How to Open an Incognito Tab on Any Browser or Device
Incognito mode — also called private browsing — lets you browse the web without your browser saving your history, cookies, or form data during that session. It's built into every major browser, but the exact steps vary depending on what you're using. Here's how it works, how to open it, and what actually changes when you do.
What Incognito Mode Actually Does
Before getting into the steps, it's worth knowing what you're actually activating.
When you open an incognito or private tab, your browser:
- Does not save your browsing history locally
- Clears cookies and site data when the session ends
- Ignores saved autofill data and doesn't add new entries
- Disables most browser extensions by default (varies by browser)
What incognito mode does not do: hide your activity from your internet service provider, your employer's network, or the websites you visit. It's local privacy — not anonymity. Your IP address is still visible, and network-level tracking still applies.
How to Open an Incognito Tab by Browser 🖥️
Google Chrome
Keyboard shortcut:
- Windows/Linux:
Ctrl + Shift + N - Mac:
Command + Shift + N
Menu method: Click the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner → select New Incognito Window.
You'll know it's active when a dark interface appears with the spy icon and a message confirming you've gone incognito.
Mozilla Firefox
Firefox calls it Private Browsing, not incognito, but the function is the same.
Keyboard shortcut:
- Windows/Linux:
Ctrl + Shift + P - Mac:
Command + Shift + P
Menu method: Click the three-line menu (≡) → New Private Window.
Firefox's private mode includes an added layer: Enhanced Tracking Protection is turned on by default, which blocks many third-party trackers even mid-session.
Microsoft Edge
Keyboard shortcut:
- Windows:
Ctrl + Shift + N - Mac:
Command + Shift + N
Menu method: Click the three-dot menu → New InPrivate Window.
Edge calls it InPrivate browsing. Like Firefox, Edge applies tracking prevention during InPrivate sessions, which goes slightly beyond what standard incognito offers.
Safari (Mac and iPhone/iPad)
On Mac:
- Go to File → New Private Window, or use
Command + Shift + N
On iPhone or iPad:
- Open Safari → tap the Tabs icon (two overlapping squares) → tap Private → tap the + button to open a new private tab
Safari's private mode also prevents cross-site tracking and doesn't save tabs to iCloud when active.
Opera and Brave
- Opera:
Ctrl + Shift + N(Windows) /Command + Shift + N(Mac), or use the O menu → New Private Window - Brave: Same shortcut —
Ctrl + Shift + N/Command + Shift + N— but Brave also offers a Tor window (Ctrl + Shift + Alt + N) for routing traffic through the Tor network, which provides a meaningfully higher level of anonymity than standard private browsing
Opening Incognito on Mobile Browsers 📱
Chrome on Android
Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner → New Incognito Tab. The tab will appear with a dark background and the incognito icon.
Chrome on iPhone/iPad
Tap the three-dot menu (or the tab switcher icon) → New Incognito Tab. The interface shifts to dark mode to confirm you're in private mode.
Firefox on Android or iOS
Tap the mask icon in the toolbar to switch to Private Mode, then open a new tab.
Variables That Change the Experience
Not everyone's incognito session works the same way. Several factors shape what you actually get:
| Variable | How It Affects Incognito |
|---|---|
| Browser choice | Firefox and Edge add tracker blocking; Brave adds optional Tor routing |
| Extensions | Most are disabled in incognito by default; some can be enabled manually |
| Operating system | Keyboard shortcuts differ between Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android |
| Managed devices | Employer or school-managed devices may restrict or monitor private browsing |
| Network type | Public, corporate, or ISP networks can still log traffic regardless of mode |
| Signed-in accounts | If you log into Google, Facebook, etc. during a private session, those services can track that activity |
When the Same Steps Produce Different Results
A user on a personally owned laptop using Chrome gets a clean, untracked local session — history gone when the window closes, cookies cleared. That's the typical experience.
A user on a work-managed device might find that their IT department can still monitor network activity, or that certain browser policies prevent incognito from working as expected. Some managed environments disable private browsing entirely.
A user on Brave with Tor gets something substantially different — traffic routed through multiple relays, masking even their IP address from the destination site, at the cost of slower page loads.
A user who stays signed into their Google account during an incognito session still has their searches associated with that account. Incognito limits local storage, not server-side tracking by logged-in services.
The Part That Depends on Your Situation
The steps above will open a private tab on virtually any browser or device. But what that private tab actually shields you from — and whether it's sufficient for your purpose — depends entirely on your setup: which browser you use, what network you're on, whether you're on a managed device, and what level of privacy you actually need. Those factors don't change the how, but they change what you're actually getting.