Why do we need Incognito Browsing?
There are many situations where you would like your privacy to be maintained. Apart from preventing other people from snooping around your internet history, Incognito Browsing also has other applications. Let us now look at some of the reasons that make Incognito Browsing a useful feature.
- Private Search
If you want to search for something in private and do not want anyone else to know about it, then Incognito browsing is the perfect solution. It could be searching for a confidential project, a sensitive political issue, or maybe buying a surprise gift for your partner.
- To prevent your Browser from saving Passwords
When you log in to some websites, the browser saves your username and password to ensure a faster log in next time. However, doing so on a public computer (like in a library) is not safe as others might log in to your account and impersonate you. In fact, is not even safe on your own mobile phone as it can be borrowed or stolen. To prevent someone else from accessing your passwords, you should always use Incognito Browsing.
- Logging in to a secondary account
A lot of people have more than one Google account. If you need to log in to both the accounts at the same time, then the easiest way to do this is via Incognito browsing. You can log in to one account on a normal tab and the other account in an Incognito tab.
Thus, we have clearly established that Incognito mode is an essential resource when it comes to protecting our privacy. However, one thing that you need to keep in mind is that Incognito browsing does not make you immune to online scrutiny. Your Internet service provider and concerned government authorities can still see what you are doing. You can’t expect to do something illegal and avoid being caught because you were using Incognito browsing.
How to Use Incognito Mode on Android
In order to use Incognito mode on Google Chrome on your Android device, simply follow the steps given below:
How to Use Incognito Mode on AndroidAlternate Method:How to Use Incognito Mode on Android TabletHow to Use Incognito Mode on Other Default Browsers
The first thing that you need to do is open Google Chrome.
Once it is open, click on the three vertical dots on the top right-hand side corner.
Now click on the “New incognito tab” option.
This will take you to a new screen that says “You’ve gone Incognito”. Another indication that you can see is a small icon of a hat and goggles on the top left-hand side of the screen. The color of the address bar and the status bar will also be grey in Incognito mode.
Now you can simply surf the net by typing your keywords in the search/address bar.
You can also open more incognito tabs by clicking on the tabs button (the small square with a number in it that indicates the number of open tabs).
When you click on the tabs button, you will see a grey colored plus icon. Click on it and it will open more incognito tabs.
The tabs button will also help you to switch between normal and incognito tabs. The normal tabs will be displayed in white while the incognito tabs will be displayed in black.
When it comes to closing an incognito tab, you can do it by clicking on the tabs button and then clicking on the cross sign which appears on top of the thumbnails for the tabs.
If you wish to close all incognito tabs, then you can also click on the menu button (three vertical dots) on the top right-hand side of the screen and click on Close incognito tabs from the drop-down menu.
Also Read: How to Disable Incognito Mode in Google Chrome
Alternate Method:
There is another way in which you can enter Incognito mode on Android while using Google Chrome. Follow the steps given below to create a quick shortcut for incognito mode.
Tap and hold the Google Chrome icon on the home screen.
This will open up a pop-up menu with two options; one to open a new tab and the other to open a new incognito tab.
Now you can simply tap on the New incognito tab directly to enter the incognito mode.
Or else, you can keep holding on the new incognito tab option until you see a new icon with the incognito sign appear on the screen.
This is a shortcut to a new incognito tab. You can place this icon anywhere on the screen.
Now, you can just click on it and it will directly take you to Incognito mode.
How to Use Incognito Mode on Android Tablet
When it comes to private browsing on an Android Tablet, the way to use incognito browsing is more or less the same as that of Android mobile phones. However, it does have some difference when it comes to opening a new tab while already in Incognito mode. Follow the steps given below to learn how to use Incognito browsing on Android tablets.
Firstly, open Google Chrome.
Now click on the menu button on the top right-hand side of the screen.
Click on the “New incognito tab” option from the drop-down menu.
This will open the incognito tab and it will be indicated by a clear message of “You’ve gone incognito” on the screen. Apart from that, you can notice that the screen turns grey and there is a small incognito icon on the notification bar.
Now, in order to open a new tab, you can simply click on the new tab icon. This is where the difference is. You no longer need to click on the tabs icon in order to open a new tab as in mobile phones.
In order to close incognito tabs, click on the cross button that appears on top of each tab. You can also close all the incognito tabs together. To do so, tap and hold the cross button on any tab until the option to close all tabs pops up on the screen. Now click on this option and all the incognito tabs will be closed.
Recommended: How to Use Split-Screen Mode on Android
How to Use Incognito Mode on Other Default Browsers
On certain Android devices, Google Chrome isn’t the default browser. Brands like Samsung, Sony, HTC, LG, etc. have their own browsers which are set as default. All these default browsers also have a private browsing mode. For example, Samsung’s private browsing mode is called Secret Mode. While the names may differ, the general method to enter incognito or private browsing is the same. All that you need to do is open the browser and click on the menu button. You will find an option to go incognito or open a new incognito tab or something similar.
