Incognito mode

Incognito mode, also called private browsing, is a browser feature that opens a session which does not save your history, cookies, site data or information entered in forms once the window is closed. It is designed to leave no local trace on the device, which is useful on shared or public computers where you do not want the next person to see what you did.

What incognito mode actually does

When you browse in incognito, the browser keeps cookies and site data only for the duration of the session and discards them when you close the window. You start with no existing logins, and any accounts you sign into are forgotten afterwards. This local isolation is the entire point: it prevents the browser on that particular device from remembering the session. Sites may see a fresh visitor with no prior cookies, which can affect their UX and personalisation.

What incognito mode does not do

A common misconception is that incognito makes you anonymous online. It does not. Websites you visit can still identify and track you through logins, fingerprinting and the user agent your browser sends. Your employer, your network administrator and your internet provider can still see which sites you access, because incognito changes nothing about the traffic leaving your device — it only affects what is stored locally. Connections are still protected only where the site uses HTTPS, exactly as in a normal window. For genuine privacy from the network, a separate tool such as a VPN is needed to encrypt and reroute traffic. Incognito mode is therefore best understood as a way to keep a device's local browsing history clean, not as a shield against online tracking or surveillance.