Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

private browsing data storage

more options

hiya

so i was reading that private browsing doesnt store temp files, cookies etc. does that mean website data is stored in ram? or is it still stored on the hard drive in some manner?

hiya so i was reading that private browsing doesnt store temp files, cookies etc. does that mean website data is stored in ram? or is it still stored on the hard drive in some manner?

Chosen solution

Flash content goes to "temp" files in Windows, Firefox has no control over it in PB mode.

Read this answer in context 👍 2

All Replies (8)

more options

Private browsing means nothing is recorded. Data is stored in the computers RAM during that session. When Firefox is closed, the RAM is flushed.

more options

FredMcD said

Private browsing means nothing is recorded. Data is stored in the computers RAM during that session. When Firefox is closed, the RAM is flushed.

huh, i didnt know that.

i imagine some things must be stored to the drive, such as flash content? or it would use up all the ram..

Modified by jenni-anders

more options

That I don't know.

more options

I've called the big guys to help you. Good luck.

more options

What plugins are doing is probably not predictable. In PB mode Firefox will try to keep data in memory, but will probably only keep the current part of a file stored in the memory cache requested by a plugin via streaming. Files that are opened in an external application will always be saved to the Windows temp folder.

Note that Windows can decide at any time to page data to the hard drive because that is how virtual memory works when the real physical memory is needed for other tasks or you otherwise run out of physical memory.

more options

cor-el said

What plugins are doing is probably not predictable. In PB mode Firefox will try to keep data in memory, but will probably only keep the current part of a file stored in the memory cache requested by a plugin via streaming. Files that are opened in an external application will always be saved to the Windows temp folder. Note that Windows can decide at any time to page data to the hard drive because that is how virtual memory works when the real physical memory is needed for other tasks or you otherwise run out of physical memory.

so say a user is watching anime on crunchyroll, the videos are streamed to a flash player embedded on the webpage, its likely the data is stored in ram?

but there is a chance it was paged to the drive.

more options

Chosen Solution

Flash content goes to "temp" files in Windows, Firefox has no control over it in PB mode.