Here’s a clear, up-to-date (as of December 2025) guide on how Incognito/Private mode actually works, why the history is already mostly private, and what extra steps you can take to make sure nothing is left behind.

1. What Incognito/Private Mode Actually Does (and Doesn’t Do)

When you use Incognito (Chrome/Edge) or Private Browsing (Firefox/Safari):

It DOES NOT save:

• Browsing history Cookies and site data (deleted when you close all incognito windows) Information entered in forms Search history in the browser Cache is cleared when you close the window (in most browsers)

It DOES save:

Downloads (and the download list)

Bookmarks you create

Files you explicitly save

Anything your ISP, employer, school, or websites themselves log

DNS queries (unless you use encrypted DNS or a VPN)

Extensions can still track you if they have “access to incognito” enabled

So in most cases, once you close all Incognito windows, almost nothing remains on your device from that session.

2. How to Completely Erase Any Possible Incognito Traces

Even though Incognito doesn’t save history, here are the extra steps people take to be 100% sure:

On Desktop (Windows/Mac/Linux)

1. Close every Incognito/Private window completely
2. Clear regular browsing data anyway (covers any edge cases) Chrome → Settings → Privacy and security → Clear browsing data → Choose “All time” → check only “Cookies and other site data” and “Cached images and files”
3. Delete the Downloads list (if you don’t want anyone to see what you downloaded) Chrome → Downloads → right-click → “Clear all”
4. (Optional) Delete the actual downloaded files from your Downloads folder
5. (Paranoid level) Use a tool like CCleaner or BleachBit to wipe free space and temporary files

On Android (Chrome)

1. Close all Incognito tabs
2. Open Chrome → tap the three dots → History → “Clear browsing data” → Time range “All time” → check Cookies & Cached images → Clear data
3. Go to Settings → Apps → Chrome → Storage → Clear cache (extra safety)
4. Long-press downloaded files in the Incognito session downloaded → Delete

On iPhone/iPad (Safari Private Mode)

1. Close all Private tabs (tap the tabs icon → tap “Private” → “Done” or close each tab)
2. Go to Settings → Safari → “Clear History and Website Data” (this clears even private data in some cases)
3. Turn on “Block All Cookies” and “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking” for future privacy
4. Use “Advanced → Website Data → Remove All Website Data” if you want to be extreme

3. How to Stay Private Even in Incognito (Next-Level Tips)

• Use a reputable VPN (Mullvad, ProtonVPN, IVPN) — hides your IP from websites and ISP
• Use Firefox + uBlock Origin + ClearURLs (even in private mode)
• Enable DNS over HTTPS (DoH) or DoT in browser settings
• Use DuckDuckGo or Startpage instead of Google
• Turn off “Allow in Incognito” for any extension you don’t 100% trust (Chrome → Extensions → Details)
• Consider Tor Browser if you need extreme anonymity (slow but very private)

Bottom Line

For 99% of people: Just close all Incognito/Private windows → you’re already clean.

For 100% certainty: Close windows + clear cookies/cache + delete any downloads you made.

Incognito already does most of the work — the steps above just close the tiny remaining gaps. Stay safe!