Why you might want to disable incognito mode

Incognito mode (called Private Browsing in Firefox and InPrivate in Edge) lets someone browse without the browser storing history, cookies, or search records. If you manage a device — a family computer, a work machine, or a device for a child — you may want to prevent incognito from being used at all, so that all browsing activity is recorded in the browser history.

Disabling incognito is different from clearing history after browsing. When incognito is turned off, the option to open a private window disappears from the menu entirely. The person using the device cannot bypass this restriction without changing the browser settings themselves.

The steps differ by browser. Chrome, Firefox, and Edge each store this setting in a different place, and the method depends on whether you are using Windows, Mac, or a Chromebook.

Key Takeaways

  • Chrome, Firefox, and Edge all allow you to disable incognito or private browsing through settings or policies, depending on your device type.
  • On Windows and Mac, you can disable incognito in Chrome through Settings > Advanced > System, but this only works if you are the device administrator.
  • Firefox does not have a built-in setting to disable private browsing, but you can use a configuration file or install a policy on managed devices.
  • On Chromebooks and managed work devices, administrators can disable incognito through the Google Admin Console or device management tools.
  • Disabling incognito prevents the private browsing option from appearing in the menu, but does not affect browsing that already happened in incognito mode.

Disable incognito in Chrome on Windows and Mac

Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Advanced in the left sidebar. Scroll down and click System. Look for the toggle labeled "Allow Incognito mode" and click it to turn it off. The toggle will turn gray, and incognito mode is now disabled.

The next time you or anyone else opens Chrome on this device, the option to open an incognito window will no longer appear in the menu. If someone tries to use the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+Shift+N on Windows, Cmd+Shift+N on Mac), Chrome will show a message saying incognito mode is not available.

This setting only works if you are signed in as the device administrator. If you are a standard user on a shared computer, you will not see this toggle. Ask the person who set up the device to make this change.

Disable private browsing in Firefox on Windows and Mac

Firefox does not have a straightforward on-off toggle for private browsing in the regular Settings menu. Instead, you need to edit the browser configuration file. Open Firefox and type about:config in the address bar, then press Enter. Click the button that says "Accept the Risk and Continue."

In the search box at the top, type private.browsing.autostart. You will see one result. Click the toggle button on the right side to turn it on (it will turn blue and show "true"). This setting forces Firefox to start in private browsing mode every time it opens, which effectively hides the private browsing option from the regular menu.

If you want a stronger restriction that completely prevents private browsing, you will need to use Firefox's policy system on a managed device. Contact your IT department or device administrator if you need this level of control on a work computer.

Disable InPrivate in Edge on Windows and Mac

Open Microsoft Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy, search, and services in the left sidebar. Scroll down to the section labeled "Clear browsing data" and look for the toggle that says "Allow InPrivate browsing." Click it to turn it off.

Once this toggle is off, the InPrivate option will no longer appear when someone clicks the menu or uses the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows, Cmd+Shift+P on Mac). Edge will show a message saying InPrivate browsing is not available if someone tries to use the shortcut.

Like Chrome, this setting requires you to be the device administrator. If you are using a work or school device, your IT department may have already disabled this through device management tools, and you will not be able to change it yourself.

Disable incognito on Chromebooks and managed devices

If you manage a Chromebook or a Chrome device through Google Workspace or Google Admin Console, you can disable incognito mode for all users on that device or across your entire organization. Sign in to the Google Admin Console at admin.google.com using your administrator account.

Click Devices and settings in the left menu, then select Chrome management. Choose User settings or Device settings depending on whether you want to restrict individual users or entire devices. Search for "incognito" in the policy search box. Select the policy labeled "Incognito mode availability" and choose Disabled from the dropdown menu. Click Save.

The policy will take effect the next time users sign in to their Chromebook or Chrome browser. They will not see the incognito option in the menu, and the keyboard shortcut will not work.

What happens after you disable incognito

Disabling incognito mode only prevents new private browsing sessions from starting. It does not erase any browsing that already happened in incognito mode — that history was never saved in the first place. If someone used incognito before you disabled it, there is no record to find.

After you disable incognito, all new browsing will be recorded in the browser history. Cookies will be stored, search terms will appear in the search bar suggestions, and downloaded files will show in the Downloads folder. This is the main reason to disable incognito: to create a complete record of device activity.

If someone needs to use private browsing for a legitimate reason after you have disabled it, they will need to ask you to turn it back on or use a different device. On work or school devices, they can contact their IT department.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone turn incognito back on if I disable it?

If they are the device administrator, yes. If they are a standard user, no — they cannot change this setting without administrator permission. On managed work or school devices, only the IT department can re-enable it.

Does disabling incognito stop someone from hiding their browsing?

It stops them from using the built-in private browsing feature. However, someone determined to hide activity could use a different browser, a VPN, or a different device entirely. Disabling incognito is one layer of oversight, not a complete solution.

Will disabling incognito affect extensions or add-ons?

No. Extensions will continue to work normally in regular browsing mode. Some extensions have their own private browsing settings, but disabling incognito in the browser does not change how extensions behave.

What if I only want to disable incognito for certain users on a shared device?

On Windows and Mac, you cannot restrict incognito by user — the setting applies to everyone who uses the browser on that device. On Chromebooks and managed devices, you can use the Google Admin Console to disable it for specific users or groups.

Can I disable incognito on my phone or tablet?

Chrome on Android and iOS does not have a built-in setting to disable incognito mode. If you need this control on a mobile device, you will need to use mobile device management (MDM) software through your organization's IT department.