Private browsing mode or “incognito mode” sounds like a top-secret and secure way to browse. That isn’t the case in reality, however. So, what does this private mode do? If you activate private browsing, your browser typically won’t save the following information:
- Your search and browsing history
- Cookies
- Passwords
The differences between the private modes of the four main browsers are few and far between. Chrome and Safari give you the option to manually block third-party trackers and protect your privacy even more. Firefox, on the other hand, scores some usability points by allowing you to save your passwords in private mode.
Unfortunately, there is one place in which all private mode options fall short: during a private browsing session, your IP address and traffic are still visible to third parties, such as your ISP and the websites you visit. To encrypt and anonymize your traffic, you should always use a virtual private network (VPN). A great VPN that has proven its ability to keep users’ identities and activities private time and again, is NordVPN:
Read the full article to learn about the differences between private and regular browsing modes with various browsers.
During a normal browsing session, your browser keeps close track of you. It knows your browsing history, might save your passwords, and stores all kinds of cookies. If you want to keep such information away from any nosy people that use your computer, you can switch to your browser’s private mode.
In this article, our cybersecurity experts explain in simple terms the advantages and limitations of using both private and normal browsing modes. We also analyze the private and normal modes of four popular browsers: Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox. Finally, we’ll also delve into how private mode stacks up to a VPN and how you can actually keep your online behavior private.
Ready? Let’s delve in.
The Differences Between Private and Normal Browsing Modes
Before we compare the private mode options of different popular browsers, it’s important to discuss the actual uses of the so-called “incognito mode” and how it differs from your regular browser. We’ll be going over both, starting with private mode.
Understanding private browsing mode
Private browsing mode, often called incognito mode, keeps your online activities hidden from anyone using the same device as you. However, it doesn’t give you complete anonymity on the internet, despite what the name suggests. If you’re looking for a way to effectively hide your online traffic and protect your privacy, you’ll need a VPN.
A VPN will overwrite your IP address to hide your location and encrypt your data, so it cannot be read by strangers. Many people think their browser’s private mode is capable of doing the same thing, but that is a common misconception.
Would you like to try out a VPN and become more anonymous online? We recommend NordVPN, as it comes with great privacy features and has been independently audited, so you can be sure they don’t secretly store your browsing history.
So, if you can only become more anonymous online with a VPN, you might be wondering: what does incognito mode do? When you use this mode, your browser typically does not save the following:
- Your search history: This includes the things you type in on Google and other search engines.
- The URLs of all sites you’ve visited: Any page you view in your browser will be remembered unless you tell your browser otherwise.
- Information entered in forms: Think of your name, address, and phone number in a standard registration form.
- Bookmarks: If you bookmark or favorite a page, you’re asking your browser to save that page for you so you can easily access it later.
- Cookies: Cookies can help websites remember who you are and what your preferences are, for example to keep your items in your shopping cart even when you close a store’s website.
- Passwords: For easier access, most browsers allow you to save your login details and passwords for certain websites, so you can log in with just one click.
Note that the kind of information is typically not saved in incognito mode, while it is in normal mode, although the details can differ from browser to browser.
Another thing that’s different depending on your chosen browser, is the name for this private or incognito mode. We’ve summarized the names chosen by the most popular browsers in the table below.
| Browser | Private mode name |
|---|---|
| Google Chrome | Incognito |
| Microsoft Edge | InPrivate |
| Apple Safari and Mozilla Firefox | Private Browsing |
Advantages of using private browsing mode
Private mode browsing can be very helpful in certain situations, including for the following purposes:
- Using a shared computer: If you’re using someone else’s computer and don’t want your information stored on it, incognito mode offers the perfect solution. It’s also helpful when you’re using a shared computer in public places, such as in hotels or libraries.
- Looking into sensitive topics: Private mode is useful for researching delicate topics, such as specific medical conditions. Once you close the browser down, it will forget the searches you did.
- Shopping for a surprise gift: Would you like to get your partner the perfect birthday gift? If they tend to use the same computer as you, make sure to order through private mode to ensure that the person you’re buying a gift for has no inkling about it.
- Avoiding tailored advertisements: Google and many websites tailor the ads you see to your search history. Private mode browsing helps prevent that, since the sites you visit won’t be able to rely on cookies they try to keep on you.
