What is incognito mode? + How to go incognito - Norton (2024)

What is incognitomode?

Incognito mode isa browsing feature that allows you to surf the web without a record of yoursearch history, cookies, or other temporary data saved on your device, makingyour session invisible to other device users.

For many people, some internet searches are best kept private.

Whether you're Googling a mysterious medical symptom orpurchasing a gift for your significant other, there may be times when you don'twant others snooping on your internet searches.

Enter: incognito mode.

Now you may be wondering, “What is incognito mode?” Incognitomode is a browsing feature that allows you to surf the web without a record ofyour search history,cookies, orother temporary data saved on your device. This makes your internet sessioninvisible to other users who may share your device.

Incognito, which means concealing one's identity, has become apopular term associated with internet privacy. The term "incognitomode" was coined by Google Chrome, but other browsers offer similarfeatures, often referred to asprivatebrowsingor private mode.

But is incognito mode really incognito, and does it actuallywork? Follow this complete guide to learn more about what incognito mode does,why people use it, its pros and cons, and how to go incognito on your webbrowser of choice.

Whatdoes incognito mode do?

Incognito mode allows you to browse the internet as if you’re anew user at each site you visit. This eliminatesstoredpasswords, login information, and auto-filled web forms you’d normally experiencewhen surfing the web.

Using incognito mode can also prevent you from having apersonalized web experience based on your previous browsing activity. To gain abetter understanding of incognito mode, let’s break down what it does anddoesn’t hide.

It hidesbrowsing history from other users

When using incognito mode, your browsing history will not besaved to your device, making it invisible to anyone else using the same device.But it's important to note that your incognito history will still be visible tothird parties, such as your internet service provider (ISP), search engines,and the sites you visit.

It canstill be tracked

While incognito mode can keep prying eyes from viewing yoursearch history, it doesn’t completely protect you frominternettracking. Even in incognito mode, third parties can still gather dataabout you when you visit a website, including your operating system, location,browser, and more.

Depending on your browser, incognito mode may block allthird-partycookies, therefore limiting the data third parties can collect fromyou. If third-party cookies aren’t blocked, they may still be able to trackyour browsing activity usingtrackingcookiesto help provide you with targeted advertisem*nts or dynamicpricing.

An example of dynamic pricing is when companies use your data toraise prices on items you’ve shown interest in. But even if you blockthird-party cookies, you may still be vulnerable to tracking, especially if youlog in to any personal accounts while using incognito mode.

Itdoesn’t hide IP addresses

Even though incognito mode provides a more private internetexperience than traditional browsing, it still doesn’thide yourIP address, which is a crucial part of yourdigitalfootprint. So, if you want to hide your IP address from other network users, websites, or your ISP, you’ll need to use a VPN instead.

It’ssafe to use

With all of this in mind, you may wonder “Is incognito safe?”Yes, using incognito mode is safe, though it doesn’t mean you can expect tohave a totally private browsing experience. For example, let’s say you decideto search for new jobs on your work computer. Even if you’re using incognitomode, your network administrators may still be able to see your incognitosearch history if they decide to check.

As a rule of thumb, you should always treat borrowed devices assuch even if you’re surfing the web in incognito mode. It's also crucial toremember that your incognito mode activity is never entirely invisible, whetherit's from the websites you visit or your ISP. In addition, logging in topersonal accounts while using incognito mode can help other sites identify youand link your browsing behavior to your name.

Whydo people use incognito mode?

Even though incognito mode may not make your internet activitycompletely invisible, there are still a variety of reasons people use it. Tohelp you better understand why people use incognito mode, let’s look at thepros and cons.

Pros of incognito mode

People may opt to use incognito mode to take advantage of itsprivacy benefits, including:

• Private browsing on shared devices: Incognitomode is a great option for those using shared devices because your browsinghistory will not be accessible by other people sharing the device.
• Prevents some forms of internet tracking: Aftercompleting a browsing session using incognito mode, your browser willclearcookiesfrom your device. This can help prevent companies from trackingyou and may limit your exposure to targeted ads and dynamic pricing. Keep inmind that not all browsers block third-party cookies by default, so even thoughcookies won’t be stored on your device, your activity may still be tracked bythe sites you visit.
• Extension-free browsing experience: If youusually use browser extensions or toolbars while surfing the internet, openingan incognito window is a quick way to search without any extensions or toolbarsinterfering with your experience.
• Use of multiple accounts simultaneously:Usingincognito mode is a handy way to log in to multiple accounts on the same websiteat once. For example, this can be useful if you’re trying to view multiplesocial mediaaccounts withouthaving to log out of one.
• Protects sensitive data on shared devices: Everytime you close out of an incognito session, your login information, cookies,and other temporary browsing files are wiped from the device. That way, ifsomeone else visits the same site as you (such as a social media website), youraccount will be logged out, keeping unauthorized users from accessing youraccounts.

While incognito mode has it’s faults, it’s still a usefuloption, especially for those looking to hide their browsing history from otherusers on shared devices.

Cons ofincognito mode

As you know, incognito mode doesn’t completely hide all yourinternet activity. To learn more about where incognito mode falls short, checkout these cons:

• Internet activity isn’t hidden from theoutside world: With incognito mode alone, your internet activity will only bekept secret from other users on your device. That means your ISP, networkadministrators, and the sites you visit may still be able to snoop on yourbrowsing activity.
• IP address is visible: Unlessyou’re using aVPN, your IPaddress will still be visible to other users on your network and the sites youvisit.
• Doesn’t stop tracking entirely: Loggingin to online accounts while using incognito mode can help third-party websitesand advertisers link your incognito mode search history to your digitalfootprint, giving you a less private browsing experience.
• Doesn’t protect you from cyber threats: Eventhough incognito mode has its privacy benefits, it doesn’t make you any lessvulnerable tocybercrime,includingphishing,malware, or unsafe sites.

