Anonymous browsing

The term anonymous browsing generally means that type of Internet browsing that leaves no traces of one’s activity on the computer, smartphone or tablet in use: this occurs thanks to a particular browser setting that deletes all data ( history, cookies, temporary files, etc.) when closing the software window.

However, analyzing the matter in a slightly more in-depth way, you must know that the same sentence can also be understood as the act of surfing the web without releasing information on one’s geographical location , on the devices used or on one’s online activity to the service provider in use. and / or the websites visited: this result can be obtained thanks to particular security systems, ranging from the camouflage of one’s IP address to the blocking of profiling cookies.

Obviously it is also possible to combine the two aforementioned “private” browsing modes, in order to make any tracking operations even more difficult; furthermore, to further minimize the possibility of tracing and / or profiling, one should avoid logging into any account attributable to one’s person, in order to avoid the sending – albeit unconscious – of more or less sensitive information.

Having said that, let’s get back to us: in the course of my guide I will explain, in a complete and exhaustive way, both how to activate the private browsing mode of the browser, and how to surf anonymously on the Web. I wish you a good reading.

Index

• Anonymous browser browsing
  • Anonymous browsing: Chrome
  • Anonymous browsing: Edge
  • Anonymous browsing: Firefox
  • Anonymous browsing: Safari
• Anonymous browsing: LinkedIn
• Anonymous browsing: how to hide online

Anonymous browser browsing

Let’s start by analyzing the steps to take to activate private browsing on all the most commonly used browsers on computers, smartphones and tablets. I remind you, once again, that this operating mode eliminates all traces of your browsing (history, cookies, temporary files, and so on) only from the device from which it is run . Furthermore, any files downloaded during private browsing sessions will not be deleted.

Anonymous browsing: Chrome

To activate incognito browsing on Google Chrome for computers , click on the ⋮ button located at the top right and then select the entry New incognito window from the menu that appears; alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + Shift + N on Windows and cmd + shift + n on Mac. To exit Incognito, simply close the open window.

On Chrome for smartphones and tablets you can get the same result by tapping the ⋮ button (on Android) or (…) (on iPhone / iPad) and selecting the New incognito tab from the menu that appears. To exit incognito browsing, tap on the square containing the number of open tabs , located immediately next to the button seen above and press the button (X) corresponding to the tab to be closed. On Android, you can obtain the same result by calling up the system notification area and then pressing on the message indicating the words Close all incognito browsing tabs .

During private browsing sessions, Chrome windows / tabs are dark in color and identified by an icon representing a hat and a pair of glasses . In case of doubts or problems, you can take a look at my tutorial on how to browse incognito with Chrome , in which I was able to deal with the topic in more depth.

Anonymous browsing: Edge

Microsoft’s Edge browser also allows you to quickly activate anonymous browsing called, in this case, InPrivate . To do this, if you use your computer, click on the button (…) visible in the upper right corner of the browser window and select the New InPrivate window item , located in the menu that appears. Alternatively, you can achieve the same result by simultaneously pressing the key combination Ctrl + Shift + N on Windows, or cmd + shift + n on macOS.

The “anonymous” windows of Microsoft Edge are marked with the word InPrivate and can be closed like any other navigation window, simply by clicking on the close button provided by the operating system.

And on smartphones and tablets ? The procedure is just as simple: all you have to do is press the button (…) located at the bottom and tap the New InPrivate tab button , visible in the menu that opens. If you don’t see it, try a slight swipe upwards at the first row of icons.

To close one or more InPrivate tabs, tap the selection button of the active tab visible at the bottom, go to the InPrivate tab and tap the X corresponding to the panel you want to close.

Anonymous browsing: Firefox

On the Firefox browser for your computer , you can open a new anonymous window by first clicking on the ☰ button located at the top right and then on the item New anonymous window located in the menu that appears; alternatively, you can achieve the same result by using the key combination Ctrl + Shift + P (on Windows) or cmd + shift + p (on Mac). All Firefox anonymous browsing windows are identified by a mask symbol and can be closed by clicking on the (X) button at the top.

