Do you want to use Safari without leaving a trace of your activity while private browsing? If so, you can use incognito mode in Safari. A feature that allows you to protect your browser history.
In this article, we’ll show you how to open an incognito tab in Safari on your Apple devices. Also, we’ll go into what private browsing is, its benefits, and its limitations.
Whether you’re on a public computer, shopping online, or using public Wi-Fi, understanding private browsing can help you keep your online activities more discreet.
How To Open Incognito Tab In Safari
The Apple feature that enables you to browse the internet without keeping any record of your activities is called private browsing. However, opening it is different depending on what kind of Apple product you are using. There are two ways to open incognito mode in Safari, depending on your device. Here are the steps:
Incognito In Safari On iPhone & iPad
- Open Safari on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap the Tabs button on the button right corner of the menu bar.
- Tap on the number Tab button to open the Tab Group.
- Select the Private button.
- Then, click on the + button to open a new incognito tab.
Incognito In Safari On MacBook
- Open Safari on your Mac.
- Click the File menu.
- Select New Private Window.
But there is another way that you can open the private window tab on your MacBook. It will open immediately by using a keyboard shortcut. Press Command + Shift + N on your keyboard, this will automatically open a new private window tab.
What Is Private Browsing Mode In Safari?
Private browsing on Apple is a feature that allows you to browse the web without leaving a trace of your activity. It is similar to incognito mode in other browsers. Your browser won’t save your browsing history, cookies, or any other website data when you are browsing in private browsing mode. This means that websites cannot follow your behavior across various websites or see what websites you have visited from other users of your device.
What Does Private Browsing Do In Safari
Here are some things that Safari does when you are browsing in private mode:
- It does generate or save autofill suggestions based on your browsing history.
- Does not save your browsing history.
- It does not save your cookies and other website data.
- It does not allow websites to track your activity across different websites.
It’s crucial to understand that private browsing does not totally absolve you of identity. The websites you visit and the information they collect about your device and browsing usage are still visible to your internet service provider (ISP).
Benefits of using Private browsing
Using privacy browsing can help you protect your privacy, but how does it help? What are the benefits of utilizing Safari’s incognito mode? Here are some instances where private browsing may be beneficial for you:
- To avoid people from seeing your browsing history when you are using a public computer.
- When you are looking up something embarrassing or sensitive and do not want anyone else to know.
- It prevents your shopping browsing history from being saved when you are shopping online.
- Prevents being tracked by advertisers.
- It helps when testing out a new website and you do not want your activity to be tracked.
- To protect you when using a public Wi-Fi network.
- When you are troubleshooting a problem with your browser or computer.
- Avoid being tracked by websites to use a feature again.
Basically, it helps when you want to keep your browsing history private for any reason. Private browsing can help you keep your browsing history private, even from yourself. If you want more security, you can do that by using the Apple Lockdown mode.
Limitations Of Private Browsing In Safari
Private browsing on Safari has some limitations that you should be aware of. Here are they:
1. Does not prevent websites from using cookies:
Your IP address is a unique identifier that is assigned to your device by your ISP. It also means that even when you use private browsing, websites can still determine your location.
2. Does not prevent websites from knowing your IP address.
However, the cookies that are created in private browsing mode will only be stored in your browser until you close all of the private browsing windows.
3. Does not prevent websites from using Browser fingerprinting
Browser fingerprinting is a technique that uses a combination of factors, such as your device’s operating system, browser type, and screen resolution, to create a unique identifier for your device. This identifier can be used to track your activity across different websites, even if you are using private browsing.
For more information about private browsing in Safari, please visit the Apple Support website.