How to use Private Browsing in Safari on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Safari Invisible Mode Detailed Explanation: How to Enable and Disable Private Browsing on Mac and iOS Devices

On Apple devices, Safari's stealth mode is called "private browsing." This mode allows you to browse web pages privately without having to record and store browsing activity on your device. The latest iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma go a step further, allowing you to lock private Safari tabs with your Face ID. This article will guide you on how to enable and disable Safari private browsing on Mac and iOS devices.

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What is Safari private browsing?

By default, Safari has many features to ensure security and privacy when browsing web pages on your iPhone, Mac, and iPad. When you want to secretly browse the web, Safari's invisible mode—Safari private browsing—can suit your needs. It protects the privacy of your browsing history, prevents it from being saved, removes multiple network and ad tracking types, and bypasses personalized suggestions and recommendations.

Now let's learn how to enable incognito mode in Safari.

How to enable Safari private browsing?

Apple simplifies access to Safari private browsing on all devices. The specific steps will vary slightly depending on your iOS and macOS versions.

To check the version you are using, go to Settings > General > About > View the version number next to iOS version.

On your Mac, go to the Apple menu in the upper right corner of the screen and click "About this machine". In the window that appears, view the version number next to macOS.

Enable private browsing on macOS Sonoma

One of the easiest ways to access Safari private browsing on macOS Sonoma is through Dock.

1. Find the Safari icon: In the Dock at the bottom of the screen, look for the blue compass-shaped icon with a white background.
2. Right-click on it.
3. In the menu that opens, click "New Private Window".

Alternatively, you can also open Safari, go to the File menu in the Mac menu bar and click on "New Private Window". This will open a new Safari window with private browsing mode.

Enable private browsing on macOS Ventura

For Macs running macOS Ventura, here is how to access Safari private browsing:

1. After opening Safari, go to the Mac menu bar and click "File".
2. Click "New Private Window".

Enable private browsing on iOS 17

If you prefer using your iPhone for private browsing, we have a way to do it for you too.

Here is how to open the Safari Incognito tab on an iPhone running iOS 17:

1. Open Safari on iPhone.
2. Tap and hold the Tag button (the icon with 2 squares at the bottom of the screen).
3. Click "New Private Tab" in the pop-up menu.

Enable private browsing on iOS 16 and earlier

For iPhones running iOS 16 and earlier, follow these steps to access Safari private browsing mode:

1. Open Safari on iPhone.
2. Click the Tag button (the icon with 2 squares at the bottom of the screen).
3. Click "[Number] Tab Page" or "Start Page" to display the list of tag groups.
4. Click "Private", and then click "Done".

How to turn off Safari private browsing mode

Turning off Safari private browsing mode means you will switch back to normal browsing mode, removing the additional features and benefits of private browsing. However, normal browsing mode ensures that your history is synchronized across all devices and that all websites work properly. To turn it off, follow the reverse steps of your respective devices.

macOS Sonoma

Please follow these steps to restore to normal browsing mode on macOS Sonoma:

1. With the Safari private browsing mode window open, click "X" to close it.
2. Find Safari in macOS Dock.
3. Right-click on it.
4. Click "New Window".

Alternatively, you can also open Safari, go to the File menu in the Mac menu bar and click New Window. This will open a new window running Safari in normal browsing mode.

macOS Ventura

For Macs running macOS Ventura, here is how to exit Safari private browsing mode and switch back to normal browsing mode:

1. With the Safari private browsing mode window open, click "X" to close it.
2. With Safari still open, go to the Mac menu bar and click "File".
3. Click "New Window".

iOS 17

To turn off Safari private browsing on an iPhone running iOS 17, follow these three simple steps:

1. Open Safari on iPhone.
2. Tap and hold the Tag button.
3. Click "[Number] Tab Pages" in the pop-up menu.

You can also exit Safari's invisible mode on iOS 17 by completing the following steps:

1. Open Safari on iPhone.
2. Click the Tag button.
3. Click "[Number] Tab Page" or "Start Page" to display the list of tag groups.
4. Click "Private", and then click "Done".

iOS 16 and earlier

For iPhones running iOS 16 and earlier, follow these steps to exit Safari private browsing mode:

1. Open Safari on iPhone.
2. Click the Tag button.
3. Click "[Number] Tab Page" or "Start Page" to display the list of tag groups.
4. Click "[Number] Tab Pages", and then click "Finish".

Is Safari private browsing really private?

While Safari's private browsing provides some privacy protection, it is by no means foolproof or unbreakable. It's important to know what's going on and which parties may still track your information even if you use Safari private browsing.

As mentioned earlier, Safari private browsing prevents the browser from storing your browsing history, searches, and cookies locally. However, it won't hide your IP address or encrypt your internet traffic.

This means your Internet Service Provider (ISP), network administrators, and certain websites can still track your online activities. Additionally, if you use public Wi-Fi or an unsafe network, third parties may intercept your information.

