The internet has become a huge part of our lives. We use it for everything from researching how to make lasagna to figuring out what shoes are in style this season. As the world’s information highway, there is no shortage of information on the web. However, not all of that information can be trusted! When you’re doing research online, it’s important to know whether or not your searches will be tracked by others – and incognito mode might just help with that.
It’s also important to know when your search history could be accessed by someone else so you can take precautions against unwanted snooping (looking at you, ex-boyfriend).
Can Incognito Be Tracked?
The short answer is yes. Incognito mode only prevents your browser from keeping track of things like cookies and saved passwords, it doesn’t prevent anyone else with access to your computer (even if they don’t have permission) or other devices you use for browsing (such as a work laptop) from seeing any history that was stored there. If someone has physical access to the device in question, then anything can be seen without needing special permissions or hacking skills – which means incognito mode isn’t foolproof!
Apps to Check Incognito History from Another Device
Fortunately, there are a few ways that you can check your incognito history even if someone else is using your device. One way is to use an app like Private Eye which will show you all of the websites that have been visited in incognito mode on any devices that are linked to your account.
Another way is to use Google’s own “My Activity” feature which will show you everything that has been searched for and visited on any devices associated with your Google account – including those used in incognito mode. You can access this by going to google.com/activity and signing in with the same credentials you use Chrome (or other Google products).
Also, a good idea to use spy apps to track your spouse or children’s activity on their Android device or iPhone. Here are some excellent apps:
mSpy
This app is marketed as a way to “spy” on someone else’s device, but it can also be used to check your own browsing history. mSpy will show you all of the websites that have been visited, as well as what apps have been used, on any devices that are associated with your account. One great feature is that it allows you to block certain websites from being accessed on the device in question – which can be a helpful way to keep your children safe online! mSpy has apps for both Android and iOS devices.
Moniterro
This app is similar to mSpy, but it also includes the ability to track text messages and phone calls. Moniterro will show you all of the websites that have been visited as well as what apps have been used on any devices associated with your account. It also has a feature that allows you to receive real-time alerts if certain words or phrases are mentioned in text messages or phone conversations. Moniterro is available for both Android and iOS devices.
Eyezy
This app is designed to help you keep track of your family’s online activity. It lets you see all the websites that have been visited including if used incognito, as well as the search terms that were used on any devices associated with your account – incognito mode or not!
One great feature of this app is that it gives you the ability to block certain websites (either permanently or for a specific amount of time). Eyezy is available for both Android and iOS devices.
Cocospy
This app is marketed as a way to monitor children’s activity on their Android devices, but it can also be used to check your own browsing history. Cocospy will show you all of the websites that have been visited – including ones accessed in incognito mode – and what apps have been used on any devices associated with your account. One great feature is that it sends an alert if particular keywords are typed into text messages or other chat apps like Skype or WhatsApp (which might help keep kids out of trouble online!) this spyware for cell phones has applications available for both iOS and Androids.
FlexiSPY
This app is one of the most powerful spyware options out there. It includes features like keylogging (which lets you see every single thing that has been typed on the device in question) and location tracking, but it also shows all of the websites visited or apps used – even if accessed through incognito mode! FlexiSPY works with both Android and iOS devices.
History from Another Device
If you want to check your incognito history on a device that isn’t yours, there are a few ways to do it.
One way is to use an app like Ghostery which will show you all of the websites that have been visited on any devices that are linked to your account (including those used in incognito mode). You can access this by going to ghostery.com and signing in with the same credentials you use Chrome (or other Google products).
Another way is to use Google’s own “My Activity” feature which will show you everything that has been searched for and visited on any devices associated with your Google account – including those used in incognito mode. You can access this by going to myactivity.google.com and signing in with the same credentials you use Chrome (or other Google products).
Other Things You Should Know About How to View Incognito History
- If you’re using incognito mode on your computer, the websites that are visited will not be included in your browsing history or search history.
- If you’re using incognito mode on your phone, the websites that are visited will not be included in your browser’s history but they WILL be included in your search history.
- Incognito mode is NOT a guarantee of privacy – any website (or app) that you visit can still track and store information about you.
- Deleting your browsing and/or search history from within Chrome or other browsers DOESN’T delete it from Google’s servers. To do this, you need to go to myactivity.google.com and delete it manually.
How to Delete History in Private Browsing
To delete your browsing history in incognito mode, simply open up Chrome and select “History” from the menu.
From here you can clear everything – including items that have already been deleted in the past – by selecting “Clear History”. This will include both your browser history as well as any searches you’ve made while using incognito mode. Note that this only clears things on YOUR computer! Any other devices associated with your account are unaffected (and Google’s servers won’t be affected either). To remove individual websites or search terms from being tracked, see below:
- While viewing a list of previous searches (under “Searches”), click on one to bring up more information about it
- Next to the “Visits” header, you’ll see a small down arrow – click on this
- A new window will pop up with a list of all the websites that have been visited as a result of that particular search. To delete any or all of these websites, simply select them and hit the delete key on your keyboard.
How to Enable Incognito Search on Different Devices?
There are a few different ways to enable incognito mode for searching on different devices:
- If you’re using multiple devices (e.g., a computer and phone) with the same Google account, all you need to do is open your browser on one device and select “New Incognito Window” from the menu at the top of your screen
- To enable incognito mode for Android phones or tablets that are NOT associated with an existing Gmail account, go into Chrome’s settings, tap on History & Privacy then click Clear browsing data. Once this has been completed, simply close out of Settings and start-up Chrome again – you should now be in incognito mode!
How to View Google Chrome Incognito History?
To view any websites or searches visited through incognito mode within Chrome:
- Open Chrome and select “History” from the menu
- On your computer, you’ll see a list of everything that has been visited on any device associated with your account – including those used in incognito mode. To delete individual items or entire categories (e.g., search terms) from this list, simply click on them once to bring up an options window. From here you can remove specific things by clicking “X” next to each one OR clear out everything at once by selecting the topmost header (“Clear browsing data”)
- Note: if you’re viewing websites for which there are no previous visits listed yet were accessed through incognito mode, it’s possible that they will appear in Google’s
Conclusion
While the incognito mode is a great way to keep your browsing history private, it’s not 100% foolproof. Any website (or app) that you visit can still track and store information about you – so be careful! Additionally, remember that deleting your browsing and/or search history from within Chrome or other browsers DOESN’T delete it from Google’s servers. To do this, you need to go to myactivity.google.com and delete it manually. Finally, there are a few different ways to enable incognito mode for searching on different devices – depending on what you’re using.
