5 Benefits Of Incognito Mode You Should Know

At times, we may require to surf the internet without leaving any digital traces for different purposes. However, manually deleting browsing history and cache can be tedious. To address this, we have Incognito Mode, which is a useful feature of modern web browsers.

Whether it is Incognito Mode in Chrome for Android or Private Window in Firefox, they all function similarly. This feature enables users to browse the web without any record of browsing history, session data, cache, or cookies being saved.

What is Incognito Mode?

Incognito Mode is a feature available in web browsers that enables users to browse the internet without recording any browsing history, search history, cookies, or site data. This feature is particularly useful when users want to keep their internet activities private and don’t want their browsing history to be saved.

When browsing in Incognito Mode, the browser won’t store any data or information about the websites visited, and any forms or searches conducted won’t be remembered after the user closes the session.

What Is Incognito Mode Used For?

Incognito mode is used to browse the internet without leaving any digital traces or records of the browsing history, search history, cookies, or site data. It can be used for a variety of reasons, such as:

1. Privacy: If you find yourself needing to access your email account or sign in to a website while using a friend’s computer or smartphone, using Incognito Mode would be helpful. This feature allows you to complete the task without affecting your friend’s browser cookies or settings, ensuring that their browsing experience remains unchanged. Users can use Incognito mode to browse the internet without leaving any traces of their online activity, which can be helpful for maintaining privacy.
2. Security: When using public computers or networks, Incognito mode can help prevent any personal information, passwords, or login details from being saved or stored on the device.
3. Testing: Developers and webmasters can use Incognito mode to test websites without their browser using any previously stored data, which could potentially affect the testing results.
4. Avoiding targeted advertising: Incognito mode can be used to avoid targeted advertising as browsing data and cookies won’t be stored, preventing advertisers from tracking browsing habits.
5. Shopping for gifts: When shopping for gifts, Incognito mode can be used to prevent any websites from tracking the user’s shopping habits or preferences, which can help keep the surprise intact.

How Does Incognito Mode Work?

Incognito Mode, also known as Private Browsing or InPrivate Browsing, works by temporarily storing the web browsing data in a separate, isolated session. When the user closes the Incognito window or session, the browser deletes all data associated with that session, including browsing history, search history, cookies, and temporary files.

In Incognito Mode, the browser doesn’t save any cookies, so the user won’t be automatically logged into any accounts, and any browsing activity won’t be saved to the browser’s history. Additionally, any information entered into forms, such as passwords or personal information, won’t be saved after the user closes the session.

While Incognito Mode doesn’t completely protect a user’s privacy as their Internet Service Provider (ISP) can still see their browsing activity, it does provide a temporary solution for browsing the web without leaving any traces behind.

Benefits Of Incognito Mode

1. No Saved Cookies

Incognito Mode on Android and iOS has several use cases. When using a regular web browser, all the cache, cookies, and browsing history from each web page visited are stored. These cookies can track users’ preferences and sell targeted ads.

However, when browsing in Private Browsing Mode, existing cookies do not impact the current browsing session. The browser will instead download the latest cache and cookies, providing users with an updated page without being influenced by any previously stored data.

2. No Browsing History

Incognito Mode eliminates the need for manually clearing browsing history as it does not record any browsing history. Therefore, if you do not wish to have your browsing activity recorded, using Incognito Mode is a useful option.

3. Access Multiple Accounts At The Same Time

If you need to use multiple accounts at the same time, Private Browsing Mode can be a helpful tool. By opening a private window, you can browse without affecting your main account while making changes to the secondary account. This allows you to log in to multiple accounts simultaneously and maintain their separate browsing sessions.

4. Use Other’s Device Without Saving History

There are situations when you might forget to bring your own device or run out of battery and need to access your email or social media accounts. If you want to log in to your Gmail or Facebook from a device that is not your own, using Incognito Mode can be a helpful option. This will allow you to browse the internet quickly without leaving any trace of your browsing activity on the device.

However, it’s important to remember that using someone else’s device for personal use is always risky. While Incognito Mode can help keep your browsing history private, it won’t necessarily hide all of your information. It’s essential to close the browser window before leaving the device to ensure that any cookies or temporary files are deleted.

5. Fresh Webpages

Cached web pages can sometimes display outdated data. If you frequently visit a webpage, there is a chance that you may not receive the most updated version of the page. By using Incognito Mode, you can ensure that the browser downloads fresh data from the server and presents you with the most up-to-date version of the webpage.

How To Enable Incognito Mode Android In Chrome?

Enabling Incognito Mode in Chrome on an Android device is a straightforward process. Follow these steps:

• Open Chrome
• Tap on the Verticle three-dot Button
• Then tap on the New incognito tab
• Now you will see a black window pops up saying You’ve gone incognito

Alternatively, you can use the shortcut method to open Incognito Mode in Chrome on your Android device. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Tap and hold the Chrome app icon on your home screen or app drawer.
2. From the menu that appears, select “New Incognito tab” to open a new Incognito Mode tab.

How To Enable Incognito Mode In iPhone/Safari?

Private browsing on iPhone works just like other browsers. To enable private mode on safari

• Open Safari from the Home screen.
• Tap on the Tab View button in the lower right corner
• Now tap on Private and press Done.

Now you are in private browsing mode. Browse the web without storing any data on your iPhone or iPad.

How To Turn Off Incognito Mode Android & iOS?

Disabling Incognito Mode or Private Browsing Mode is a simple process. To turn off Incognito Mode, follow these steps:

If you are using Chrome, you will see two types of tabs – white and grey. The grey tabs represent Incognito Mode windows. To exit Incognito Mode, simply close these tabs.

If you are using the Safari browser on your iPhone, go to the tab view and tap the “Private” button to deactivate private browsing mode. Then press “Done.”

Disabling Incognito Mode on other web browsers follows a similar process. Simply close any private window to exit Incognito Mode.

Conclusion

Private browsing is a relatively new feature that offers many benefits. It allows you to browse the web without storing any records on your computer or smartphone.

However, it’s important to note that private browsing only deletes local temporary internet files and won’t eliminate any activities you performed on a website.

It’s also important to understand that your internet service provider (ISP) can still track your browsing activity even if you are using private browsing mode. This is because private browsing doesn’t provide complete anonymity. Nonetheless, private browsing can still be useful for certain purposes.