Many of us choose to use a browser’s Incognito mode for various reasons. Perhaps you want additional privacy or don’t want certain activities logged in your history, which are all solid motivations. However, if you’re looking for ways to increase security on devices that multiple people access – like a public computer at your workplace – disabling access to the Incognito feature may be necessary. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how to disable Incognito mode. So it’s not available as an option on Windows computers or other internet enabled devices. You’ll also get some insights into why turning off this popular browsing setting is necessary in some instances and learn about the potential drawbacks associated with doing so.
What is Incognito Mode?
Incognito mode, also referred to as private browsing mode, is a tool that ensures user privacy and anonymity while surfing the internet. This feature enables users to browse without saving any data like cookies or history in their browser. With this handy functionality at your fingertips, you can rest assured knowing that no one will be able to track your online activity. Hope you understood what is incognito mode.
Also Read: What Is Incognito Mode and How Does It Work?
How Browsers & Operating Systems Treat Private Browsing?
Many browsers and operating systems have unique methods of treating private browsing, but the main goal is to provide users with more security and privacy when surfing online. Here are some common approaches that web browsers and OS’s use for this purpose:
Browsers
For your online safety and privacy, modern web browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari offer private browsing mode. All of the history including cookies or temporary files won’t be stored when you use this feature; however your network administrator or ISP may have access to track your internet activity. Therefore it is essential that you take caution while using a private browser!
Operating systems
Neither Windows nor macOS come with a inbuilt private browsing mode, but they do have other privacy settings available. For instance, the Windows 10 InPrivate Desktop enables users to access a virtual version of the system that automatically erases all data after logging out. On Macs, Guest User allows anyone to log in temporarily without leaving any traceable information on the machine.
Why to Prevent In Private Browsing Mode on PC?
For various reasons, blocking In Private browsing mode on a computer can be helpful. Here are some of the key motives for disabling it:
Parental Controls
For parents who desire to protect their children from accessing unsuitable content or spending extended amounts of time on the internet, disabling private browsing can make it easier for them to supervise and guarantee that their kids are safe online.
Workplace Productivity
Employers have the responsibility of making sure their employees are staying on task and hustling during work hours. To prevent any distractions, employers can disable private browsing mode so that non-work related websites or social media aren’t accessed in times when a worker should be concentrating on productive tasks.
Security Concerns
Private browsing offers the ability to bypass safety protocols and access confidential data without leaving a trace. In certain circumstances, disabling this feature is essential to protect your information from malicious intruders or safeguard the stability of an entire computer system.
What Happens When you Turn off Incognito Mode?
By deactivating Incognito or private browsing mode, your device will retain all of the data from your session – including cookies and temporary files. This means that your web journey can be monitored, resulting in a stored history of visited sites plus any searches you’ve conducted being visible via browser data.
Furthermore, when exiting private browsing mode any windows and tabs you had opened will be closed automatically. Additionally, all your sessions that were conducted during private browsing will also cease to exist – meaning that if you had logged into websites while in this mode, then upon closure of the session it is likely you’ll need to re-login once again.
While private browsing mode is a useful tool, it does not necessarily translate to complete privacy when you are online. Your ISP and other third parties may still be able to access your activity history. This is why one should turn off incognito mode, To guarantee that your data remains 100% secure while exploring the web, consider investing in a virtual private network (VPN) or any other private tools available today.
How to Disable Incognito Tab in Windows?
Here are the different ways to disable incognito tab in windows.
From Command Prompt
Looking to disable Incognito mode in chrome? It’s easier than you may think with the help of Command Prompt. Follow these straightforward steps and get it done quickly:
- To launch the Run dialog box, simply press Windows key + R on your keyboard.
- To open Command Prompt, simply enter “cmd” in the Run dialog box and hit “OK”.
- Utilizing the Command Prompt window, enter the following command: “REG ADD HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome /v IncognitoModeAvailability /t REG_DWORD /d 1” and press “Enter”.
- After pressing enter, you will be greeted with a confirmation message that reads “The operation completed successfully.”
- Close Command Prompt window and launch Google Chrome to move forward.
