Privacy 2 min read
Incognito mode: what it hides and where its limits are
Incognito is useful when you want to open a site without your usual sign-in or keep a page out of local history. But “private” can sound broader than it really is. Here is the problem this mode solves, and the limits to keep in mind.
It separates temporary browsing data
Incognito windows keep cookies and site data separate from regular windows. If you are signed into a shop in your main window, that sign-in does not automatically appear in Incognito. This helps when viewing a public page or checking how a site behaves without your account.
After all Incognito windows close, the browser does not retain that session’s history, cookies or form data. While any Incognito window remains open, the session continues. Closing one tab does not end the whole session.
The site and network still see a connection
Websites see your IP address and your activity on their pages. If you sign in, they know which account you are using. Your internet provider and workplace network administrator can also observe connection information within the limits of their systems.
Incognito does not change your IP address or replace a VPN. It also does not delete files you download or bookmarks you create. A document saved to a shared folder stays there after the window closes.
Using Incognito in Sverk
- Press Ctrl+Shift+N or choose “New Incognito window” from the browser menu.
- Check that the window is labelled as Incognito.
- Close every Incognito window when you finish. Review any saved files separately.
In Sverk for Windows, extensions including Sverk Shield do not run in Incognito by default. If needed, open chrome://extensions, select Details for Sverk Shield and allow it in Incognito. This enables blocking and warnings, but not video downloading.
Incognito or a separate space?
Use Incognito for a short session whose sign-in you do not want to keep. For a lasting second account, a protected space is more convenient: it keeps its own sign-ins, history and passwords after a restart. An ordinary space only organises tabs; it does not separate accounts.
On a shared computer, finish your sessions and lock the operating system too. Neither Incognito nor a protected space protects you from malicious software already running on the computer.