Every browser we use has an incognito or private browsing mode. We use it occasionally while checking out air tickets, hotels, etc. We think that it will temporarily make us anonymous. Does it make us anonymous? In this guide, we explain to you what Incognito or Private mode does and does not do.
What is Incognito or Private mode?
Incognito or Private mode is a feature or setting on your web browser that helps you browse the internet without saving any data locally or saving browsing history. Whatever websites you visit, will not be added to your web browser’s history. Also, the cookies and cache of those websites will not be saved locally.
What does Private or Incognito mode do?
These are the following things incognito or private modes do and don’t.
- No browsing history saved
- No cookies, cache, or preferences saved
- Can sign in to multiple accounts
- Cannot mask your IP address
- Cannot bypass ISP tracking
- Cannot stop data collection
Let’s get into the details of each one.
1] No browsing history
One primary benefit of incognito or private mode is, that no website you visit in that session will not be saved in the history. There is no way of saving them unless you bookmark the websites.
Read: When should I use the Incognito Mode?
2] No cookies, cache, or preferences saved
Generally, web browsers save cookies, cache, and site data to load the pages faster or to save the preferences. It is not possible if you browse websites in incognito or private mode. As soon as you close a website, its data is lost along with the preferences. You need to begin from the start.
Read: How to disable Private Browsing in Chrome or Firefox, or Microsoft Edge.
3] Can sign in to multiple accounts
You can sign in to multiple accounts using private mode and use them parallelly. One in normal mode and the other in incognito or private mode, which is not possible in both normal and private mode. You can use multiple accounts as if you are using multiple browsers.
Read: The Chrome browser’s Incognito Mode is not as Private as you think!
4] Cannot mask your IP address
Even if you use the private mode to browse websites, it does not stop the site owners or agencies from knowing your IP address. All the pings will happen from your IP address, like in the normal mode. It does not anonymize you in any way.
Read: What can someone do with your IP address?
5] Cannot bypass ISP tracking
ISPs track a lot of your data and traffic and keep logs of them. Incognito or private mode does not prevent your ISP from tracking your traffic. You are as visible to your ISP as in a normal mode. It would be best if you used a VPN or proxy to bypass ISP tracking.
Read: How to block ISP tracking your traffic and data usage
6] Cannot stop data collection
If you sign in to Gmail or other services through private mode, your searches and your data are still collected. The private mode does not prevent it. Your searches will all be saved with your accounts; your preferences will be saved after logging in.
These are the things that incognito or private mode does and doesn’t.
Read: Fix No Incognito Mode in Chrome on Windows
What does going private mode do?
Going private mode does not do much except hide the websites you visit from the web history and not save cookies, cache, and site data. Other than these, there is not much the private mode can do. However, Private mode is just limited to your web browser and device. Your IP address, logs, and data can be collected even if you visit websites through private mode.
