What Private Browsing and Incognito Mode Actually Do (and Don't Do)

Every major web browser has a private browsing mode. In Chrome it is called Incognito. In Firefox it is Private Window. In Safari it is Private Browsing. In Edge it is InPrivate. The name varies, but the behavior is similar — and the misunderstanding about what it does is nearly universal.

Many people believe that private browsing makes them anonymous or invisible online. This is not accurate. What private browsing actually does is more limited, but it does have genuine uses.

Here is what private mode does do: it does not save your browsing history on your device — websites you visit during a private session are not recorded in your browser history. It does not save cookies after the session ends — when you close the private window, websites forget that you visited or logged in. It does not save form entries or searches to your browser's autocomplete memory.

Here is what it does NOT do: your internet service provider (the company that provides your internet — Comcast, AT&T, Spectrum, etc.) can still see which websites you visit. The websites themselves still see your IP address (a number that identifies your internet connection and can be used to estimate your general location). If you are signed into Google in a private window, Google still records your searches. Your employer or school can still see your internet activity if you are on their network. It provides absolutely no protection against viruses or malware.

To open a private window: in Chrome, press Ctrl+Shift+N on Windows or Command+Shift+N on Mac. In Firefox, press Ctrl+Shift+P or Command+Shift+P on Mac. In Safari on iPhone, open Safari, tap the tabs button (two overlapping squares), tap the tab count dropdown, and choose Private.

When is private mode genuinely useful? It is helpful for surprise shopping on a shared computer so your spouse does not see "anniversary gift" in the browser history. It is useful when you need to log in to a friend's account on your device without saving their login session. It helps when you want to comparison shop for flights or hotels without the website seeing your previous searches and potentially adjusting prices. It is also useful for testing websites without your existing cookies and login sessions affecting the behavior.

For actual privacy from websites and your internet provider, the tools that make a real difference are: a VPN (hides your traffic from your ISP), DuckDuckGo as your search engine (does not track searches), and a browser like Firefox with privacy settings enabled or the DuckDuckGo browser app.