As for the mobile version of Firefox , it is possible to open an anonymous session by pressing the tab selection button (located to the left of the menu button), then tapping on the symbol of the mask and, finally, on the button (+ Anonymous) or [+ ] . To stop private browsing, repeat the same procedure seen above and tap the button (X) visible next to the open tabs. For more details, check out my tutorial focused on anonymous browsing with Firefox .

Anonymous browsing: Safari

If yours is a Mac and you use the Safari browser , you can activate the private browsing mode by clicking on the File menu at the top left and then choosing the New private window option , visible inside it. Alternatively, you can use the key combination cmd + shift + n . Remember, once your activity is complete, to close all previously opened private browser windows.

To browse anonymously on Safari from iPhone or iPad , after opening the navigation app, make a long tap on the icon depicting two overlapping squares (located at the bottom right) and first select [number] panels ‌ and then the Private one from the menu that appears, then press the + button . To exit, repeat the same procedure in reverse, taking care to close the tabs opened in private mode (which otherwise will remain in memory).

Anonymous browsing: LinkedIn

If you actively use LinkedIn , you will surely have noticed that, in many cases, it is possible to trace the users who view the information on your profile. Not everyone knows, however, that this can be avoided and a sort of “anonymous browsing” can be activated even on the famous social network.

Before explaining how to do it, however, I must make you a fundamental premise: unless you have a LinkedIn Premium subscription, if you decide to view profiles in private mode, you will no longer be able to view the list of people. who have visited your personal page . Those with a LinkedIn Premium account, on the other hand, can continue to see the visitor list for the last 90 days of activity.

Having clarified this, let’s see together how to proceed. If you use LinkedIn from your computer , after logging in to your account , click on your avatar located at the top right, select the item Settings and privacy located in the menu that appears and select the item Visibility from the left sidebar.

Now, click on the Profile view options option and select the item that suits you best: Private profile characteristics , to ensure that only general information about your account appears (e.g. University, work current and so on), or Private Mode , to simply appear as an “anonymous member”. The change is applied instantly and can be undone at any time.

If you consult LinkedIn through the official app for smartphones and tablets , you must follow a procedure rather similar to the one seen a little while ago: after opening the application, press on your personal image located at the top left, select the Resident Settings item in the menu that appears and you tap, in sequence, on the items Visibility and Profile viewing options . Finally, choose the option that best suits your needs ( Private Profile Features or Private Mode ) and that’s it.

Anonymous browsing: how to hide online

Let’s now move on to anonymous online browsing , that is, to that set of procedures that allow, if applied correctly, to hide not only one’s real identity, but also the functional characteristics of the devices used to access the network and one’s physical location. Contrary to what one might think, it is not a complex operation, on the contrary: just use, with a pinch of attention, the tool that best suits your needs to obtain more than respectable results.

However, as already mentioned in the opening bars of this guide, I invite you to be careful: if it is your intention to completely hide your real online identity, strictly avoid logging into accounts that can be traced back to your person (email, social network, personal accounts on ecommerce sites and so on) while you try to surf the Net anonymously, as you could be unmasked if the data from the various providers were crossed .

That said, there are several ways to hide your Internet activity: below I list the ones that, in my opinion, represent the most effective.

• VPN : this is a mechanism that, using the tunneling technique, allows both to make your activity on the Net invisible to external eyes (including those of your service provider) and to mask your IP address and, consequently, the your position. Among the best and most reliable VPNs available at the moment I point out NordVPN (which I told you more about here ) and Surfshark (which I told you about here ).
• Tor : is another effective anonymous navigation system based on the onion routing system , which allows data to travel through a random sequence of computers, scattered around the world, each of which removes the “traces” of the previous steps. To learn more, I refer you to reading my tutorial on how to best use Tor .
• Proxy : This is the simplest solution to put into practice, which allows you to surf the Internet using the public IP address of a dedicated server. In this way, it is possible to bypass one or more regional blocks very easily; on the other hand, proxy servers can be slow and expose browsing information to prying eyes. To find out more, you can take a look at my guide dedicated to the topic .