Are you ever discreetly on the lookout for a gift for your better half? Are you accessing your bank account from a computer that is not your own? How do you visit places that are off-limits to people under the age of 18 without informing others? There are many reasons why you may wish to browse anonymously and conceal your internet activity. Fortunately for you, there are a few different methods to do this. Bear in mind, however, that not all of these methods are trustworthy. Numerous browsers come equipped with an “Incognito” or “private browsing” mode. However, how anonymous is this style of operation in practice?
We can already tell you that Incognito mode is not as anonymous as you would believe. If you’re serious about being anonymous online, you’d be wise to invest in a VPN.
Incognito mode – What is it?
If the Ctrl-Shift-N or Cmd-Maj-N keyboard shortcuts mean anything to you, they indicate that you are utilizing private browsing, which is supported by the majority of popular web browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Opera, and Safari.
Thus, Incognito mode is a browser option that disables the storage of your browsing history. While many people mistakenly connect Incognito mode with Google Chrome’s private browsing function, the more accurate name is private browsing.
Today, most browsers include a private browsing mode as a regular feature—the most well-known example being Chrome’s Incognito mode. Initially, this mode was intended to safeguard people using public computers.
Enabling Incognito mode on public computers enables users to surf discreetly. However, it should be mentioned that even while surfing incognito, or should I say private mode, there are restrictions. Have you ever questioned how safe and secure your computer is in reality?
Incognito mode is a secret window inside your regular browser that enables you to browse the internet without your session’s history being stored on the device. When you close your browser session, cookies (those tiny identifying data files that follow you around the internet) and other traces of your browsing history are not stored.
Private surfing, which is included in the majority of online browsers, enables you to surf anonymously and without leaving any traces. Regrettably, this technology does not make you invisible, just somewhat less noticeable.
How does Incognito mode function?
Incognito mode enables you to surf the web as a first-time visitor to each website. When you view a website in Incognito mode, it is assumed that you have never visited the site before. This implies that no cookies are kept, no login information is stored, and no forms are pre-filled.
Incognito mode prevents the price of high-priced goods, such as plane tickets, from increasing as you search.
However, if you connect to your personal account in Incognito mode, your data will be stored for the length of the session. They will be deleted after you log out, but they may assist websites and marketers in collecting identifiable information about you while you are signed in.
Is it safe to go Incognito?
Perhaps you believe that this function ensures that your online activities (whether illicit or not) remain completely anonymous and without a trace. To be sure, no. Regrettably, private browsing can never prevent you from hackers or render your browsing totally “secret” or your person “incognito.”
In Incognito mode, your device’s browsing history, search history, and cookies are not saved. However, if you bookmark a website or download a file during your session, the item will remain accessible to all other users who have access to your computer once the session is over.
On the other hand, when you surf regularly online, your browsing history, search history, and cookies are all stored unless you actively remove them or use a browser cleaner to do so.
When Incognito mode is ineffective
Apart from the fact that the Incognito mode provides local anonymity, be aware that it is not always effective. For instance, even if you are in an incognito world, your computer may collect information when:
- You may bookmark pages or download files.
- You’ve configured the device using parental control software.
- Your machine has a spyware infection.
- You establish connections with certain websites, such as Google or Facebook.
Each of these situations is briefly discussed below.
Preferences and downloads
During an incognito session, everything you download and save to your favorites will be stored on your computer. They are not going to vanish after the conclusion of the session.
Parental control
Certain individuals choose to install parental control software on shared computers. This enables parents to see which websites their children have visited and which YouTube videos they have seen, for example.
Incognito mode is ineffective against this kind of program. Whatever occurs, the program will capture it all.
Spyware
Spyware is malicious software that enables the owner of an infected device to monitor and record the activities of that device (often without their knowledge). If your computer is infected with spyware, it has the ability to capture everything you enter and keep track of your online activities. We are unable to cancel Incognito mode.
Connections to specific websites
Once you join a website such as Google or Facebook, everything you do on the site (and even outside the site) may be monitored. Large platforms adore collecting your data. When you enter a personal account, all subsequent activities, including those performed in Incognito mode, may be linked to one another.
What are the distinctions between VPNs and Incognito mode? Effective methods for browsing anonymously.
The majority of browsers have an incognito mode. When you use it, your browser leaves no trace of the websites you view. This provides you with some more privacy, but it is insufficient to safeguard you and maintain your anonymity on the internet.
If you want to surf anonymously, we suggest the following:
- Utilize a renowned and dependable VPN. We suggest NordVPN because it offers high-quality service, lightning-fast connections, and some of the lowest rates available.
- Utilize the Tor web browser.
- If you want the session to remain anonymous, avoid connecting to any online account.
- Utilize a private search engine.
- Attempt to avoid developing favorites.
Thus, there are many methods for safeguarding your online actions so that they cannot be linked to you or your device. You may ensure the security of your banking information and passwords by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that encrypts your connection to the internet and other network devices.
Additionally, the encrypted connection provided by NordVPN conceals your device’s identity before connecting to a network, making it much more difficult for the somewhat suspicious man on the other side of the café to hack into your device.
Choosing between a VPN and Incognito mode
VPNs encrypt all data sent over the internet. They replace your actual IP address with that of the VPN server, masking your true address and location from the websites you visit. Thus, the VPN enables safe and anonymous browsing, while the Incognito mode prevents your internet activity from being stored on your computer.
- Setting up a NordVPN connection is simple; all you need to do is:
- Buy a subscription to NordVPN.
- NordVPN should be installed on your device.
- NordVPN should now be launched.
- Log into the account associated with your subscription.
- Activate NordVPN and choose a VPN server location.
NordVPN is now protecting you. All future internet traffic will be encrypted, allowing you to browse anonymously.