Does Incognito Mode Save History? How to Delete It Anyway

When browsing in incognito mode, it is safe to assume that no one is recording your data. You might feel safe and think there is no digital trace of your activity. While using the incognito mode pre

When browsing in incognito mode, it is safe to assume that no one is recording your data. You might feel safe and think there is no digital trace of your activity. While using the incognito mode pre

When browsing in incognito mode, it is safe to assume that no one is recording your data. You might feel safe and think there is no digital trace of your activity. While using the incognito mode prevents the browser from accessing your data, there can be digital traces left on your iPhone or Android device. 

Therefore, it becomes more than necessary for you to delete incognito history. But how can you do that? To find out how you can delete the history saved while browsing in incognito mode, read this article till the end.

What You Need to Know About Incognito Mode?

When using the incognito mode for accessing social media platforms or any other reason, some people believe their online activities are untraceable. While incognito mode prevents your browser from saving your browsing history, it doesn’t hide your online activities from:

  • Websites: If you’re logged in to accounts, websites can still track and identify you.
  • Employers: Your company’s network can monitor your online behavior, even in incognito mode.

Essentially, incognito mode only hides your browsing history from other users of your device. It doesn’t protect your privacy from websites or your employer. In addition to that, cyber criminals might inject spyware into your computer, which means they can access your data even if you’re using private mode.  

How to Clear Your History Saved on Incognito Mode?

Since others can access and view the history saved in incognito mode, you might consider deleting it. Therefore, here are the following ways you can delete on various operating systems. 

Clearing Incognito History on Windows 

If you have Windows 11, then you need to click on the Windows icon on the side and type CMD on it. This will open the Command Prompt app on which you have to right-click for the entry. Then, you need to select Run as administrator. 

If you want to delete the DNS cache as well as the overall incognito session history, then enter the command ipconfig/flushdns and press. For viewing the DNS cache history first, you can enter the ipconfig/displaydns command first. 

Clearing Incognito History on Max

To clear your DNS cache on a Mac, you’ll need to use the Terminal. Open the Terminal and click “Go” at the top of your screen. Select “Utilities,” and then double-click “Terminal.” After that, you have to enter the following command into the Terminal window and press Enter:

sudo dscacheutil -flushcache;sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

If your macOS version is OS X 10.10.1, 10.10.2, or 10.10.3, use this command instead:

sudo discoveryutil udnsflushcaches;sudo discoveryutil mdnsflushcaches

You’ll be prompted to enter your Mac’s password and it will then clear your DNS cache. To protect your privacy further, it is best to clear your browser’s cache and cookies. You can also consider using a VPN or other privacy-focused tools. 

Clearing Incognito History on Android 

Most Android devices have Google Chrome already installed on them. If you want to delete the incognito history from your Android device, then you can do so with the following steps: 

  • Step 1 – Unlock your device and open the Chrome device
  • Step 2 – Enter chrome://net-internals/#dns in your browser’s address bar. 
  • Step 3 – Select the DNS that is available on the left hand and then hit the clean host cache. 

Once you complete these steps, the incognito history and the DNS data on your browser will be deleted. 

Clearing Incognito History on iPhone 

Lastly, clearing the incognito history on your iPhone is also quite easy. You just have to carry out the following steps: 

  • Step 1 – Access the iPhone’s Control Center by swiping down from the top of the screen 
  • Step 2 – Tap on the option for Airplane Mode and activate it so the iPhone temporarily turns off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and phone reception. 

By completing these two steps, it will automatically delete your incognito history as well as the DNS cache on your iPhone. 

Conclusion: Delete Your Incognito History Today!

Now that you have a clear idea of how to delete your history on Mac, iPhone, Android, and Windows, it is time for you to get started with it. Clearing your incognito history will give you the peace of mind that no one is using it to access your data or track your online activity.