Privacy
What Private Browsing Actually Does
The useful limits of incognito and private windows, explained in plain English.
Private browsing mainly controls what remains on your device after a session. It is useful for shared computers, temporary logins and keeping a session separate from your normal browser profile.
What stays separate
A private window usually starts with a separate cookie jar and does not keep visited-page history after every private window closes. Downloads and bookmarks you create still remain.
Who can still observe activity
Websites, employers, schools and internet providers may still observe relevant traffic or account activity. Signing into an account identifies the session regardless of the window mode.
When it is useful
Use it to sign into a second account, compare a page without existing cookies or avoid leaving local history on a shared device. Close every private window when finished so the temporary session data is cleared.
The bottom line
Private mode is a local privacy tool, not an anonymity system. It does not replace device encryption, a VPN or careful account security.