What a private browser window does
A private browser window (also called incognito mode, private mode, or InPrivate) is a browsing mode that does not save your search history, cookies, or temporary files after you close it. When you visit a data broker website in a private window, the browser does not store that visit in your history, and the site cannot use stored cookies to track you across other websites.
This is useful when you are removing your information from data brokers because it prevents those sites from building a profile of your browsing habits. It also means you can visit multiple data broker sites without them linking your visits together through cookies.
Private browsing is not the same as being invisible to your internet provider or to the websites themselves — they can still see that you visited. It only hides your activity from other websites and from your own device's history.
Key Takeaways
- Private browser windows do not save your history, cookies, or cached files, so data brokers cannot use stored information to track you across visits.
- Every major browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge — has a private mode built in, and you open it with a keyboard shortcut or menu option.
- You can open a private window without closing your regular browsing window, so you can switch between them as needed.
- Private mode protects you from websites tracking you through cookies, but your internet provider and the websites themselves can still see that you visited.
Opening a private window in Chrome
In Google Chrome, a private window is called Incognito mode. The fastest way to open one is to press Ctrl + Shift + N on Windows or Command + Shift + N on Mac. A new window will open with a dark theme and an incognito icon in the top left corner.
If you prefer using the menu, click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of Chrome, then select "New incognito window" from the dropdown. Either method opens a completely separate window from your regular browsing, so you can keep both open at the same time.
When you close the incognito window, Chrome automatically deletes all history, cookies, and cached files from that session. If you close Chrome entirely but leave the incognito window open, it will reopen when you restart Chrome.
Opening a private window in Firefox
Firefox calls its private mode Private Browsing. Press Ctrl + Shift + P on Windows or Command + Shift + P on Mac to open a new private window. The window will have a dark purple theme and a mask icon in the address bar to show you are in private mode.
You can also open a private window through the menu by clicking the hamburger icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right, then selecting "New Private Window." Like Chrome, Firefox lets you keep a regular window and a private window open at the same time.
Firefox clears all private browsing data when you close the private window. If you have multiple private windows open, closing one does not affect the others.
Opening a private window in Safari
Safari's private mode is called Private Browsing. On Mac, press Command + Shift + N to open a new private window, or click "File" in the menu bar and select "New Private Window." On iPhone or iPad, tap the tabs icon (two overlapping squares) at the bottom right, then tap "Private" and the plus sign to open a new private tab.
A private window in Safari has a dark appearance and shows "Private" in the address bar. Like other browsers, Safari does not save history, cookies, or search data from private windows once you close them.
On iPhone and iPad, you can switch between regular and private tabs by tapping the tabs icon and toggling between the two modes. This lets you keep both types of browsing open without closing either one.
Opening a private window in Edge
Microsoft Edge calls its private mode InPrivate browsing. Press Ctrl + Shift + P on Windows to open a new InPrivate window. You can also click the three-dot menu in the top right and select "New InPrivate window."
An InPrivate window displays a blue icon in the top left corner and shows "InPrivate" in the address bar. Edge does not save browsing history, cookies, or cached files from InPrivate sessions after you close the window.
You can run a regular Edge window and an InPrivate window at the same time, which is helpful if you need to reference information from your regular browsing while working in private mode.
What to do once you are in a private window
Once your private window is open, visit the data broker website the same way you would in a regular browser — type the URL into the address bar or use a search engine. The private window works exactly like a normal browser; the only difference is what it saves afterward.
If the data broker asks you to log in, you can use your regular username and password. The private window will not save your login information, so you will need to log in again the next time you visit that site in a private window. This is actually helpful for data removal because it prevents the site from automatically recognizing you on future visits.
When you are finished with the data broker site, straightforward close the private window. All cookies, history, and temporary files from that session are deleted automatically.
Limitations of private browsing
Private browsing protects you from your device storing information about where you visited, but it does not hide your activity from the websites themselves or from your internet provider. Data brokers can still see that you visited their site and can still collect information you enter into forms — they just cannot use cookies stored on your device to track you across other websites.
If you are concerned about your internet provider seeing your activity, you would need to use a VPN (virtual private network) in addition to private browsing. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic so your provider cannot see which websites you visit. However, for the purpose of removing your information from data brokers, private browsing alone is sufficient.
Private browsing also does not prevent websites from collecting information you voluntarily enter, such as your name, email, or phone number in a removal request form. It only prevents automatic tracking through cookies and stored data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can websites tell I am using private browsing?
Most websites cannot tell whether you are in private mode, but some can detect it through technical methods. Data brokers will not refuse to let you visit or remove your information because you are in private mode — they want your removal request regardless of how you access their site.
Do I have to use private browsing to remove my information from data brokers?
No. Private browsing is optional and mainly prevents the data broker from tracking you across multiple visits. You can remove your information in a regular browser window. Private mode is useful if you plan to visit many data broker sites in one session and want to prevent them from linking your visits together.
Will private browsing stop data brokers from having my information?
No. Private browsing only affects what your device stores and what cookies the site can use. Data brokers already have your information from other sources — public records, previous data sales, or information you entered on other websites. Private browsing does not remove data they already collected.
Can I save bookmarks in a private window?
Yes. Bookmarks you create in a private window are saved to your browser permanently, even after you close the private window. Only your history, cookies, and cached files are deleted.
What happens if I close my private window by accident?
All data from that private session is deleted. If you were in the middle of filling out a removal form, you will need to start over in a new private window. Most data broker removal forms do not require you to complete them in one session, so you can close and reopen a private window without losing your place on the site itself.