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How to Get Out of Incognito Mode

Anton Schmitt
Anton Schmitt Originally published Aug 08, 24, updated Nov 21, 24

How to Go Incognito in Your Browser

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Introduction

Are you concerned about your online privacy and do not want your every click and search to be tracked and recorded? Using incognito mode during browsing has become a popular choice for keeping online activities private. But what exactly is incognito mode, and how can you use it effectively? Understanding how to use it and knowing its limitations is essential for maintaining your privacy. Read this article to learn everything about incognito mode and its limitations. Also, we have provided complete details on how to monitor the incognito activities of your child.

Part 1: What is Incognito Mode?

Incognito mode, also known as Private window, is a privacy browsing option in most web browsers that allows you to browse the internet without saving your browsing history, cookies, or website data. This means that your online activities will not be saved on your device.

However, while Incognito mode preserves your privacy on the device, it does not hide your online activities from your internet service provider (ISP) or the websites you visit.

When you do not want anyone to know what you are doing on your device, enable incognito mode in your browser.

Some of the main benefits of incognito browsing are:

  • Private Account Safety: Many popular browsers store your logged-in account details, such as passwords, for convenience. However, this poses a security risk and is not recommended, especially if you want to keep your personal information private. To ensure your account information is not saved in the browser, use the Incognito mode.
  • Multiple Accounts Login: If you have multiple accounts on the same platform, like multiple Google accounts? It is challenging to access them simultaneously on the same browser. To solve this, use different browsers or open an incognito window to log in to multiple accounts without any issues.
  • Private Secure Browsing: When using the Incognito mode, you can browse without leaving any records, which is helpful when using a shared or public computer. Additionally, it is useful for researching sensitive topics without the searches being saved in your browser history.

Part 2: How to Go Incognito

There are multiple methods to enable private browsing, commonly known as incognito mode. However, the steps differ based on the device you are using, whether it is a desktop computer (Windows PC, Mac, or Linux) or a mobile phone (Android or iPhone). Additionally, the procedure and the name of the feature can vary depending on the web browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari). For how to go incognito mode for private browsing, follow the specific instructions for your device type, operating system, and browser.

How to Turn on Incognito on Desktop

Although Microsoft Edge comes pre-installed on Windows and Safari on App devices, many users prefer to use Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox depending on their requirements. All these web browsers offer private browsing options, albeit with different feature names. For example, in Chrome the private browsing feature is Incognito Windows, whereas on Microsoft Edge, it is InPrivate Window. So, if you are wondering how to use incognito mode on any other browsers. Here is how to get Incognito mode to browse privately on various web browsers on your desktop[a]:

Google Chrome:

If you are using Google Chrome web browser on your computer, whether on Windows or Mac OS. Here is how to go incognito mode:

Step 1: Launch the Google Chrome web browser on your computer.

Step 2: Click on the “three dots” option at the top right corner

Step 3: Select the “New Incognito Window” option from the drop-down.

new incognito window option

Step 4. A new window will open with a dark theme. Check for the Incognito icon at the top right corner.

new incognito window screen

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge is the built-in web browser for Windows systems, but this modern version of Internet Explorer is also available for Mac OS. Here is how to open an incognito tab, known as InPrivate Window in Edge:

Step 1: Launch the Microsoft Edge web browser on your computer.

Step 2: Click on the “three dots” option at the top right corner.

new inprivate window option

Step 3: Select the “New InPrivate Window” option from the drop-down menu.

Step 4. The new InPrivate window will open with a dark theme. Check for the InPrivate icon at the top left corner.

new inprivate window screen

Mozilla Firefox:

Mozilla Firefox is another popular web browser, which is available for multiple OS, including Windows and Mac. Here is how to go into incognito mode, known as Private Window in Firefox on your computer:

Step 1: Launch the Mozilla Firefox web browser on your computer.

Step 2: Click the “three lines” icon at the top right corner.

Step 3: Select the “New Private Window” option from the drop-down menu.

new private window option

Step 4. A new window with a purple browning window will open. Check for the purple and white mask icon at the top border.

new private window screen

Apple Safari:

Apple Safari is the default web browser for Mac that comes built-in, but it is also available for Windows systems. Here is how to use incognito mode on Safari known as Private Window:

Step 1: Launch the Safari web browser on your computer.

Step 2: Click the “File” option at the top menu.

