Browse in private

If you don’t want Google Chrome to remember your activity, you can browse the web privately in Incognito mode. 

1. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Chrome app .
2. Tap More  New Incognito Tab . A new Incognito tab opens.

Tips:

• To check if you're privately browsing, tap Switch tabs .
• Swipe right to find whether you have any open Incognito tabs. An Incognito tab has the Incognito icon  at the top.
• Your browsing activity is only private when you're in an Incognito tab.

You can switch between Incognito tabs and regular Chrome tabs:

1. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Chrome app .
2. At the bottom, tap Switch tabs .
   • On your iPhone, you can find:
     • Switch tabs  at the bottom.
     • More  Settings  at the bottom right.
   • On your iPad, you can find:
     • Switch tabs at the top.
     • More Settings at the top right.
3. Swipe right or left to switch between Incognito tabs and regular Chrome tabs.

Browse privately from other apps

When you open a link from another app or a text message, you can choose to open the link in a private tab in Chrome.

Change private browsing setting for other apps

1. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Chrome app .
2. Tap More  Settings  Privacy and Security.
3. Turn Ask to Open Links from Other Apps in Incognito on or off.

Open a link with private browsing

1. On your iPhone or iPad, tap a link you want to open in the Chrome app .
2. Tap Open in Chrome Incognito.

Lock Incognito tabs when you switch between apps

Anyone who uses your device can access Incognito tabs that you leave open. To leave Incognito tabs open and keep them private, you can lock your Incognito tabs.

1. On your iPhone or iPad, open Chrome .
2. Tap More Settings .
3. Tap Privacy and Security.
4. Turn on Lock Incognito Tabs When You Close Chrome.

Stop private browsing

Incognito tabs are separate from your regular Chrome tabs.

If you have an Incognito tab open and you open another one, your private browsing session will continue in the new tab. To exit, close all Incognito tabs.

1. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Chrome app .
2. At the bottom, tap Switch tabs .
3. Swipe right to find your open Incognito tabs.
4. Choose the tab you want to close. At the top right of the tab, tap Close .

What happens when you browse privately

• Chrome doesn't save your browsing history, cookies and site data, or information entered in forms.
• Files you download and bookmarks you create are kept.
• Your activity isn’t hidden from websites you go to, your employer or school, or your internet service provider.

Learn more about how private browsing works.

Related articles

• How private browsing works
• Let others browse Chrome as a guest
• Clear Chrome browsing data