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inprivate privacy

When using a shared computer, Private Browsing is great for viewing websites without saving stuff like cookies, temp files and a history of the pages you visit.

As you browse the web, Firefox remembers lots of information for you: sites you've visited, files you've downloaded, and more. There may be times, however, when you don't want other users on your computer to see this information, such as when shopping for a birthday present. '''Private Browsing allows you to browse the Internet without saving any information about which sites and pages you’ve visited.''' This article explains what information is not saved when in Private Browsing and gives you step-by-step instructions for using it. {warning}'''Warning:''' Private Browsing doesn't make you anonymous on the Internet. Your Internet service provider, employer, or the sites themselves can still track what pages you visit. Private Browsing also doesn't protect you from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keylogger keyloggers] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware spyware] that may be installed on your computer.{/warning} __TOC__ {for not fx20} {for win}[[Video:http://youtu.be/diCOdl6wF1w]]{/for} {/for} {for fx20} [[Video:http://youtu.be/7EQHYcs8sl0]] {/for} = What does Private Browsing not save? = {for not fx11} * '''Visited pages''': No pages will be added to the list of sites in the History menu, the Library window's history list, or the [[Search your bookmarks, history and tabs with the Awesome Bar|Awesome Bar]] address list. * '''Form and Search Bar entries''': Nothing you enter into text boxes on web pages or the [[Search bar - Easily choose your favorite search engine|Search bar]] will be saved for [[Control whether Firefox automatically fills in forms with your information|Form autocomplete]]. * '''Passwords''': No new passwords will be saved. * '''Download List entries''': No files you download will be listed in the [[Use the Downloads window to manage downloaded files|Downloads Window]] after you turn off Private Browsing. * '''Cookies''': [[Cookies - Information that websites store on your computer|Cookies]] store information about websites you visit such as site preferences, login status, and data used by plugins like Adobe Flash. Cookies can also be used by third parties to track you across websites. For more info about tracking, see [[How do I turn on the Do-not-track feature?]] * '''Web cache files''': No temporary Internet files or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cache cached] files from web pages will be saved. {/for} {for fx11} * '''Visited pages''': No pages will be added to the list of sites in the History menu, the Library window's history list, or the [[Search your bookmarks, history and tabs with the Awesome Bar|Awesome Bar]] address list. * '''Form and Search Bar entries''': Nothing you enter into text boxes on web pages or the [[Search bar - Easily choose your favorite search engine|Search bar]] will be saved for [[Control whether Firefox automatically fills in forms with your information|Form autocomplete]]. * '''Passwords''': No new passwords will be saved. * '''Download List entries''': No files you download will be listed in the [[Use the Downloads window to manage downloaded files|Downloads Window]] after you turn off Private Browsing. * '''Cookies''': [[Cookies - Information that websites store on your computer|Cookies]] store information about websites you visit such as site preferences, login status, and data used by plugins like Adobe Flash. Cookies can also be used by third parties to track you across websites. For more info about tracking, see [[How do I turn on the Do-not-track feature?]] * '''Cached Web Content''' and '''Offline Web Content and User Data''': No temporary Internet files ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cache cached] files) or files that websites save for offline use will be saved. {/for} {note} '''Note''': * If you create new [[How to use bookmarks to save and organize your favorite websites|Bookmarks]] while using Private Browsing, they will not be removed when you stop Private Browsing. * If you save files to your computer while using Private Browsing, they will not be deleted when you stop Private Browsing. However, any files you open in an external application will be cleared from the system's temporary folder, and none of the files you download will appear in the [[Find and manage downloaded files|Downloads]] list. {/note} {for fx20} = How do I open a new Private Window? = There are two ways to open a new Private Window. ==Open a new, blank Private Window== *{for winxp}At the top of the Firefox window, click the {menu File} menu and select {menu New Private Window}. A new Private Window will open.<br>[[Image:fx20 new private window - file menu]]{/for}{for win7,win8}At the top of the Firefox window, click the {button Firefox} button and select {menu New Private Window}. A new Private Window will open.<br>[[Image:New Private Window Fx20 Win7]]{/for}{for mac}On the menu bar, click the {menu File} menu and select {menu New Private Window}. A new Private Window will open.<br><br>[[Image:New Private Window Fx20 Mac]]{/for}{for linux}At the top of the Firefox window, click the {menu File} menu and select {menu New Private Window}. A new Private Window will open.<br>[[Image:New Private Window Fx20 Lin]]{/for} ==Open a link in a new Private Window== *[[T:contextmenu]] on any link and choose {menu Open Link in New Private Window} from the context menu. A new Private Window will open with the link you selected.