Privacy guide
Does Incognito Delete History?
Incognito mode, private browsing, and InPrivate windows are useful, but they are often misunderstood. They mainly stop the browser from saving some local history after the private window closes. They do not make you invisible.
What incognito does
- Prevents new browsing history from being saved locally after the private window closes
- Clears cookies from that private session when the session ends
- Keeps private tabs separate from your normal browser session
- Reduces casual local history exposure on the same device
What incognito does not do
Incognito does not hide your activity from websites you visit, your internet provider, your employer or school network, or monitoring software on the device. It also does not remove activity from accounts you sign into during the private session.
If you sign into Google, Facebook, Amazon, or another account while using incognito, that service can still associate activity with your account.
Downloads and bookmarks
Files downloaded in incognito usually remain on the device unless you delete them. Bookmarks created in incognito can also remain. Private browsing controls browser history; it does not clean your whole computer or phone.
When incognito is useful
- Checking a site without using your normal logged-in session
- Using a shared computer for a quick task
- Preventing casual local history from being saved
- Testing how a page looks when signed out