Private Browsing - Use Firefox without saving history
Revision Information
- Revision id: 181512
- Created:
- Creator: tech53
- Comment: I corrected some grammatical mistakes regarding the use of the words "no, or, like," as well as some sentence structure that could be confusing. For example, I replaced "like" with "such as" because like = a comparison, whereas "such as" = an inclusion.
- Reviewed: Yes
- Reviewed:
- Reviewed by: heyjoni
- Is approved? Yes
- Is current revision? No
- Ready for localization: No
Revision Source
Revision Content
Private Browsing automatically erases your browsing information, such as passwords, cookies, and history, leaving no trace after you end the session. Firefox also has Tracking ProtectionContent Blocking, which prevents hidden trackers from collecting your data across multiple sites and slowing down your browsing.
Important: Private Browsing doesn't make you anonymous on the Internet. Your Internet service provider, employer, or the sites themselves can still gather information about pages you visit. Private Browsing also doesn't protect you from keyloggers or spyware that may be installed on your computer. To learn more, see Common Myths about Private Browsing.
Table of Contents
How do I open a new Private Window?
There are two ways to open a new Private Window:
Open a new Private Window from the Firefox menu
- Click the menu button
and then click .
The Private Browsing home page will open in a new window.
Open a link in a new Private Window
- Right-clickHold down the control key while you click
on any link and choose from the context menu.
Tip: Private Browsing windows have a purple mask at the top.
What does Private Browsing not save?
- Visited pages: Pages will not be added to the list of sites in the History menu, the Library window's history list, nor in the address bar drop-down list.
- Form and Search Bar entries: Nothing you enter into text boxes on web pages nor the Search bar will be saved for Form autocomplete.
- Passwords: New passwords will not be saved.
- Download List entries: Files you download will not be listed in the Downloads Window after you turn off Private Browsing.
- Cookies: 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. See How do I turn on the Do Not Track feature? for more information about tracking. Cookies set in private windows are held temporarily in memory, separate from regular window cookies, and discarded at the end of your private session (after the last private window is closed).
- Cached Web Content and Offline Web Content and User Data: Temporary Internet files (cached files) and files that websites save for offline use will not be saved.
Note:
- New bookmarks you create while using Private Browsing will be saved.
- Any files you download to your computer while using Private Browsing will be saved.
Can I set Firefox to always use Private Browsing?
Firefox is set to remember history by default but you can change this setting in your Firefox Privacy Settings :
- The template "Optionspreferences" does not exist or has no approved revision.
- Select the panel and go to the History section.
- Choose Never remember history from the drop-down menu.
This is equivalent to always being in Private Browsing mode.
Important: When Firefox is set to Never remember history you won't see a purple mask at the top of each window, even though you are effectively in Private Browsing mode. To restore normal browsing, go to your Settings
and set Firefox to Remember history.
Other ways to control what information Firefox saves
- You can always remove recent browsing, search and download history after visiting a site.
- Read more articles on this topic: Passwords, forms, search, and history - control what Firefox suggests