Incognito mode in Google’s Chrome browser is a mode with which you can browse the web privately. When we use Chrome normally, many of our browsing data are stored locally as well as synced with Google account (if sync is turned on). Now that in some situations you may want to surf the web stealthily and don’t want Chrome to store our browsing data and history. So you don’t have to delete data manually. In that case Chrome Incognito mode comes in handy.

To access Incognito mode in Chrome, hit Ctrl+Shift+N or click control icon from top right hand side corner and choose “New Incognito window“.

Access incognito window

How Chrome Incognito mode works:

  • Your browsing and download history aren’t recorded in browser.
  • All cookies stored get deleted as soon as you close incognito window.
  • Extensions are disabled by default unless you allow them to run in incognito mode from extension manager page.

What gets saved after you close incognito mode:

  • If you made any change to bookmarks or general settings in Chrome, that will be saved.
  • The websites you visited can keep your visiting records to themselves. This includes but not limited to IP address, location, browser and system identity etc.
  • Any file you downloaded or saved will remain.

Now, it may happen to you that you are accessing Chrome browser in place where you are not the only one who is using that browser. In that situation, privacy is a big matter and you don’t want to open incognito window manually every time you open chrome. So running Chrome in incognito mode by default always may come in handy and that’s why you are here.

Make Chrome run in incognito (private) mode by Default always

1. If you don’t have a Chrome launcher shortcut on desktop, head to Chrome installation location C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application, then right click on chrome.exe, then click Desktop (create shortcut) under Send to.

Create Chrome shortcut in desktop

2. Now that you have a chrome shortcut on desktop. Right click on that shortcut and choose Properties.

Chrome shortcut properties

3. In the properties windows, under Target field, add –incognito (Double-hyphen, not en-dash. Don’t copy from here, use your keyboard instead) at the end of the line “C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe”. Make sure there’s a space between the apostrophe and double-hyphen.

Add incognito command

4. To make you sure about it, here’s the closer look at the line:

Space+Double-Hyphen+Incognito

4. Hit Apply button. If you are asked for administration access, click Continue.

To make use if it is working, double click on the shortcut and see if it runs in incognito session.

Chrome opening in incognito mode by default

That’s it. You are done. From now, whenever you launch your chrome browser using that shortcut, it will always open in incognito mode by default. See what Google said about Chrome’s incognito browsing.

Author: 

Jaber is a Programmer and Tech Enthusiast Geek from Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is the founder and Chief-Editor of TechGainer. While he is away from his keyboard, either he's fishing or messing with wildlife. In case, you can contact him at rijans[at]techgainer[dot]com.