How to Go Incognito on Mac

How to Go Incognito on Mac: A Step-by-Step Guide

Using incognito or private browsing mode on your Mac is a great way to keep your online activities private, especially when sharing your device with others. Here’s how you can enable this feature in popular browsers like Safari and Google Chrome.

Why Use Incognito Mode?

Incognito mode, also known as private browsing, prevents your browser from storing your browsing history, cookies, and other data. This is useful for maintaining privacy on shared devices and for temporary browsing sessions where you don’t want to leave any traces.

How to Go Incognito in Safari

Using the Menu Bar

  • Open Safari: Find the Safari icon in your dock or Applications folder and click on it.
  • Select File: In the top menu bar, click on File.
  • Choose New Private Window: From the dropdown menu, select New Private Window.

Using Keyboard Shortcut

  • Press Command + Shift + N: This shortcut will immediately open a new private window in Safari.

Using Right-Click or Trackpad

  • Right-Click or Two-Finger Tap: On the Safari icon in the dock, right-click or use a two-finger tap to open the context menu. Select New Private Window.

How to Go Incognito in Google Chrome

Using the Menu

  • Open Google Chrome: Find the Google Chrome icon in your dock or Applications folder and click on it.
  • Click More: At the top right corner of the Chrome window, click on the More (three vertical dots) menu.
  • Select New Incognito Window: From the dropdown menu, choose New Incognito Window.

Using Keyboard Shortcut

  • Press Command + Shift + N: This shortcut will open a new incognito window in Google Chrome.
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Identifying Incognito Mode

Safari

  • Dark Smart Search Field: When you are in incognito mode in Safari, the Smart Search field at the top will turn dark with white text.

Google Chrome

  • Incognito Icon: In Chrome, an incognito icon (a person in a hat and glasses) will appear in the top corner of the incognito window.

Additional Tips

Setting Incognito as Default in Safari

  • Open Safari Preferences: Go to the top menu bar, click on Safari, and then select Preferences.
  • Choose General Tab: In the Preferences window, click on the General tab.
  • Select New Private Window: Under the “Safari opens with” menu, choose A new private window. If this option is not available, ensure that “Close windows when quitting an app” is checked in System Preferences.
  • Right-Click on Link: If you want to open a link directly in a private window, right-click on the link and select Open Link in a New Private Window.

Exiting Incognito Mode

Safari

  • Close Private Window: Simply close the private window to exit incognito mode. You can also open a new normal window by selecting File > New Window or using the keyboard shortcut Command + N.

Google Chrome

  • Close Incognito Window: Close the incognito window to exit incognito mode. If you have multiple incognito windows open, close each one individually.

By following these steps, you can easily enable incognito mode on your Mac, ensuring your online activities remain private and secure.