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Want to research a medical condition without worrying that others might stumble upon your search history? Maybe you're researching a gift and you don't want your significant other to discover your recent website views, spoiling the surprise. Or maybe you want to browse YouTube without influencing the recommendations that the site gives you the next time you log on. A private browser can help. All web browsers give you the option to use a privacy mode when you're searching the web. This includes Incognito mode on Chrome; Private Browsing on Firefox, Safari and Opera; and InPrivate in Microsoft Edge. And these private browser options will keep your online activity hidden. If your someone else logs onto your computer after you’ve closed your private browsing window, they be able to see what websites you visited or videos you watched. Just don't make the mistake of believing that a private browser keeps you completely anonymous when you're online. It doesn't. Plenty of people and organizations can still track your online activities even if you are using a private browser. So what is private browsing? Here's a look at when using this service makes sense and what protection it offers. What a private browser doesWhen you search the web in a private mode, your browser won't store a history of the sites you've visited, videos you've watched or online forums you’ve posted to. The private browser also won't store any cookies – codes that track the sites you've visited – or remember any usernames or passwords that you've entered during your online session. That sounds reassuring. But there is a catch: While private browsing does keep others, such as anyone who logs onto your laptop or computer after you've finished using it, from seeing what you've been doing online, it doesn't provide complete privacy. Far from it, in fact. Everyone from your employer to government agencies can still see your browsing activity. If you want more privacy while browsing the web? You'll need to use more sophisticated tools. A private browser might be as private as you thinkWhile private browsing does hide your immediate past online activity, it doesn't offer complete anonymity. If you're using a work computer, your employer can still see your online activity. Your internet service provider, too, can track what sites you've visited and files you've downloaded. Private browsing also doesn't keep your online activity a secret from government agencies. And hackers can still spy on your browsing, especially if you are relying on public Wi-Fi to connect to the internet. Finally, private browsing doesn't protect you from downloading a virus or malware. You can still infect your devices even after turning private browsing on. This doesn't mean that private browsing doesn't have its uses. When to use a private browserPrivate browsing modes don’t offer complete privacy online, but still offer benefits. Here’s a sample:
How do you use private browsing?Do you want to activate private browsing? Several major web browsers offer this feature to help keep your temporary browsing history private from other users. Here are some examples: Private browsing in ChromeGoogle Chrome’s Incognito Mode was designed to make it easier to share computers in public places such as the office. Chrome won’t save your browsing history, cookies, site data, or information you enter on forms. It will keep files you download and your bookmarks. How to turn on Incognito Mode on your computer, Android, iPhone, or iPad:
Private browsing in SafariSafari’s private browsing mode removes temporary files — browsing history, form data, and cookies — by default when the window is closed. To enable private browsing on a Mac:
To enable private browsing on Safari while on an iPhone or iPad:
The Mozilla Firefox Private Browsing mode is similar to the others, but it offers an additional feature in the form of tracking protection. With this feature, Mozilla helps protect your browsing history from being gathered by third parties. How to access private browsing in Firefox:
Your Firefox private window has a purple band across it, and from there you can turn on an additional tracking-protection feature. InPrivate browsing in Internet ExplorerMicrosoft’s Internet Explorer and Edge offer an InPrivate browsing window that provides the same features as the others. While using this feature, the browser won’t save the pages you visit, form data, or web searches. But keep in mind, files you download and your bookmarks will be saved on your computer after you close the InPrivate window. To access InPrivate browsing on Internet Explorer:
To access InPrivate browsing on Microsoft Edge:
While in this private mode, the browser tabs will say “InPrivate.” Private browsing in Opera incognitoWhile Opera’s private browsing mode offers the same temporary data privacy as the others, an additional feature enables you to turn on its own VPN connection that could further protect your browsing activities. To enable Opera incognito:
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about private browsing. What is private browsing?All browsers provide privacy mode to turn on and help keep your online activity hidden while searching the web. Does private browsing keep you anonymous?Not entirely – employers can see your browsing activity on company-owned devices. Government agencies and internet service providers can also see sites visited and files downloaded. Does private browsing protect you from viruses?No. You can still download malware to your devices even if you're browsing in private mode. When should you use private browsing?If you are using a computer in a public space or if searching sensitive information on a home device, private browsing will prevent other users from seeing what sites you've visited. What's a better option for privacy?If you want greater online protection and anonymity, a virtual private network, better known as a VPN, can help.
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