Private (Incognito) Browser Windows
Your browser and the websites you visit work together to remember everything about your surfing, shopping, and online activities. This allows browsers to offer a broad range of convenient features, like bookmarking your favorite sites or finding a webpage from your history. Sometimes you may want to browse the Internet without leaving a history of the pages you visit for someone else using your computer to see, and that’s what Private or Incognito mode is for. For example, you may want to use a private or incognito mode if you are shopping for a gift for someone who uses the same computer. Otherwise, the following user might see your search and browsing history and spoil your surprise!
Opening a private window
You can easily open a Private/Incognito window from a normal browser window.
- Open a browser window as you normally would.
- Click on the Settings or More button in the upper right of the browser window. Look for the three dots or three bars.
- Click on New Private or New Incognito window, depending on your browser.
You may also be able to right-click on the browser button in the Start menu or taskbar and open a private window from there.
The privacy options for the three most popular browsers are shown below (from left to right, Edge, Firefox, and Chrome).
Myths about private or incognito browsing
- Private browsers make you anonymous on the internet. No, websites, your cable company or ISP, or your employer (if you are on a work computer) can still see what sites you visit. A private window cannot mask your computer’s internet address (your IP address) as well as particulars about your computer (your computer’s “fingerprint”). Only a VPN (Virtual Private Network) can hide your IP address and fully encrypt your online activity.
- Private browsing removes all traces of your activity from your computer. A private browser will clear your browsing history and website cookies when you close the browser. A private browser does not save any information you have entered into online forms. However, a private browser will not delete bookmarks or any downloaded files.
Browsers built for privacy
The major browsers are built with convenience and marketing in mind. Some browsers are built primarily for privacy. These include Brave, Avast, Opera, and Tor, to name a few.