What is Private Browsing or Incognito Mode and Why Do I need it?
Private browsing or incognito mode is a type of browsing that is different from regular browsing. It allows you to browse privately without leaving any traces of your activity.
Private browsing can be used for many reasons. The most common reason is to protect your privacy while you are surfing the internet, but it can also be used when you need to complete a task that requires secrecy in order to avoid distractions.
How do I enable Private Mode on my Browser?
Opening a new private or incognito browser tab is very easy. The steps to open a new incognito tab or window varies from browser to browser.
In Desktop or PCs, the most common way to open the incognito tab is by pressing Ctrl+Shift+N (for chrome) and Ctrl+Shift+P (for Firefox).
Or you can click on three dots on the top-right corner of the Browser then select New private Window or New Incognito window.
What are the Benefits of Using Private Browsing?
1. Privacy
With incognito mode, your internet activity is hidden from other people who are using the same computer. This means that they won’t know what websites you visit and will not have access to any information you enter into them. In addition, the incognito mode does not save anything about your web history or bookmarks.
2. Security
When you use incognito mode, no data about your online activities is stored. This includes any cookies, cache files, and temporary Internet files that may contain sensitive information.
3. Speed
Using incognito mode can improve the speed of your internet connection. When you don’t store any information about your web browsing history, your browser doesn’t need to send unnecessary requests to the server. These requests slow down your connection.
Will My Searches Be Safe with an Incognito Window?
- You may not know who has access to your online activity. Hackers can use any means possible to gain access to your personal information. If you are using incognito mode, your Internet history is hidden from prying eyes. However, if you are careless, hackers could still get their hands on this information. They could then use this data against you at any time.
- Your identity can be stolen. When you use incognito mode, you do not have to give out your name or address. This makes it easier for hackers to steal your identity. They can then open credit card accounts under your name.
- Incognito mode does not protect your computer from viruses. Hackers can easily find ways to infect your computer through incognito mode. They can then use that infected computer to attack other computers.
- Incognito mode is not secure. Even though you hide your identity, others cannot help but notice the browser’s URL bar. If someone knows what your URL bar looks like, they can figure out where you go online.
- Incognito mode prevents websites from tracking you. Websites can track your movements while you are logged into their website. If you are using a different browser than usual, they cannot follow your path.
Conclusion
Incognito mode is a privacy feature that is used to browse the internet without leaving any traces of browsing history. You can use this mode for many purposes such as banking, shopping, and other personal tasks. But incognito mode has some limitations which are discussed in the article.