Introduction
Today’s digital era raises many concerns regarding the privacy of users. Cybercriminals and other third parties can easily misuse your data for fraudulent purposes. People can quickly access your IP address to determine your private and confidential information. When browsing the internet, you risk exposure to third parties and prying eyes to get their hands on your data. You can avoid this by taking the appropriate security measures. People do this by using Incognito Mode and Private Browsing so third parties can’t track their online activities.
What Is Incognito Mode?
Web browsers record the websites you visit and your browsing activities by default. They store your history so you can revisit it if you need to. Most web browsers allow you to keep your browsing history and the websites you visit private by opening a Private Browser.
It lets you surf the web without your search history or cookies getting saved on your device. Every browser has a different name for Private Browsing. Google Chrome calls it Incognito Mode, Microsoft Edge calls it InPrivate Mode, Safari calls it Private Browsing, and Firefox calls it Private Mode.
What Does Incognito Mode Do?
When you’re on Incognito Mode or Private Browsing, your browser does not save your browsing history. It means that any websites or pages you visit will not be recorded.
Your search history also doesn’t get saved in Incognito Mode. It also doesn’t save cookies, meaning websites won’t remember your login details or preferences. It does not auto-fill forms with your saved personal information, such as your name, email, or other contact details.
As we go further, we’ll discuss how to turn on Incognito mode on iPhone, Android, and the main web browsers. So without any further ado, let’s get into it!
Why Do People Use Incognito Mode?
There are various reasons why using Incognito Mode is useful. Here are some of the main ones:
1) Privacy
One of the main reasons people use Incognito Mode or Private Browsing is to enhance their privacy and security while browsing the internet. By using Incognito Mode, your browsing history, cookies, and search history don’t get saved. It means if someone got ahold of your device, they would be unable to track your online activities.
2) Avoid Tracking By Third Parties
Incognito Mode prevents you from getting tracked by advertisers and other third parties. Since there aren’t any cookies or stored data from previous browsing sessions, websites, and advertisers will have difficulty tracking your online activities and delivering targeted ads and personalized recommendations.
3) Accessing Multiple Accounts
If you have multiple accounts on a website or online service, you can open Private Browsing, which can be used to log in to a different account without having to log out of the existing one. It is convenient for when you’re managing work or personal accounts.
4) Deactivates Browser Extensions
Incognito Mode or Private Browsing disables the browser extensions by default in some browsers. It helps prevent extensions from collecting data on your online activities when you’re using a Private Browser.
The Pros & Cons Of Incognito Mode & Private Browsing
There are Pros and Cons when you’re using Incognito Mode. Let’s go over them in detail:
Pros of Using Incognito Mode
- Incognito Mode is an excellent tool for when you’re sharing devices. Other people sharing your device cannot see or track your online activities.
- When you’re done with a browsing session using Incognito mode, your browser will remove the cookies from your device. It helps prevent advertisers and other third parties from collecting data on you for targeted ads and personalized recommendations.
- Every time you come out of an Incognito session, your login details, cookies, and temporary browsing files are removed from your device.
- Web developers can use Incognito Mode to test websites and web applications without cached data or cookies from previous browsing sessions interrupting their work.
- Incognito Mode also prevents websites from logging in automatically if you’ve saved your login details, which can be helpful in certain situations.
Cons of Incognito Mode
- With Incognito mode, your browsing activities are only hidden from those sharing your device. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and network administrator can still track your online activities and see your browsing history and the websites you’re accessing.
- Even if you’re using private browsing, ISPs, other third parties, and the websites you visit can still see your IP address. You can mask your IP address by using a VPN.
- Incognito mode doesn’t provide protection against Malware attacks, Phishing scams, and other online threats. It would be best to rely on external security measures like VPNs and anti-virus software.
- Although it protects your privacy from other users on the same device, it doesn’t offer protection against websites and other online services that use other identification methods, such as fingerprinting, to identify users.
How To Go Incognito On Your Mobile Devices & Browsers
Now that we’re aware of the purpose of Incognito Mode and some of its pros and cons, we can now look into how you can go Incognito on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Edge, iOS, and Android. Let’s get into it:
Google Chrome
- Open Google Chrome.
- Click on the three-dotted menu in the top-right corner. After that, click New Incognito window.
- You will be directed to Incognito Mode. If you have an Android device, you’ll mostly use Google Chrome.
Mozilla Firefox
- Launch Firefox on your device.
- Select the three-dotted menu in the top-right corner of the screen.
- Choose New Private window from the drop-down menu.
Microsoft Edge
- Open Microsoft Edge on your device.
- Click the horizontal three-dotted menu at the top-right corner of the webpage.
- After that, select New InPrivate window from the drop-down menu.
iOS
- Open the Safari browser.
- Tap on the Tabs button.
- Tap [number] Tabs or the Start page to show the Tab Groups list.
- Click Private and then tap Done to access Private Browsing.
Is Incognito Mode Really Private & Safe?
If other people use your device, then Incognito Mode is safe to use and can enhance your privacy as it prevents other people sharing your device from tracking or monitoring your browsing activities and what websites you’ve visited. However, it’s not the ultimate online anonymity and security method.
It offers improved privacy compared to a regular browser, as it does not store browsing history or cookies. However, it is not the ultimate solution for privacy and security. Your Internet Service Provider can still see your IP address, even if you’re using Incognito Mode. It also doesn’t provide security measures against external online threats like Malware attacks, phishing scams, and malicious actors.
If you’re looking to invest in additional security measures and protect your data from getting tracked by advertisers and third parties, investing in a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a good idea. A VPN masks your IP address and encrypts your internet traffic, making it difficult for third parties to decipher your data. They will also be unable to see your IP address or track your browsing activities, giving you an extra layer of protection.
Conclusion
If you’re concerned about web browsers tracking your browsing history and all the pages you visit, switching to Incognito Mode would be an excellent place to start, as it won’t store your browsing or search history. However, it is not the end-all, be-all solution to privacy and security. Investing in a VPN or anti-virus software enables you to protect your confidential data and offer protection against external security threats.