Have you ever wanted to research something without having to worry about anyone discovering it? This could be a present for a family member, or surprise overseas trip and you don’t want the person being able to see it, ruining the surprise. Perhaps you want to browse the internet without seeing recommendations? If so, Private Browsing (available on all browsers) will help you achieve this.

What is Private Browsing?

When you search in Private Browsing mode, your browser won’t retain any history of the sites you’ve visited, videos watched or chats you have posted to. The private browser also won’t store cookies (code that tracks sites you have visited) or remember any username/password you’ve entered during this session. It also keeps the activity hidden, so when you close your browser, the next person won’t be able to see any of the sites you’ve visited.

How Do I enable Private Browsing?

All browsers offer private browsing. Here’s how you can enable on a few browsers:

Google Chrome Incognito Mode

1. Open Google Chrome > Click on Menu (3 dots) in the upper right corner > select New Incognito Window

2. Keyboard Shortcut: Hold “CTRL + SHIFT + N” (COMMAND + SHIFT + N if using a MacBook) and a new window for incognito mode will appear.

3. Computer Dock: Right click Google Chrome > select New Incognito Window.

Safari Private Browse

1. Open Safari > click on File (top of the page) > New Private Window

2. Keyboard Shortcut: Hold “SHIFT + COMMAND + N”. This will open a new private window.

3. MacBook Dock: Right click Safari > select New Private Window.

Firefox Private Browse

1. Open Firefox > click on Menu (3 lines) upper right corner > New Private Window

2. Keyboard Shortcut: Hold “CTRL + SHIFT + N” (COMMAND + SHIFT + N if using a MacBook)

Sources & Further Reading: 

https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-privacy-what-is-private-browsing.html

https://www.howtogeek.com/789015/how-to-activate-incognito-mode-in-google-chrome/