Incognito Mode Demystified: How it Works and What it Does (and Doesn’t) Do?

The internet has become an integral part of our lives, and with it comes the need to protect our privacy. Incognito mode is one of the tools available to help us do just that.

But what exactly is incognito mode? How does it work? And what does (and doesn’t) it do? This article will answer these questions and more, so you can make informed decisions about your online privacy.

How Incognito Mode Works?

Incognito mode, also known as private browsing, is a feature available in most web browsers (Safari, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge…) that allows users to browse the internet without leaving any trace of their activity.

When incognito mode is enabled, all cookies, browsing history, and other data are not stored on the user’s device or in their browser history. This means that when they close the window or tab, all traces of their activity are erased.

In addition to preventing data from being stored on the user’s device or in their browser history, incognito mode also prevents websites from tracking the user’s activity.

This is done by blocking third-party cookies and other tracking technologies used by websites to track user activity across different sites. However, while incognito mode does provide some level of privacy protection, there are still some limitations to be aware of.

What Incognito Mode Does (and Doesn’t) Do?

Incognito mode provides some level of privacy protection. However, it does not prevent your ISP from seeing which websites you visit or your employer from monitoring your online activity if you are using a work computer. Additionally, any files downloaded while in incognito mode will still be stored on your device unless they are manually deleted.

In terms of protecting personal information such as passwords and credit card numbers, incognito mode does not provide any additional protection beyond what is already provided by most modern browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Safari and Mozilla Firefox.

These browsers already have built-in features such as password managers and autofill forms that can help protect this type of information even when not using incognito mode. 

How to activate incognito mode on your browser?

All the most popular browsers offer an incognito mode. Here’s how to activate it for each one.

On Chrome

To activate incognito mode on Google Chrome, follow these steps:

Step 1: Click (or tap if you’re on your Android or Apple smartphone) on the three dots icon in the upper-right corner of the browser.

Step 2: Select “New Incognito Window.”

Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + Shift + N” to activate incognito mode in Google Chrome.

On Mozilla Firefox

Enabling the incognito mode on Mozilla Firefox is easy:

1. Click or tap on the three horizontal lines icon in the right corner at the top of the browser.

2. Select “New Private Window.”

You can also use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + Shift + P” to open a private window.

On safari

If you want to open a private tab on Safari you have to:

Step 1: Click on the File menu.

Step 2: Select “New Private Window.”

Note: The exact steps to open a private session may vary slightly depending on the version of the browser you are using.

Incognito Mode and Other Privacy Tools

While incognito mode provides some level of privacy protection for users who want to keep their browsing activities private within a single session, there are other tools available for those who want more comprehensive privacy protection when browsing the web.

Virtual Private Networks (VPN), for example, encrypt all data sent between a user’s device and the VPN server so that no one can see what websites they visit or what data they send over the internet.

Additionally, many modern browsers now offer “Do Not Track” options which allow users to opt out of being tracked by certain websites or services while browsing the web.

Incognito mode in a nutshell

In conclusion, incognito mode is a useful tool for those who want to keep their browsing activities private within a single session but should not be relied upon for comprehensive privacy protection when browsing the web.

For those who want more comprehensive privacy protection when browsing the web there are other tools available such as VPNs and “Do Not Track” options which offer more robust levels of privacy protection than what is offered by incognito mode alone.

• Incognito mode, also known as private browsing, is a feature that allows users to protect their privacy while browsing online.
• Most popular browsers (Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge…) offer this option.
• When incognito mode is enabled, all cookies, browsing history, and other data are not stored on the user’s device or in their browser history.
• You can use a VPN or a “Do Not Track” option to increase your privacy protection when browsing the web, compared to incognito mode alone.