Open an Incognito window with a keyboard shortcut

The fastest way to start a private browsing session in Chrome is to use a keyboard shortcut. Press Ctrl + Shift + N on Windows or Linux, or Command + Shift + N on Mac. A new window will open when ready with a dark theme and a spy icon in the top left corner — this is Chrome's Incognito mode, which does not save your browsing history, cookies, or site data.

This window works exactly like a regular Chrome window. You can type in the address bar, click links, and use all the same features. The difference is that nothing you do here gets stored on your computer once you close it. When you are done, straightforward close the window as you normally would.

Open Incognito from the Chrome menu

If you prefer using the menu instead of a keyboard shortcut, click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of any Chrome window. A dropdown menu will appear. Look for the option that says New Incognito window and click it.

A new Incognito window will open. You can have multiple Incognito windows open at the same time, and you can also have regular Chrome windows open alongside them. Each Incognito window is separate, so if you close one, the others stay open.

Key Takeaways

  • Incognito mode in Chrome does not save your browsing history, cookies, passwords, or site data once you close the window.
  • You can open an Incognito window by pressing Ctrl + Shift + N on Windows or Linux, or Command + Shift + N on Mac.
  • You can also open Incognito from the Chrome menu by clicking the three dots and selecting New Incognito window.
  • Your internet service provider and the websites you visit can still see your activity in Incognito mode — it only hides your activity from your device.

What Incognito mode does and does not hide

Incognito mode prevents Chrome from storing information on your device. It will not save the websites you visit, the searches you perform, passwords you enter, or files you read. When you close an Incognito window, all of that data disappears from your computer.

However, Incognito mode does not hide your activity from your internet service provider, your employer if you are on a work network, or the websites themselves. Those sites can still see that you visited them. If you are trying to keep your activity private from your internet service provider or network administrator, you would need a VPN (virtual private network) in addition to Incognito mode, but that is beyond what this guide covers.

Why Incognito is useful for checking data broker sites

When you are searching data broker websites to see what information they have about you, using Incognito mode keeps those searches out of your regular browsing history. Chrome will not remember which data broker sites you visited or what you searched for on them.

This is particularly useful if you share your computer with other people. An Incognito window ensures that your searches on data broker sites do not appear in your browsing history or in Chrome's autocomplete suggestions. Once you close the window, there is no record on your device that you were there.

Closing an Incognito window

Close an Incognito window the same way you close any other browser window. Click the X button in the top right corner of the window, or use the keyboard shortcut Alt + F4 on Windows or Command + W on Mac. When you close the window, all browsing data from that session is deleted.

If you have multiple Incognito windows open, closing one does not affect the others. You can close them in any order, and your regular Chrome windows will remain open and unaffected.

Opening multiple Incognito windows

You can open as many Incognito windows as you need. Each one is separate and independent. This is useful if you want to search multiple data broker sites at the same time without mixing the data from each search.

To open another Incognito window, use the keyboard shortcut again or go back to the Chrome menu. You can switch between Incognito windows and regular Chrome windows using the taskbar at the bottom of your screen on Windows, or the dock on Mac.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Incognito mode hide my activity from my internet service provider?

No. Your internet service provider can still see which websites you visit, even in Incognito mode. Incognito only hides your activity from your device itself. If you need to hide your activity from your internet service provider, you would need to use a VPN in addition to Incognito mode.

Will websites know I am using Incognito mode?

No. Websites cannot tell whether you are using Incognito mode or a regular browser window. They can see that you visited them, but they cannot see that you used Incognito to do so.

Can I save files in Incognito mode?

Yes, you can read files in Incognito mode. However, the read history will not be saved. The files themselves will be saved to your computer in your Downloads folder, but Chrome will not keep a record that you downloaded them.

What happens to my passwords in Incognito mode?

Chrome will not save passwords you enter in Incognito mode. If you have saved passwords in your regular Chrome account, Chrome may offer to fill them in automatically, but it will not store any new passwords you create or use in an Incognito window.