What's the benefit of turning on private browsing?

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.

How do I put a password on my browser on Android?

You can lock apps on Android with your device's security code or use a third-party app. You can also set up Android parental controls to childproof your device.

Internet, Networking, & Security > Browsers

How to Turn on Incognito Mode in Your Browser

When privacy is important, browse in private mode

By

Scott Orgera

Updated on June 19, 2022

This article explains how to turn on incognito mode for private browsing in Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and Opera.

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. Here's how to open a private browsing session in Chrome:

Incognito mode doesn't block or mask your IP address. It prevents the browser from recording your session data. To hide your IP, use a VPN, a proxy server, or the Tor Browser.

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 InPrivate Browsing in Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer (IE) 11 also refers to its incognito mode as InPrivate Browsing. To launch an InPrivate session in IE:

Microsoft no longer supports Internet Explorer and recommends that you update to the newer Edge browser. Head to their site to download the newest version.

Open Internet Explorer.
Select the Tools menu (gear icon) in the upper-right corner of the browser window.
Hover over Safety.
Select InPrivate Browsing.

Press Ctrl+Shift+P to turn on InPrivate Browsing quickly.
A new InPrivate Browsing window opens. To verify, make sure the URL is preceded by about: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.
From the menu bar, select File > New Private Window.

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.

FAQ

What's the benefit of turning on private browsing?

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.
How do I put a password on my browser on Android?

You can lock apps on Android with your device's security code or use a third-party app. You can also set up Android parental controls to childproof your device.

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for letting us know!

Tell us why!