Do you want to browse privately, so that your website visits are not stored in your browser history? Or perhaps you need to test a website as a non-logged in visitor. Private browser windows are the answer!
Below are the private browsing tools for top browsers, and where to find them in the menu .
Important note – what is actually private? Private or incognito modes stop your browser from saving browsing history, cookies, and site data after all private windows are closed. However, this does not make you anonymous on the internet. Your IP address, for example, can still be visible to websites. For anonymity, use a VPN like Express VPN.
1. Google Chrome
- Private browser window name: Incognito Mode
- Menu Location (Windows, Linux, macOS):
- Click the three vertical dots (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser window.
- Select New Incognito Window.
2. Mozilla Firefox
- Private browser window name: Private Browsing
- Menu Location (Windows, Linux, macOS):
- Click the hamburger menu icon (three horizontal lines ≡) in the top-right corner.
- Select New Private Window.
3. Safari (macOS)
- Private browser window name: Private Browsing
- Menu Location (macOS):
- Click File in the top menu bar.
- Select New Private Window.
On iOS devices — iPhones, iPads — open a Private tab by tapping the Tabs icon at the bottom (iPhone) or top (iPad), then tapping [number of open tabs] or Start Page to reveal Private, and tapping + to open a new Private tab.
4. Microsoft Edge
- Private browser window name: InPrivate Browsing
- Menu Location (Windows, Linux, macOS):
- Click the three horizontal dots (…) in the top-right corner.
- Select New InPrivate window.
Important notes
Closing windows: Always fully close the private/incognito windows to ensure no record is retained.
Extensions: Many browsers do not allow extensions to run in private mode by default, so you may have to manually enable them.
Here’s a table with a summary
| Browser | Private Mode Name | Menu Path |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Incognito Window | ⋮ → New Incognito Window |
| Firefox | Private Window | ≡ → New Private Window |
| Safari | Private Window | File → New Private Window |
| Edge | InPrivate Window | … → New InPrivate window |
| Opera | Private Window | O (Opera menu) → New private window |
| Brave | Private Window (Tor opt.) | ≡/Brave menu → New Private Window / New Private… |