How to Delete Private Browsing History and Protect Your Privacy

If you're like most people, you use private browsing mode when you want to keep your browsing history private.But did you know that incognito mode isn't actually private?

When using incognito mode in your web browser, you might think that your activities are completely anonymous and untraceable.Unfortunately, this is not always the case.Your internet service provider (ISP) and other third-party entities may still be able to track your online activity, even during private browsing.Not only that, but if you share your device with others, even they can discover what you access in incognito mode.

So, how to view and delete incognito history and protect your privacy?

How is your browsing history saved in incognito mode?

When you browse the internet in incognito mode, the browser doesn't save your web queries and the websites you visit.During private browsing, none of your browsing history, cookies, or other website data is saved.However, simply using incognito mode does not guarantee private browsing.Your browser isn't the only place your data is stored.

Your internet service provider collects and stores data about your online activities, including the websites you visit -- yes, while private browsing too.

In addition, some websites may track the IP addresses of devices used to access their websites.Even if your history isn't saved to your browser, it can still be stored by other services and websites.

Besides that, if you use private browsing, your device keeps a record of your browsing session in its Domain Name System (DNS) cache.like this:

Every time you visit a new website, you type its domain name into your browser.

Behind the scenes, your browser sends a request to the DNS server for the IP address of the domain name.

It then stores this URL locally on your device so you can access it faster the next time you want to visit the same website.This temporary DNS record is called the DNS cache.

The DNS cache includes records of domain names you have recently visited, along with their IP addresses.This includes domains accessed in both normal and incognito modes.

Since this DNS cache is stored on the device, anyone using your computer can see which websites you visit with a few command line commands.

Apparently, incognito mode is not as secure and private as it sounds.To ensure your privacy, it's important to delete your DNS cache and any other traces of your browsing session.

How to View Private Browsing History on Your Computer

On your Windows computer, you can easily view your private browsing history by checking the DNS cache.

Here's how to do it:

1. Press Windows + R to launch the Run command window.

2. Enter "cmd" in the "Run" dialog box and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to start Command Prompt with administrative privileges.

3. In the command prompt window, type "ipconfig /displaydns " and press Enter.

4. A list of recently visited websites will appear with their IP addresses.This includes websites visited in both private browsing and normal browsing modes.

How to View Incognito History on Android and iOS

On Android and iOS devices, there is no official way to view incognito browsing history.However, you can use third-party apps to access Incognito History.In general, parental control apps like FamilyTime, KidsGuard, Hoverwatch, etc. allow you to view the incognito history of your device.

While using these apps, you can view your incognito history, but not delete it.Beyond that, it is impossible to view previous incognito records.You can only track upcoming incognito sessions if you install an appropriate app now.

How to Delete Incognito History on Your Computer

When you're done with your private browsing session, it's important to remove any traces of incognito history from the DNS cache.

Here's how to do it on a Windows computer:

1. Press Windows + R to launch the Run command window.

2. Enter "cmd" in the "Run" dialog box and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open the command prompt with administrative privileges.

3. In the command prompt window, type "ipconfig /flushdns " and press Enter.

This will delete your DNS cache and clear all traces of your recent browsing sessions.

How to Delete Incognito History on Android

The steps to delete incognito history on Android devices are very simple.All you need to do is use the Chrome browser and follow these steps to clear the DNS cache:

1. On your Android device, launch the Chrome browser.

2. In the address bar, type "chrome://net-internals/#dns " and hit enter.

3. Click the Clear Host Cache button to delete the DNS cache of the device.

4. Close the Chrome browser.

How to Delete Incognito History on Mac

On Mac devices, you can easily flush DNS cache and delete private browsing history by using Terminal commands.

Here's how to do it:

1. On your Mac device, launch the application and select Utilities.

2. Under "Utilities", look for "Terminal" and double-click it to start it.

3. In the terminal window, enter the command "sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder" and press Enter.You will be asked to enter your password to continue.

4. This will delete your DNS cache and clear all traces of your private browsing session.

How to Clear Hidden History on iPhone

If you use an iPhone, it's easy to clear the DNS cache, thereby deleting your private browsing history.You just toggle airplane mode on and off.Here's how to do it:

1. On your iPhone, swipe down from the upper right corner of the screen to expand Control Center.

2. Tap the Airplane Mode icon to turn it on.

3. Wait a few seconds before turning it off.

This will delete any accumulated DNS cache from your device and clear your private browsing history.

How to Browse the Internet Privately

If you really want to browse the web privately, here's what you need to do in addition to using incognito mode:

1. Install a reliable VPN: A virtual private network (VPN) encrypts your internet traffic and hides your IP address, protecting you from online surveillance.Install a reliable VPN app on your device and enable it while browsing privately.

2. Use a secure web browser: Use a secure browser such as the Tor browser to maximize your online privacy.This will help you browse the web privately and securely.

3. Use a private search engine: Search engines store your data, but if you switch to a privacy-focused search engine like DuckDuckGo, your browsing history will be safer.

4. Clear your browsing data regularly: Clear your browsing data from your device regularly.This will help you clean up all traces of your session.

5. Delete your DNS cache: Periodically delete your DNS cache to remove records of all websites you have recently visited, even with incognito mode turned on.

protect your privacy

You must take appropriate steps to minimize what third parties know about you.Incognito mode is a great way to browse the web privately and safely, but using it doesn't ensure complete anonymity online.You must follow other practices to truly protect your privacy.Use a reliable VPN, install a secure web browser, regularly clear your browsing data, and delete your DNS cache to maintain online privacy.