Step 3: Select the “New Private Window” option from the drop-down”

new private window option

Step 4. A new window will open with a dark search field.

new private window

How to Turn on Incognito on Mobile Phone

Here are the below steps to follow to how to open incognito tab on Android and iPhone:

Android Phone

Each Android phone comes built-in with Chrome mobile web browser by default. However, you can also install other mobile browsers such as Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and more on your Android phone, if you are wondering how to get Incognito. Here is how to use incognito mode on Chrome (Edge, Mozilla Firefox) on Android phones:

Step 1: Open default Chrome or your preferred web browser on your Android.

Step 2: Tap the “three dots” (or three lines) at the top.

Step 3: Tap the “New Incognito Tab” or “New Private Tab” depending on the browser.

new incognito tab option on android

Step 4. A new tab will open with an incognito icon at the top or a private icon.

new incognito tab screen

iOS Phone

Safari is the default mobile web browser for Apple phones, including iPhones. It is a free app that allows users to browse the web, view websites, and more. You can also install various other mobile web browsers to browse online on iOS devices. Here is how to use incognito mode on the Safari web browser on iPhone:

Step 1: Open the default Safari web browser on your iPhone.

Step 2: Tap on the “Tabs” icon at the bottom corner of the screen.

tabs option on safari

Step 3: Swipe right on the tab bar until you see the “Private” tab, and then tap on the “Unlock” option to enable pirate browsing mode.

unlock private browsing option

Step 4: Once enabled, tap the “plus” icon to open a new private tab.

Part 4: How to Get Out of Incognito Mode

After you are done browsing privately, and wondering how to get out of incognito mode. Like, how to get on incognito depends on the browser and device, the process of how to get out of incognito mode also depends on the browser and device you are privately browsing. So, here is how to get out of incognito browsing, based on your device:

  • If you are on your desktop, you simply close all open incognito windows (private windows for some browsers) to exit incognito mode.
  • If you are browsing privately on your Android phone, you can get out of incognito mode by closing all open incognito tabs (private tabs for some browsers).
  • However, if you are on an iOS device, tap the "Private" option to stop browsing privately.

Please note that any bookmarks created during Incognito mode will not be saved. Your browser will also forget any login credentials or site preferences used while in Incognito mode. All your browsing details during Incognito mode will not be saved, and you will not be able to recover the lost information, even if you start a new Incognito window or regular browsing session.

Part 5: How to See Incognito History?

Incognito mode is intended to provide a private browsing experience. It means that any websites you visit, searches you perform, or cookies created during your Incognito session are not stored on your device. Once you close all Incognito windows, that browsing data is permanently deleted, and It cannot be retrieved.

Part 6: Use the FamiSafe App to Remotely Review Browsing History

Well, most browsers do not allow users to view the incognito history, but how to see the incognito history for kids? With the FamiSafe app, you can record all browsing details, including the Incognito browser history on the phone of your child.

Follow the steps below to find out how to see the incognito history of your child using FamiSafe:

Step 1: Download and install FamiSafe-View Kids' Browsing History from the App Store or Google Play on both phones of the parent and children.

Step 2: Create a FamiSafe account in the app. You can register using either your phone or on the phone of your child. The account is the same for both devices.

Step 3: Connect and monitor the phone of your child from the phones of the parent on the Famisafe app.

connect parent and kid devices option

Step 4: Lastly, sign into the FamiSafe app on your phone and tap the "Browser History" option to access the entire browsing history on the device of your children.

famisafe app login screen

This is how to get incognito history using FamiSafe the easiest way.

Conclusion

While Incognito mode provides a layer of privacy while browsing the internet, it is essential to understand its limitations before using it for your particular needs. If you are okay with websites knowing your IP address and cannot hide your browser history from your ISP, Incognito mode might be enough. However, for complete internet monitoring and control, particularly on mobile devices of your children, parental control applications like FamiSafe can be invaluable.

FAQs

1. Is incognito private?

When you browse using incognito mode, your activity is private from others using your device, but the websites you visit can still see your IP address. In Incognito mode, browsing history, cookies, website data, and form information are not saved on your device. This means that your activity is not recorded in your browser history, and others who use your device will not be able to view it.

2. Does Google Incognito work on iPhones?

Yes, Google Incognito works on iPhones if the Chrome web browser is installed.

You can enable Incognito mode by selecting the "New Incognito Tab" option from the "three-dot" menu icon.

3. Can other users see my incognito browsing activity?

No, other users of the same device cannot see your incognito browsing activity once you close the incognito window or tab.

4. How to see the incognito history of my child?

To view or monitor the incognito browsing history of your children, consider using parental control apps like FamiSafe, which offer features to track online activity and manage device usage.

5. Can I recover lost incognito browsing history?

No, once you close an incognito window or tab, the browsing data is not recoverable through the browser.

Anton Schmitt
Anton Schmitt Nov 21, 24
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