches .

Are you feeling choose?

You can delete single search history items instead of your entire history simultaneously.

Click on the three dots to the right of each search in the history list and tap Delete .

A menu will appear to confirm. Hit Delete again. 

Keep going: Wonder how Facebook knows so much? Hint: It doesn’t even need to listen to your convos.

The search box on Twitter can help you find profiles you look for often, but maybe you don’t want anyone stumbling across that list. No judgment here.

On your computer:

• On a web browser and log in to your Twitter account.
• Click the Search Twitter bar in the top right corner to see a list of your recent searches.
• Tap the X next to individual searches to delete them one at a time.
• You can also click Clear all at the top of the menu. 
• Tap Clear on the menu that pops up to confirm.

On your phone:

• Open the Twitter app and tap the magnifying glass at the bottom. 
• Next, tap the Search Twitter bar at the top, then tap the X in the circle to the right of Recent searches .
• Tap Clear to erase them all.

Our final social media stop: Instagram. Anyone with access to your phone and the app can see who you are looking up. To clear that info out:

• Open the Instagram app. Select the circular profile photo in the bottom right corner.
• Tap the three-line icon at the top right. 
• Tap Your activity > Recent searches .
• Tap Clear all , then tap Clear all again to confirm.

Google Chrome

Social media search history spills the beans on what profiles you were looking for. There’s a lot more in your browser search history. 

Kim Komando

Sound like a tech pro, even if you’re not! Award-winning popular host Kim Komando is your secret weapon. Listen on 425+ radio stations or get the podcast . And join over 400,000 people who get her free 5-minute daily email newsletter.

The good thing about syncing your account across your computer and phone means if you clear your searches in one spot, they’re gone everywhere.

Just be sure all your devices are signed into the same Google account to do that for Chrome.

• Open Google Chrome on your computer. Click the three-dot menu in the upper right.
• Mouse over the History menu, then click the History option at the top.
• To delete one by one, click the box to the left, then Delete at the top right of the screen. Select Remove to confirm.

Shortcut: You can delete everything at once. Follow the steps above. In the left-hand menu, click Clear browsing data . You can delete just your browsing history, cookies, and cache. Click the Clear data button once you’ve decided.

Of course, it doesn’t end there. These pages show everything Google knows about you.

To clear your search history in Edge:

• Open Edge and click the three-dot menu in the upper right. 
• Click Settings , then Privacy, search, and services .
• Scroll down to the Clear browsing data section.
• Select Choose what to clear .
• Choose from the Time range drop-down menu. I recommend All Time.
• Select the data you want to remove — just search history, cookies, cache, passwords, and form-fill data. (Warning: Deleting passwords and form-fill data is a pain later.)
• Click Clear now to finish.

Computer smarts: Hidden settings to try on your Mac or PC

To clear your search history in Safari on your iPhone or iPad:

• Open Settings on your device and tap Safari .
• Tap Clear History and Website Dat a. 
• Tap Clear History and Data to confirm. NOTE: Clearing your history, cookies, and browsing data from Safari won’t change your AutoFill information.
• To clear your cookies and keep your history, go to Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data , then tap Remove All Website Data .

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Turn Private Browsing on or off on your iPhone

With Private Browsing, Safari won't remember the pages you visit, your search history, or your AutoFill information. Private Browsing also blocks known trackers, removes tracking used to identify individual users from URLs and adds protections against advanced fingerprinting techniques.

How to turn on Private Browsing

While Private Browsing is turned on, the Safari address bar will appear black or dark, instead of white or grey.

Open Safari on your iPhone.

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 unlock Private Browsing with Touch ID, Face ID, or your device passcode.

Find out more about locking Private Browsing tabs

In iOS 16 or earlier

Tap [number] Tabs or Start Page to show the Tab Groups list.

Tap Private, then tap Done.

How to turn off Private Browsing

While Private Browsing is off, the Safari address bar appears white or grey.

Swipe to the [number] Tabs tab group button, then tap the tab that you want to open.

Tap Private to show the Tab Groups list.

Tap [number] Tabs , then tap Done.

Learn how to use Private Browsing on your iPad .

Contact Apple Support

Need more help? Save time by starting your support request online and we'll connect you to an expert.

Watch CBS News

"Incognito Market" founder arrested at JFK airport, accused of selling $100 million of illegal drugs on the dark web

Updated on: May 21, 2024 / 11:29 AM EDT / CBS/AFP

A 23-year-old man from Taiwan has been arrested on charges of selling at least $100 million worth of illegal drugs online through a site on the dark web known as the "Incognito Market."

Rui-Siang Lin, also known as "Pharoah," was arrested at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York on Saturday and was to appear in court on Monday, the Justice Department said , calling it "one of the largest illegal narcotics marketplaces on the internet."

"As alleged, Rui-Siang Lin was the architect of Incognito, a $100 million dark web scheme to traffic deadly drugs to the United States and around the world," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

Incognito Market, which was shut down in March, was an online dark web marketplace that allowed users to buy and sell illegal drugs anonymously, according to the Justice Department.

Hundreds of pounds of cocaine , methamphetamines and other drugs were sold on Incognito Market since its launch in October 2020, it said.

"Under the promise of anonymity, Lin's alleged operation offered the purchase of lethal drugs and fraudulent prescription medication on a global scale," said James Smith, an assistant director in the FBI's New York office.

Users of Incognito Market were able to search thousands of listings for illegal narcotics, including heroin, cocaine, LSD, MDMA, oxycodone, methamphetamines, ketamine, and alprazolam.

Incognito Market included "many features of legitimate e-commerce sites such as branding, advertising, and customer service," the Justice Department said. The indictment includes several images from the site, including its splash page.

Vendors paid five percent of the purchase price of every sale to "Incognito Market," providing Lin with millions of dollars of profits, the Justice Department said.

Lin faces up to life in prison if convicted of narcotics conspiracy.

Taipei's foreign ministry spokesman Jeff Liu said during a regular briefing Tuesday that Lin had been working since November at Taiwan's embassy in St Lucia, an eastern Caribbean nation that is one of the Asian island's few allies.

He had applied to work as part of the embassy's technical corps in lieu of military service -- mandatory for Taiwanese men -- and had "behaved normally."

Expected to be discharged in July, Lin applied for leave and left St Lucia on May 18, Liu said.

He "was scheduled to go to Singapore via New York when he was arrested by the police in New York," he said, adding that Taiwan was closely monitoring the case.

"This arrest underscores the dedicated, ongoing efforts of law enforcement to identify and dismantle illicit drug networks operating from every shadowy recess of the marketplace," NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said in a statement.

• United States Department of Justice
• Methamphetamine

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