From Registry Editor
You can easily switch off Incognito mode in Windows by simply following these few steps using the Registry Editor:
- To launch the Run dialog box, press Windows key + R on your keyboard. Then type “regedit” in the box and hit “OK” to open the Registry Editor.
- In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path: “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome”
- To begin, right-click on the “Chrome” key and select the option to create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Create a value entitled “IncognitoModeAvailability”, then navigate to it and set its value data as “1”.
- Tap “OK” to secure the alterations. Afterward, close the Registry Editor and launch Google Chrome for your convenience.
- To test if Incognito mode has been disabled, open an Incognito tab. If the feature is unavailable, a message that reads “Your browser is managed by your organization” will appear and the tab will be grayed out and unable to be clicked on.
From Group Policy Editor
By utilizing the Group Policy Editor, disabling Incognito mode in Windows is a straightforward process. Here are the steps you need to take:
- To open Group Policy Editor, press Windows key + R on your keyboard to launch the Run dialog box. Enter “gpedit.msc” in the text field and hit Enter!
- In the Group Policy Editor, navigate to the following path:
“User Configuration” -> “Administrative Templates” -> “Google” -> “Google Chrome” -> “Incognito Mode Availability”
- To open the policy settings, quickly double-click on “Incognito Mode Availability”.
- Ensure the “Enabled” box is ticked off, then select the “Incognito mode disabled” option from the drop-down menu labelled as “Incognito mode availability”.
- To save the changes, click “Apply” followed by “OK”. Afterward, close Group Policy Editor and launch Google Chrome.
- If you have disabled Incognito mode, jump into an Incognito window to check. You should come across a notification that states “Your browser is managed by your organization”, and the tab will be greyed out with no option to click it.
Using Windows Terminal or PowerShell
here are the simple steps to turn off Incognito Tab in Windows using Windows Terminal or PowerShell:
- Firstly, open PowerShell as administrator.
- Type the following command and press Enter:
Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome” -Name “IncognitoModeAvailability” -Value 1 -Type DWord
- Close and reopen Google Chrome.
- Incognito mode should now be disabled.
Third Party Tool – InPrivate Killer, K9 Web Protection, WebWatcher
Enhance your child’s safety online by following these three simple steps to disable the Incognito Tab in Windows using InPrivate Killer, K9 Web Protection, or WebWatcher.
InPrivate Killer
- Download and install the InPrivate Killer program from the developer’s website and set it up for easy access.
- Launch InPrivate Killer and tap the “Block InPrivate Browsing” button.
- InPrivate browsing should now be disabled.
K9 Web Protection
- download K9 Web Protection from the developer’s website and install it.
- After launching the program, tap on “Setup” to get started right away!
- To get started, head to the settings menu and click on “Web Protection”. From there, select “Custom” from the drop-down list.
- To turn off Private Browsing, go to the “Browsing Options” section and uncheck the box beside it. Don’t forget to tap on “Save Settings” so your updates can be applied.
WebWatcher
- visit the developer’s website to download WebWatcher app and install it.
- Next, launch it and select “Blocking” from the top menu to start setting restrictions.
- To block Private Browsing, scroll down to the “Browser” section in the blocking menu and enable this choice.
- Click on “Save” to apply the changes.
How can I Remove Private Browsing Mode on Mac?
Here you will get to know how to remove Private Browsing mode on mac using below methods.
From Terminal
- Firstly, close all open versions of Google Chrome on Mac.
- Use Spotlight (the magnifying glass icon), or access the Terminal app through Applications > Utilities, to open an inventive window of possibilities on your Mac.
- In the Terminal window, type the following command and press Enter:
defaults write com.google.chrome IncognitoModeAvailability -integer 1
- Restart Google Chrome on your Mac.
- Launch a new tab in Google Chrome and confirm that Incognito mode is no longer accessible.
From Apple Safari Settings
If you’re looking to turn off Private Browsing on Safari for Mac, simply follow the steps outlined below and get back to a regular browsing experience:
- To open Safari on Mac, first go to the menu bar at the top of the screen and select “Safari”. Then from there, click on “Preferences” for further access.
- Navigate to the Preferences window and select the “General” tab.
- Ensure that the “Safari opens with” setting is adjusted to “A new window” for optimal performance.
