Extensions in Incognito mode

For administrators who manage Chrome browser or ChromeOS devices for a business or school.

As an admin, you can't automatically install extensions in Incognito mode. However, users themselves can allow individual extensions to run in Incognito mode.

To use extensions in Incognito mode in Chrome browser or on ChromeOS devices:

1. In a new Incognito window, go to chrome://extensions.
2. Find the extension that you want to use in Incognito mode.
3. Click Details.
4. Turn on Allow in Incognito.

Don’t allow extensions in Incognito mode

To prevent users from using extensions in Incognito mode, you’ll need to turn off Incognito mode. For example, if you automatically installed specific extensions for data protection or compliance, you’ll need to make sure that users can’t open them in Incognito mode and escape those controls.

Step 1: Review policy

Policy

Description

IncognitoModeAvailability

Specifies whether users can browse the web in an Incognito window in Chrome browser and on ChromeOS devices. Choose one of the options: 0—Incognito mode available: Users can open webpages in an Incognito window. 1—Incognito mode disabled: Users can't open webpages in an Incognito window. 2—Incognito mode forced: Users can only open webpages in an Incognito window. Unset: Users can browse the web in an Incognito window.

Step 2: Set the policy

Click below for the steps, based on how you want to manage the policy.

Admin console

Can apply for signed-in users on any device or enrolled browsers on Windows, Mac, or Linux. For details, see Understand when settings apply.

1. Sign in to your Google Admin console.

   Sign in using your administrator account (does not end in @gmail.com).

2. In the Admin console, go to Menu  DevicesChromeSettings. The User & browser settings page opens by default.

   If you signed up for Chrome Enterprise Core, go to Menu  Chrome browserSettings.

3. To apply the setting to all users and enrolled browsers, leave the top organizational unit selected. Otherwise, select a child organizational unit.
4. Go to Security.
5. For Incognito mode, select Disallow incognito mode.
6. Click Save.

Windows

Applies to Windows users who sign in to a managed account on Chrome browser.

Using Group Policy

In your Microsoft Windows Group Policy Management Editor (Computer or User Configuration folder):

1. Go to PoliciesAdministrative TemplatesGoogleGoogle Chrome.
2. Enable Incognito mode availability.
3. Select Incognito mode disabled. Users can’t open webpages in Incognito mode.
4. Deploy the update to your users.

Mac

Applies to Mac users who sign in to a managed account on Chrome browser.

1. In your Chrome configuration profile, set the IncognitoModeAvailability key to 1, <integer>1</integer>.
2. Deploy the change to your users.

Linux

Applies to Linux users who sign in to a managed account on Chrome browser.

Using your preferred JSON file editor:

1. Go to your /etc/opt/chrome/policies/managed folder.
2. Create or update a JSON file.
3. Set IncognitoModeAvailability to 1.

Verify policies are applied

After you apply any Chrome policies, users need to restart Chrome browser or their ChromeOS devices for the settings to take effect. Check users’ devices to make sure the policy was applied correctly.

1. On a managed device, go to chrome://policy.
2. Click Reload policies.
3. Check the Show policies with no value set box.
4. For IncognitoModeAvailability, make sure that Status is set to OK.
5. For IncognitoModeAvailability, make sure that the policy value matches what you set in the policy.
   • IncognitoModeAvailability—1

Related topics

• Browse in private
• Automatically install apps and extensions
• Force-install apps using on-premise tools on: Windows | Mac | Linux