Disable the Private Window Prompt in Brave

Brave shows a notification or prompt when you open a new private window, reminding you that you are in private browsing mode. If you find this message annoying or unnecessary, you can turn it off in your Brave settings so the prompt no longer appears. The setting is buried a few layers deep, but takes less than a minute to change once you know where to look.

The notification itself is harmless — it is just Brave's way of confirming you are in private mode. But if you use private windows regularly and do not need the reminder, disabling it cleans up your experience without affecting how private browsing actually works. You can turn it back on anytime if you change your mind.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Brave, click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right, then select Settings to reach the preferences panel.
  • Navigate to Privacy and Security in the left sidebar, then scroll down to find the Private window option.
  • Uncheck the box next to "Show notification when opening a private window" to stop the prompt from appearing.
  • The change takes effect immediately — you do not need to restart Brave or open a new window to see the result.

Step-by-Step: Finding and Disabling the Notification

Step 1: Open Brave Settings. Click the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) in the top right corner of your Brave window. A dropdown menu appears. Click Settings near the bottom of that menu.

Step 2: Go to Privacy and Security. On the left side of the Settings page, you will see a list of categories. Click Privacy and Security. The page scrolls to show privacy-related options.

Step 3: Find the Private window setting. Scroll down the Privacy and Security section until you see a heading or option labeled "Private window" or "Private browsing". Under this heading, you will see a checkbox that says "Show notification when opening a private window" or similar wording (the exact text varies slightly by Brave version).

Step 4: Uncheck the box. Click the checkbox to remove the checkmark. The notification is now disabled. You can close the Settings tab and return to browsing — the change is immediate.

What Happens After You Disable It

Once you turn off the notification, opening a new private window in Brave will no longer show you a reminder message. The window itself works exactly the same way — your browsing history, cookies, and site data are still not saved. The only difference is that Brave stops telling you that you are in private mode.

If you change your mind later, you can turn the notification back on by following the same steps and checking the box again. The setting is not permanent or difficult to reverse. Many people disable it after a few weeks of using private windows regularly, once they are confident they know when they are in private mode.

If You Cannot Find the Setting

Brave updates regularly, and the location of settings can shift between versions. If you cannot find the Private window option in Privacy and Security, try using the search box at the top of the Settings page. Type "private window" or "notification" and Brave will highlight the matching setting for you.

If the search does not return results, make sure you are on the most recent version of Brave. Click the menu icon, select About Brave, and let the browser check for updates. Once updated, the setting should appear in the expected location. Restarting Brave after an update can also help if the setting still does not show up.

The Difference Between Disabling the Notification and Private Mode

Turning off the notification does not change how private windows work. Your browsing in a private window is still private — Brave still does not save your history, cookies, or temporary files from that session. The only thing you are changing is whether Brave reminds you that you are in private mode when you open the window.

Some people disable the notification because they open private windows frequently and do not need the reminder. Others keep it on because the notification serves as a visual confirmation that they are in the right mode. There is no security or privacy difference either way.

Keyboard Shortcut for Opening Private Windows

If you open private windows often, you can use a keyboard shortcut instead of clicking through the menu. On Windows and Linux, press Ctrl + Shift + N to open a new private window. On Mac, press Command + Shift + N. Using the shortcut is faster than the menu, and the notification (if enabled) will still appear when the window opens.

Once you disable the notification in settings, the shortcut will open a private window silently without any reminder message. This combination of the keyboard shortcut and the disabled notification makes opening private windows as quick and seamless as opening a regular window.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does disabling the notification make private windows less secure?

No. The notification is purely informational — it does not affect how private browsing works. Disabling it changes only what you see on your screen, not how Brave handles your data or browsing history.

Can I disable the notification for new private windows but keep it for regular windows?

The setting only controls the private window notification, so turning it off affects only private windows. Regular windows do not show a similar notification, so there is nothing to disable there.

What if I accidentally disabled the notification and want it back?

Go back to Settings, then Privacy and Security, find the Private window option, and check the box again. The notification will reappear the next time you open a private window.

Does this setting sync across my devices if I use Brave on multiple computers?

Brave syncs some settings across devices if you have sync enabled, but notification preferences are typically local to each device. You may need to disable the notification separately on each computer where you use Brave.