<br>{for winxp}[[Image:Link in Private Window Fx20 WinXP]]{/for}{for win7,win8}[[Image:Link in Private Window Fx20 Win7]]{/for}{for mac}[[Image:Link in Private Window Fx20 Mac]]{/for}{for linux}[[Image:Link in Private Window Fx20 Lin]]{/for} {warning}'''Important:''' {for winxp}When in Private Browsing mode, the window title will say '''(Private Browsing)''' and there will be a purple Private Browsing mask below the Close button. You may also have other windows open that are not Private Browsing windows.{/for}{for win7,win8}When in Private Browsing mode, the {button Firefox} button will be purple. You may also have other windows open that are not Private Browsing windows.{/for}{for mac}When in Private Browsing mode, the window title will say '''(Private Browsing)''' followed by a purple Private Browsing mask. You may also have other windows open that are not Private Browsing windows.{/for}{for linux}When in Private Browsing mode, the window title will say '''(Private Browsing)''' and there will be a purple Private Browsing mask below the File menu. You may also have other windows open that are not Private Browsing windows.{/for}{/warning} {for winxp}[[Image:Normal - Private Fx20 WinXP]]{/for}{for win7,win8}[[Image:Normal - Private Fx20 Win7]]{/for}{for mac}[[Image:Normal - Private Fx20 Mac]]{/for}{for linux}[[Image:Normal - Private Fx20 Lin]]{/for} {/for} {for not fx20} = How do I turn on Private Browsing? = To start Private Browsing: #{for win}At the top of the Firefox window, click the {button Firefox} button ({menu Tools} menu in Windows XP) and select {menu Start Private Browsing}.{/for}{for mac}On the menu bar, click the {menu Tools} menu and select {menu Start Private Browsing}.{/for}{for linux}At the top of the Firefox window, click the {menu Tools} menu and select {menu Start Private Browsing}.{/for}{for win}<br />[[Image:Private Browsing Win1]]{/for}{for mac}<br /><br />[[Image:Private Browsing Mac1]]{/for}{for linux}<br />[[Image:Private Browsing Lin1]]{/for} # When you turn on Private Browsing, Firefox alerts you that it will save your current windows and tabs for after you finish using Private Browsing. Click {button Start Private Browsing} to continue.{for win}<br /><br />[[Image:Private Browsing Win2]]{/for}{for mac}<br /><br />[[Image:Private Browsing Mac2]]{/for}{for linux}<br />[[Image:Private Browsing Lin2]]{/for} #* Check the box next to "Do not show this message again" if you don't want to receive this alert when you turn on Private Browsing. # The Private Browsing information screen appears to confirm that you're in Private Browsing mode.{for win}[[Image:Private Browsing Win3]]{/for}{for mac}[[Image:Private Browsing Mac3]]{/for}{for linux}[[Image:Private Browsing Lin3]]{/for} When browsing in Private Browsing mode, {for not win}the Firefox window title will say '''(Private Browsing)'''{/for}{for win}the {button Firefox} button will be purple (for Windows XP the window title will say '''(Private Browsing)''' instead){/for} during your session. {/for} {for not fx20} = How do I turn off Private Browsing? = To end a Private Browsing session: #{for win}At the top of the Firefox window, click the {button Firefox} button ({menu Tools} menu in Windows XP) and select {menu Stop Private Browsing}.{/for}{for mac}On the menu bar, click the {menu Tools} menu and select {menu Stop Private Browsing}.{/for}{for linux}At the top of the Firefox window, click the {menu Tools} menu and select {menu Stop Private Browsing}.{/for}{for win}<br />[[Image:Private Browsing Win4]]{/for}{for mac}<br /><br />[[Image:Private Browsing Mac4]]{/for}{for linux}<br />[[Image:Private Browsing Lin4]]{/for} # The windows and tabs you were using when you enabled Private Browsing will appear, and you can use Firefox normally. {for not win}The Firefox window title will no longer say '''(Private Browsing)'''{/for}{for win}The {button Firefox} button will turn orange again (for Windows XP the Firefox window title will no longer say '''(Private Browsing)'''){/for} when Private Browsing is off. {/for} = How do I always start Firefox in Private Browsing? = There is a setting in the [[Settings for privacy, browsing history and do-not-track|{for win}Options{/for}{for mac,linux}Preferences{/for} window]] that automatically enables Private Browsing whenever you start Firefox. {for not fx20} {note}If you enter Private Browsing this way, {for not win}the Firefox title bar won't say '''(Private Browsing)'''{/for}{for win}the {button Firefox} button won't turn purple (Windows XP, the Firefox title bar won't say '''(Private Browsing)'''){/for} but Firefox will still not retain history as described above.{/note} #[[T:optionspreferences]] #[[T:customhistory]] # Check the box next to '''Always use private browsing mode'''.{for win}[[Image:Private Browsing Win5 Fx7]]{/for}{for mac}[[Image:Private Browsing Mac5]]{/for}{for linux}[[Image:Private Browsing Lin5]]{/for} # [[T:closeOptionsPreferences]] {/for} {for fx20} {note}{for winxp,mac,linux}'''Note:''' If you enter Private Browsing this way, the Firefox title bar won't say '''(Private Browsing)''' and won't have a purple Private Browsing mask but Firefox will still not retain your history as described above.{/for}{for win7,win8}'''Note:''' If you enter Private Browsing this way, the {button Firefox} button won't turn purple but Firefox will still not retain your history as described above.{/for}{/note} #[[T:optionspreferences]] #Select the {menu Privacy} panel. #Set '''Firefox will:''' to '''Never remember history'''.<br>{for winxp}[[Image:Never Remember History WinXP]]{/for}{for win7,win8}[[Image:Never Remember History Win7]]{/for}{for mac}[[Image:Never Remember History Mac]]{/for}{for linux}[[Image:Never Remember History Lin]]{/for} #You will see a message that Firefox needs to restart to enable this feature. Click {button OK} and Firefox will restart in permanent Private Browsing mode. {/for} [[Template:ShareArticle|link=http://mzl.la/MNBtnG]]