Of course, incognito mode isn’t perfect. But it does provideprivacy features that may benefit you or other users on your device. Follow thesteps below to learn how you can go incognito on every browser and mobile device.

Howto go incognito on every browser and mobile device

Now that you know how incognito mode works, you might wonder howyou can use it on your device. To find out how to access incognito mode on yourfavorite browser or device, follow the following steps.

GoogleChrome

How to go incognito on Google Chrome:

1. LaunchGoogle Chrome.
2. Selectthe three-dot icon at the top right corner of your screen.
3. Choose“New Incognito Window” from the drop-down menu.

You can also use a keyboard shortcut to open an incognitowindow:

• Windows, Chrome OS, or Linux: PressCtrl + Shift + N
• Mac: Press⌘ + Shift+ N

Once you’ve opened an incognito window, you can choose whetherto block third-party cookies by toggling the switch featured on the incognitohomepage.

Safari

How to go incognito on Safari:

1. LaunchSafari.
2. At thetop left corner of your screen, select “File.”
3. Choose“New Private Window” from the drop-down menu.

You can also use a keyboard shortcut to open an incognitowindow:

• Mac: PressShift + ⌘ + N

You can also block all third-party cookies by toggling the“Block all cookies” feature, which you can find under the “Privacy” tab inSafari’s settings.

Firefox

How to go incognito on Firefox:

1. LaunchFirefox.
2. Selectthe three horizontal line icon at the top right corner of your screen.
3. Choose“New Private Window” from the drop-down menu.

You can also use a keyboard shortcut to open an incognitowindow:

• Windows and Linux: PressShift + Ctrl + P
• Mac: PressShift + ⌘ + P

As of June 2022, Firefox rolled out Total Cookie Protection forall Firefox users. This protects users from cross-site tracking by default,whether you use incognito mode or not.

Microsoft Edge

How to go incognito on Microsoft Edge:

1. LaunchMicrosoft Edge.
2. Selectthe three-dot icon at the top right corner of your screen.
3. Choose“New InPrivate window” from the drop-down menu.

You can also use a keyboard shortcut to open an incognitowindow:

• Windows and Linux: PressCtrl + Shift + N
• Mac: Press⌘ + Shift+ N

You can also block third-party cookies by toggling the “Blockthird-party cookies” feature, which can be found under the “Cookies and sitepermissions” tab in Microsoft Edge’s settings.

Brave

How to go incognito on Brave:

1. Launch Brave.
2. Selectthe three horizontal line icon at the top right corner of your screen.
3. Choose“New Private Window” from the drop-down menu.

You can also use a keyboard shortcut to open an incognitowindow:

• Windows and Linux: PressCtrl + Shift + N
• Mac: Press⌘ + Shift+ N

In addition to its private browsing features, Brave blocksthird-party cookies by default, whether you use a private window.

Opera

How to go incognito on Opera:

1. LaunchOpera.
2. At thetop left corner of your screen, select “File” (on Mac) or the Opera icon (onWindows).
3. Choose“New Private Window” from the drop-down menu.

You can also use a keyboard shortcut to open an incognitowindow:

• Windows and Linux: PressCtrl + Shift + N
• Mac: Press⌘ + Shift+ N

When using Opera’s private mode, third-party cookies are blockedby default.

iOS

How to go incognito on iOS devices:

1. OpenSafari.
2. Tap thetabs icon (two overlapping squares) at the bottom right corner of your screen.
3. Select“Start Page.”
4. Tap“Private.”
5. Select“Done.”

If you also wish to block third-party cookies, you can do so bytoggling “Block All Cookies” under the Safari tab in your device’s settings.

Android

How to go incognito on Android devices:

1. OpenGoogle Chrome.
2. Tap thethree-dot icon to the right of the search bar.
3. Select“New incognito tab.”

You can also select whether to block third-party cookies bytoggling the switch featured on the homepage.

Whether you share a computer with a family member or frequentlyuse public devices, knowing the answer to "what is incognito mode?"is a great way to know what to expect when improving your online privacy. Ifyou’d like to take your privacy even further, you can reap thebenefitsof a VPN, which can hide your IP address andencryptyourinternet traffic, helping keep you and your device Cyber Safe.

FAQs about incognito mode

Have more questions? Read along to learn the answers to somecommon questions about incognito mode.

Is itpossible to browse the internet privately?

While it might be impossible to browse the internet and be 100%anonymous, there are additional safety measures you can take to increase youronline privacy. One example is using aVPN or the Tor network, asthese can help hide your IP address and encrypt your web activity, providing amore private experience than incognito mode alone.

Should Ihave incognito mode on or off?

Deciding whether to use incognito mode is completely up to you.If you’re sharing a device with others and prefer that your search history isdeleted, then incognito mode is likely best.

If you’re the only one using the device and you’d like a morepersonalized internet experience and to keep your accounts logged in, thentraditional browsing might be right for you.

Can youget viruses in incognito mode?

Yes, using incognito mode doesn’t provide any additionalprotection from viruses or othertypes ofmalware.

Whatdoes incognito mean?

Incognito means to conceal one’s identity. In incognito mode, itrefers to a private browsing window that allows you to surf the web withoutstoring any cookies, search history, or session data on your device.