How to Turn On Incognito Mode in Your Browser

When privacy is important, browse in private mode

by Scott Orgera
Scott Orgera is a former writer who covering tech since 2007. He has 25+ years experience as a programmer and QA leader, and holds several Microsoft certifications.
Updated November 12, 2019

Incognito mode, also known as Private Browsing, is a privacy setting that creates a new session that doesn't save your activity to your computer. This activity may include browser history, cookies, cache, and login credentials. Incognito mode is a way to browse the web without leaving a paper trail that can be searched and detailed by your browser. The way to turn on incognito browsing depends on the web browser.

Incognito mode does not block or mask your IP; it only prevents your session data from being recorded. Your activity can be tracked by internet service providers (ISPs), government agencies, and hackers. To hide your IP, use a VPN, proxy server, or Tor Browser.

Turn on Incognito Mode in Internet Explorer

Incognito mode in Internet Explorer 11 is called InPrivate Browsing.

InPrivate Browsing is also available Microsoft Edge and in older versions of Internet Explorer, including IE10, IE9, and IE8.

To launch an InPrivate session in Internet Explorer:

  1. Open Internet Explorer.

  2. Select the Gear icon in the upper-right corner of the browser window.

  3. Hover over Safety, then select InPrivate Browsing.

    Select InPrivate Browsing in Internet Explorer

    If you prefer keyboard shortcuts, press Ctrl+Shift+P to turn on InPrivate Browsing. This works in Edge, too.

  4. A new InPrivate Browsing window opens.

    An InPrivate Browsing window in Internet Explorer

  5. Go to the address bar and enter the website URL.

Turn on Incognito Mode in Google Chrome

While surfing the web incognito in Google Chrome, your history and other private data are not saved on the computer.

To enter incognito browsing mode in Chrome, go to the main menu (the three vertically aligned dots), then select New Incognito Window. Or, press Ctrl+Shift+N (Windows) or Command+Shift+N (Mac).

New Incognito Window

Another way to find Incognito mode on a Mac is to go the File menu and select New Incognito Window.

To open a single link into an Incognito window, right-click the link, then select Open Link in Incognito Window.

Incognito Mode

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

If you browse the internet from an iPhone or iPad, activate Chrome Incognito Mode on iOS devices.

Turn on Private Browsing in Mozilla Firefox

Privacy browsing in Mozilla Firefox is called Private Browsing mode. To turn on private browsing, select the Firefox menu (it's located in the upper-right corner of the browser window and indicated by three dashes), then choose New Private Window.

Firefox New Private Window

To open a specific link in private browsing, right-click the link, then choose Open Link in New Private Window.

Firefox private window

Firefox also has a Private Browsing mode on Android and iOS Devices.

Enter Incognito Browsing in Apple Safari

To enter Private Browsing mode in Apple Safari on a Mac, go to the Safari menu bar, select File, then choose New Private Window. Or, press Shift+Command+N.

Safari Private Window

To enter Private Browsing in Safari for Windows, select the Gear icon in the upper-right corner of the browser, choose Private Browsing, then select OK.

If you use Safari on an iPhone or iPad, you can also use Private Browsing in the iOS Safari app.

Use InPrivate Browsing in Microsoft Edge

The Microsoft Edge browser in Windows 10 allows incognito browsing through the InPrivate Browsing function. To enter incognito browsing, select the More Actions menu (represented by three dots), then choose New InPrivate Window.

Open a Private Windows in Opera

To open a private browsing tab or window in Opera on a Windows PC, select the Opera menu icon, then choose New private window. Or, press Ctrl+Shift+N.

On a Mac, select File, then choose New Incognito Window. Or, press Command+Shift+N.