If you want to keep your browsing private and secure, Safari private browsing is not the only option. You can start with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). The purpose of a VPN is to encrypt your connection to the Internet by routing your data traffic to a secure server of some location of your choice. This can hide your IP address and make it difficult for anyone to monitor your online activity.

We prefer ClearVPN because it is the most intuitive VPN solution on the market. Additionally, it offers multiple shortcuts that focus more on your needs than on server choices.

Another common misconception about Safari's private browsing is that it deletes ads on the websites you visit. This is incorrect. Instead, Safari private browsing makes ads harder to track you. To avoid online advertising, applications like AdLock are the perfect solution. It will block annoying and often harmful pop-ups, banners, and ads in your browser, so you can avoid viruses and browse the web safely — even on unsafe networks.

To set up AdLock, you just need to turn on web ad blocking (Ad Blocking>Open). You can also enable filtering in selected applications if you prefer, so that ads can be blocked in those applications as well (Trade > Add Apps > Enable Filtering).

Tip: As you can see, using Invisibility Mode on your Mac is not the only way to improve online privacy. You can perform other actions such as clearing browsing and downloading history, deleting cached files, clearing cookies, and deleting stored autofill data. Doing all of these manually for Safari, Chrome, and Firefox (if you use all three browsers) is time-consuming and tedious. However, you don't have to do this manually. CleanMyMac X's privacy module can do everything in just a few clicks. It can also clean up your Mac's saved Wi-Fi networks in case you want to reconnect to them in the future. It shows what public Wi-Fi networks your Mac saves and divides them into two groups: secure and unsafe. You can then select all unsafe networks and delete them so that your Mac won't automatically connect to them in the future.

How to fix Safari stealth mode not working

Technology is not perfect, so if you have problems enabling Safari private browsing mode on your iPhone, Mac, or iPad, follow these troubleshooting steps:

1. Restart the Safari application. On iPhone and iPad, swipe up and hold to enter the multitasking view, and then swipe Safari up from its background tasks. Reopen Safari and try to enter Safari private browsing mode again. On your Mac, right-click Safari in the Dock and click "Exit".
2. Restart your device. Having your device fully restart can help fix any weird software failures. Go to the menu bar on your Mac, click on the Apple logo, and select Restart. On iPhone 6, 7, 8, or SE (second or third generation), press the power button, slide to turn off the device, wait 15-20 seconds, and then turn it on again. For new iPhones, press and hold the volume up button and the side button until the power off slider appears.

How to enable and disable Safari private mode: Everything you need to stay private

Now you know how to open the Incognito tab in Safari. It's easy and you can do it anytime you need privacy. But while the privacy mode in Safari offers some privacy benefits, it is not a foolproof solution to keep your online information safe. It is important to understand its limitations and explore alternatives.

We recommend you get Setapp from which you can install convenient apps like ClearVPN, AdLock, and CleanMyMac X, further enhancing your online privacy with just one click, disguising your location, blocking ads and clearing your digital footprint.

Additionally, with Setapp, you can get many useful Mac, iOS, and web applications, such as Quit All for forced exiting applications, App Tamer for lowering CPU usage, TripMode for optimizing network activity, and more. The toolkit offers a free 7-day trial.

Private search and private browsing: Is there any difference?

Private search usually refers to privacy-friendly search engines, such as DuckDuckGo. On the other hand, private browsing refers to the pattern in the browser, which can make users' profiles, history and web browsing activities more private and secure than ordinary web browsing.

The internet can be a dangerous place, and Safari private browsing helps ensure you stay safe while browsing the web. With Safari Invisible Mode, your search and browsing history is not recorded in Safari along with other tracking protections. To further enhance your online security, you can use Setapp. Setapp has a powerful, private and high-quality application catalog including ClearVPN, AdLock and CleanMyMac X.

Unlike traditional apps that require a paid subscription, Setapp gives you access to over 240 featured apps at a single price. Whether it's ClearVPN disguising your location, or AdLock removing ads from the network, Setapp meets your need to stay private and secure online.

FAQ

Can iPhone private browsing mode be tracked?

Yes, due to the way the internet and web browsers work. Your Wi-Fi network administrator, Internet service provider, and sometimes Apple can see information and data about your web browsing, whether you are in invisible mode or not.

Can private browsing be tracked?

Apple, your Internet Service Provider, and Wi-Fi Administrator may see the IP address of the domain you are visiting; however, the data on the pages you visit or interact with is still private in Safari stealth mode.

Can others see your private search history?

It depends on the situation. While Safari itself won't save your browsing history in invisible mode, others can identify the websites you visit through your computer. You can view your computer's DNS records, revealing the domain names you are visiting. However, you can use CleanMyMac X to delete such information.

To optimize your Mac with CleanMyMac X, just follow these steps:

1. Open the application and navigate to the Privacy tab under Protection.
2. Click Scan.
3. After the scan is complete, check Safari (and other browsers you like).
4. Go to each browser and specify the exact information you want to delete
5. Click "Remove".

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