Incognito mode, also known as private browsing or privacy mode, is a feature available in most web browsers that allows users to browse the internet without their browsing history, search history, and other data being saved locally on their device. While incognito mode provides a level of privacy by not storing this data, there may still be situations where you want to delete your incognito browsing history. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain how to delete history from incognito mode on popular web browsers.
Google Chrome
- Open Google Chrome: Launch the Google Chrome browser on your computer or mobile device.
- Access Incognito History: While in incognito mode, click on the three vertical dots in the top-right corner of the browser window to open the menu.
- Select “History”: Hover over “History” in the menu, and a submenu will appear. Click on “History” to open the History tab.
- Delete History: On the History page, you will see your incognito browsing history. To delete individual entries, click on the three vertical dots next to each item and select “Remove from history.” To clear all incognito history, click on “Clear browsing data” on the left sidebar.
- Choose Time Range: In the “Clear browsing data” dialog box, select the time range you want to delete. To delete all incognito history, choose “All time.”
- Select Data Types: Check the boxes next to the types of data you want to delete. Ensure “Browsing history” is selected.
- Clear Data: Click the “Clear data” button to delete your incognito browsing history.
Mozilla Firefox
- Open Mozilla Firefox: Launch the Firefox browser on your computer or mobile device.
- Access Incognito History: While in private browsing mode, click on the three horizontal lines (menu icon) in the top-right corner of the browser window to open the menu.
- Select “History”: From the menu, choose “History” to open the History tab.
- Delete History: On the History page, you will see your private browsing history. To delete individual entries, right-click on each item and select “Delete.” To clear all private browsing history, click on “Clear Recent History” on the right sidebar.
- Choose Time Range: In the “Clear Recent History” dialog box, select the time range you want to delete. To delete all private browsing history, choose “Everything.”
- Select Data Types: Ensure “Browsing & Download History” is selected.
- Clear Now: Click the “Clear Now” button to delete your private browsing history.
Microsoft Edge
- Open Microsoft Edge: Launch the Microsoft Edge browser on your computer.
- Access InPrivate History: While in InPrivate browsing mode, click on the three horizontal dots (menu icon) in the top-right corner of the browser window to open the menu.
- Select “History”: From the menu, choose “History” to open the History tab.
- Delete History: On the History page, you will see your InPrivate browsing history. To delete individual entries, right-click on each item and select “Delete.” To clear all InPrivate browsing history, click on “Clear browsing data” on the left sidebar.
- Choose Time Range: In the “Clear browsing data” dialog box, select the time range you want to delete. To delete all InPrivate browsing history, choose “All time.”
- Select Data Types: Ensure “Browsing history” is selected.
- Clear: Click the “Clear” button to delete your InPrivate browsing history.
Safari (iOS)
- Open Safari: Launch the Safari browser on your iPhone or iPad.
- Access Private Browsing History: While in private browsing mode, tap the two overlapping squares icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen to open the tab view.
- Select “History”: Tap on “History” to view your private browsing history.
- Delete History: To delete individual entries, swipe left on each item and tap “Delete.” To clear all private browsing history, tap “Clear” at the bottom of the screen.
- Confirm Deletion: Tap “Clear” again in the confirmation prompt to delete your private browsing history.
Conclusion
Using incognito or private browsing mode can help you maintain some level of privacy while surfing the internet, as it prevents your browsing history from being saved on your device. However, there may still be situations where you want to delete history from incognito mode to ensure your online activities remain confidential. By following the steps outlined in this guide for popular web browsers, you can easily manage and delete your incognito or private browsing history when needed, allowing you to maintain control over your online privacy.