- Afterward, find the prompt “New windows open with” and select your desired homepage from the drop-down menu.
- Now, close the Preferences window and then click on “File” in your device’s menu bar.
- You should now observe that the “File,” “Edit,” and “View” menus are all responsive, signifying Private Browsing mode has been deactivated.
How to Disable Incognito Mode on Android?
Here one can understand how to disable incognito mode on android in different ways mentioned below.
From Third Party apps – “Incoquito”
Follow these steps to use the third-party app “Incoquito” and Remove Incognito mode on Android:
- Get the “Incoquito” app now from the Google Play Store and set it up quickly with a few easy steps on your screen.
- To start, simply turn on the “Incoquito” button and change mode to “Prevent tabs from opening” after setup.
- Then you will be asked to grant access to usage data; press the “Allow” option and you will have given permission.
- Upon authorization, “Incoquito” will turn off Incognito mode on Android gadget and ensure that it remains deactivated.
- To make sure the Incognito mode is disabled, open up Google Chrome or another browser and attempt to launch a new private window. If this application has been set-up properly, you won’t be able to open one.
Use Parental Control App – “Family Link”
With Google Family Link, a parental control app on Android, you can make sure your family stays safe online by following these simple steps to block Incognito browsing:
- Make sure to download and install Family Link app on your Android device.
- To get started, simply follow the step-by-step directions to connect this app with your Google account. After that’s finished, tap on the profile of whichever child you want to manage.
- To customize your settings, head to the “Settings” tab and select “Manage Settings.”
- Scroll down and hit on the “Filters on Google Chrome” option.
- Under “Chrome settings,” select “Try to block mature sites”.
- Now activate the “SafeSearch” feature under “Filters on Google Search”. This will filter out any explicit content that may appear in your query.
- After setting up the app, you can test it by attempting to open new Incognito window in Chrome or any other browser. If all is functioning properly, no such window should appear.
How to Turn Off Private Browsing on an iPhone / iPad?
Here you will come across how to turn off private browsing on an iPhone or iPad.
Use Parental Controls
If you’d like to disable Private Browsing on an iPhone or iPad for parental control purposes, simply follow these straightforward steps:
- To enable Screen Time on iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app. If it’s not already activated, tap “Screen Time” and then select “Turn On Screen Time”.
- Follow the step-by-step prompts to set up Screen Time passcode.
- Once the setup is complete, select “Content & Privacy Restrictions”.
- Toggle on the switch next to “Content & Privacy Restrictions”.
- To make sure Safari is enabled, go to the “Allowed Apps” section.
- Then, select “Web Content” and tap on the option for limiting adult websites.
- To add Google to the “Never Allow” section, scroll down and tap on “Add Website.” Then, type in “google.com” into the designated field and hit “Done.”
- To block any other websites, simply repeat the steps above.
- Now that you have entered all the sites to be blocked, it’s time to exit your Settings app.
- If your child tries to open Safari, they will need their Screen Time passcode in order to gain access.
- Upon entering the designated passcode, users can access Safari with Private Browsing disabled.
How to Disable Incognito Mode on Chromebook?
Here you can easily understand how to disable Incognito mode on Chromebook. Follow below steps:
- To begin managing your Chromebook, open Google Admin Console at admin.google.com.
- Now select your desired organizational unit and then click on “Devices”.
- Now, go to the sidebar and select “Chrome Management”.
- Afterwards, click on the “User & browser settings”.
- Next, scroll to the “Security” section and select “Disallow incognito mode” from incognito mode dropdown menu.
- To ensure that your changes are applied, click “Save” located at the top of the page.
- Finally, restart your Chromebook.
Related Articles:
Anonymous Browsing Unleashed: How To Go Incognito Mode
Uncovering The Secrets: A Guide On How To See Incognito History
Protect Your Privacy: Tips For How To Delete Incognito History
Conclusion
With the right tools, you can easily disable Incognito Mode on any device. Whether it’s through browser extensions, third-party applications, or administrative settings – all it takes is a few simple steps to deactivate this privacy feature. Depending on your platform and preferred method of disabling Incognito Mode, these may vary from adjusting specific privacy controls to implementing parental guidance or even tweaking admin settings so that browsing in private mode won’t be allowed anymore.