- Booking flights and hotels: Private mode browsing can help prevent web tracking and helps you find cheap flight tickets and accommodation.
In short, private mode can help you in situations when you either wish to keep your online habits private from people in your household or want to get around online tracking.
Limitations of private browsing mode
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows with private browsing mode. Here are some drawbacks worth noting:
- It doesn’t hide your traffic completely. Your online activities are still visible to third parties, including the websites you visit, the government, and your ISP. Only a VPN can help protect your data against these parties.
- You can lose your browsing session. If you have to dash out, you’ll have to close your incognito tabs before leaving so no one can physically access them. This means you’ll always have to start all over. This includes having to log in again on any platform you wish to use.
- The files you download are still there. All videos, images, and documents you download will still be on the device even after you end your browsing session, meaning they can be seen by anyone else using your device.
The biggest takeaway when it comes to private mode is that it doesn’t actually make you anonymous or private on the internet. It might slightly limit who can see what you’re doing, but there are still plenty of parties out there that can follow your every step – even in incognito mode. For a much more anonymous experience online, you’ll have to use other methods, like a VPN.
Understanding normal browsing mode
As you may have guessed by now, normal mode browsing keeps track of everything that the private mode doesn’t. This means that your browser saves the URLs you visited, your search history, cookies, passwords, and everything in between.
This regular mode is the default of most browsers. That means you don’t have to tweak your settings before browsing regularly.
Advantages of using normal browsing mode
Using the regular browsing mode benefits you in the following ways:
- Bookmarks are saved, making referencing easy.
- You have a record of your search history if you ever need to find a site you previously visited.
- You can autofill forms, and you don’t have to remember passwords (if you allow your browser to store yours).
- It allows you to get tailored advertisements, which might be handy if you’re looking for recommendations for a product or service.
In short, a browser’s regular mode tends to go for usability over anonymity, making it easier for you to communicate with the internet while also enabling websites to track you more thoroughly.
Limitations of normal browsing mode
In general, the regular browsing mode can feel limiting, especially if you don’t want anyone to keep tabs on you. Here are a few cons of the normal browsing mode that are worth mentioning:
- You might leave your data on a shared or public computer for other people to see and (potentially) abuse.
- Your browsing history could become available to third parties.
- Websites can keep track of you using cookies, which might result in targeted advertisements and more expensive prices when booking flights and tickets.
- You can’t research sensitive topics without leaving a trace on your own computer.
Now that we understand the general differences between normal and private browsing modes, let’s dig into the specifics of each of the four most-used browsers: Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox.
Chrome Incognito vs. Regular Browsing Mode
First released in 2008, Google’s Chrome browser has become the world’s favorite browser. Since the very beginning, Google has allowed users to open up “Incognito” windows on Chrome to limit the degree to which Chrome records your history.
If you are a privacy-minded user, there is one caveat we should mention when it comes to Chrome. Even in incognito mode, this isn’t the most private browser around. In fact, Google is known for storing as much information about you as it can, so that data can be used for advertising purposes. This isn’t any different for Chrome.
We’d advise you to use a more private browser like Tor or Brave instead. On top of that, it’s always wise to use a VPN (virtual private network) like NordVPN to increase your online anonymity. If you want to stick with Chrome, have a look at our list of best VPNs for Chrome.
Using Chrome’s incognito mode is slightly better for your privacy than using its normal browsing mode. The below summarizes the key differences between using Chrome’s regular browser and an Incognito window.
| Features Saved | Normal Browsing Mode | Incognito Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing history | ✔ | ✖ |
| Cookies | ✔ | ✔/✖* |
| Site data | ✔ | ✖ |
| Information entered in forms | ✔ | ✖ |
| Bookmarks | ✔ | ✖ |
| Downloads | ✔ | ✖** |
* You can manually block third-party cookies on the incognito homepage.
** Files are not saved to Chrome, but to your computer’s download folder.
Safari Private Browsing Mode vs. Regular Browsing Mode
Safari is the default browser for Apple products, including Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Apple has designed the browser to protect user privacy, and they did a great job at that. Though its regular browser isn’t quite as privacy-focused as other browsers, like Tor, it manages an excellent balance between user-friendliness and security.
So, what additional privacy advantages does Safari’s Private Browsing mode give you? It will make sure your recent searches won’t appear in your Smart Search results, first of all, but it also gives you the option to block cookies. Here’s an overview of the differences between incognito and regular mode for Safari. Want to know more about this browser? Read our in-depth review of Safari’s Private Browsing mode.
| Features Saved | Normal Browsing Mode | Private Browsing Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing history | ✔ | ✖ |
| Cookies | ✔ | ✖* |
| Site data | ✔ | ✖ |
| Information entered in forms | ✔ | ✖ |
| Bookmarks | ✔ | ✖ |
| Downloads | ✔ | ✖** |
* You can manually block third-party cookies on the Private Browsing homepage.
** Downloads are not part of your browser’s downloads list, although they will show up on your computer.
Edge InPrivate Browsing Mode vs. Regular Browsing Mode
Edge is Microsoft’s proprietary and cross-platform browser. Although it trails Chrome and Safari regarding market share, it has been given a new lease of life thanks to the new AI-powered Bing search engine. Microsoft Edge has replaced Internet Explorer, Microsoft’s previous browser, which has since been retired.
Although Edge’s InPrivate mode does what is expected from incognito mode, it isn’t as thorough as the private modes of Safari and Chrome. It will store your downloads in Edge, regardless of whether you’re using the regular browser or InPrivate. This is convenient for some users, but does mean InPrivate isn’t as private as its name might suggest. On top of that, Edge allows you to access autofill data and passwords from the profile used to access a new InPrivate window. Again, this is convenient, but not the most anonymous or private tactic. You can see all differences between Edge’s browsers down below.
| Features Saved | Normal Browsing Mode | InPrivate |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing history | ✔ | ✖ |
| Cookies | ✔ | ✖ |
| Site data | ✔ | ✖ |
| Information entered in forms | ✔ | ✔ |
| Bookmarks | ✔ | ✖ |
| Downloads | ✔ | ✔ |
Firefox Private Browsing Mode vs. Regular Browsing Mode
Firefox has been around since 2004, making it one of the longest-standing browsers. It also consistently ranks as one of the best browsers for privacy, especially when you configure its settings to your advantage. Firefox’s inclusion of its private browsing mode adds an extra layer of privacy, although, like all others, it’s not foolproof.
Still, Firefox is one of our favorite popular browsers for privacy, as it combines a league of useful security options with a user-friendly interface that, for example, allows you to store new passwords even during a Firefox private browsing session.
If you’d like to learn more about how to set it up the right way, check out our tips for making Firefox an anonymous browser, which also includes making smart use of its incognito mode. On top of that, we like to use Firefox along with NordVPN for a truly private online experience.
We’ve broken down the main features of Firefox’s regular mode and private browsing session below.
| Features saved | Normal browsing mode | Incognito mode |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing history | ✔ | ✖ |
| Cookies | ✔ | ✖ |
| Site data | ✔ | ✖ |
| Information entered in forms | ✔ | ✖ |
| Bookmarks | ✔ | ✔ |
| Downloads | ✔ | ✖* |
* Downloaded files will be erased when you close the Firefox private window.
Private Browsing Mode and Security
One of the most common myths about private browsing is that it can protect users from curious eyes on the internet and all kinds of cybercrime. Unfortunately, that’s not true. As can be seen above, private browsing mode only ensures some of your data isn’t saved within your browser. However, your online activity, as well as your location, might still be visible to countless parties, including:
- Your internet service provider (ISP)
- Your employer or school
- Governments and government agencies
- Websites you visit, including the companies behind the ads and resources used on those sites
The kinds of information that these parties might be able to see include:
- Your IP address, which can be used to identify the general area you’re in
- Your activity while you use a web service
- Your identity, if you sign in to a web service, such as an email account
For this information, it does not matter whether you use incognito mode on your browser or not. Private mode might limit the amount of data some trackers can store about you, but even that isn’t as effective as using an actual tracker blocker, like Privacy Badger.
If you want to go for actual online anonymity and privacy, a VPN works better than incognito mode. The fact that a VPN encrypts and anonymizes traffic makes it a great choice if you want to keep snoopers at bay. If you want to browse the internet anonymously, combine private browsing mode with a VPN to benefit from both features in one stroke.
Use NordVPN for added security and privacy
The best VPN for your privacy is NordVPN. It uses military-grade AES-256 encryption and has thousands of servers in more than 60 countries. It doesn’t keep any logs and doesn’t suffer from DNS or IP address leaks, so you can be sure your data is private as long as you’re connected to their servers.
On top of that, you get a few nice extras that no private mode browser will be able to replicate. For example, NordVPN can give you access to (more) movies and series on major streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HULU, and ESPN.
For more information on NordVPN and the many features it has, you can read our personal experiences and expert opinions in our NordVPN review. If you’d rather get started right away, click the button below. Don’t forget to use NordVPN in combination with incognito mode for the best anonymous online experience!
- Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
- Perfect for privacy and streaming
- Trusted by many, with over 14 million users
Incognito Mode vs VPN: Which One is Better?
Private browsing mode or Incognito mode has its benefits, but it does not compare to the protection a virtual private network (VPN) can give you. Still, each of these tricks has some strengths that the other doesn’t have, which is why using them both at the same time makes for a powerful combination.
We’ve highlighted the key differences between a VPN and a new private window in the table below, so you can see exactly what advantages they each give you.
| Feature | Private browsing | VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Provides encryption? | No | Yes. The best VPN providers encrypt your traffic using 128 or 256-bit encryption. This is virtually unbreakable. |
| Hides IP address? | No | A VPN spoofs your location by changing your IP address. |
| Bypasses online censorship? | No | Yes. It helps users access websites and platforms that would otherwise be blocked in their country or location. |
| Bypasses geographical restrictions? | No | With a VPN, you can skip past streaming services’ geo-blocks, unlocking more content on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and ESPN. |
| Optimal browsing speed? | Yes | Because of encryption, most VPNs will reduce your traffic speed to an extent, but the best VPNs ensure that the difference is negligible. |
| Protects against malware and cyber-attacks? | No | Some VPNs have malware blockers that stop you from landing on suspicious websites. However, they are not infallible, and getting a good antivirus program is a must. |
| Prevents browsing history from being recorded in your browser? | Yes. Private browsing will delete your browsing history on your device the moment you close the window. | No. |
Conclusion: The Truth About Private Browsing Mode
The private browsing feature is great if you don’t want anyone else using your device to see what you’re doing online. It can also help you limit the amount of online tracking that’s being done online.
The four most popular browsers (Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox) do a good job of ensuring that your browsing and search history, cookies, autofill information, and passwords are not saved while you’re in private mode. We would recommend using Firefox, as that gives you the most options to customize your experience to make it more private.
Just using private mode isn’t enough to browse the internet anonymously, however. To do that, you need to use it in combination with a VPN. This will make sure both people in your own household and strangers on the internet won’t be able to see what you do online. We recommend using Firefox’s private mode with NordVPN for the most foolproof experience.
Do you want to take your private browsing experience to an even higher level? Here are some articles that might be of interest to you:
- How to Hide Your Location From Your Browser
- The Best Google Alternatives for Your Privacy
- The Best Private Search Engines
- How to Clear Your Browser History
If you still have questions about private mode vs regular mode browsing, we’re here to help. We’ve compiled the most commonly asked questions and answers on private and normal browsing modes. Click on a question to reveal the answer.
Incognito mode (or private mode) allows you to use the internet without your search history, browsing history, passwords, and other data being stored in your browser. This is especially useful when you’re using a shared computer or you’re researching a sensitive topic and don’t want to leave any traces behind.
However, incognito mode does not guarantee absolute anonymity online. Third parties, including your ISP, company, government agencies, and the websites you visit, can still access your data.
Private browsing automatically deletes your browsing history and data from your browser once you close the window, but doesn’t offer any extra safety features. This means that it doesn’t protect you from malware or hacking attempts. If you want to stay safe while browsing, we recommend pairing your private browsing mode with a robust VPN service and a proven antivirus program.
Private browsing mode has many use cases, including the following:
- To keep your online activities private while you’re on a shared or public computer
- To avoid tailored advertisements
- To research sensitive topics without leaving records
- To find cheap flights and hotels
