Private Browsing in Safari lets you browse without storing your history, cookies, or search data

Private Browsing is a Safari feature that stops your iPhone from recording the websites you visit, the searches you make, or the login information you enter. When you close a Private Browsing tab, Safari deletes that session entirely. This is useful if you share your phone, want to search without ads following you across the web, or straightforward prefer not to leave a browsing record on your device.

You can turn Private Browsing on or off in seconds from Safari's tab menu. The setting applies only to new tabs you open after you switch it on — existing tabs stay in whatever mode they were already using.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Safari, tap the tab icon in the bottom right corner, and tap "Private" to switch between Private and regular browsing modes.
  • Private Browsing stops Safari from saving your history, cookies, autofill data, and search history for that session only.
  • Closing a Private Browsing tab removes all data from that tab when you close it, but your regular tabs remain unaffected.
  • Private Browsing does not hide your activity from your internet service provider, your network administrator, or the websites you visit.

How to turn Private Browsing on in Safari

Open Safari on your iPhone. At the bottom right of the screen, tap the overlapping squares icon (the tab counter). This opens your tab menu.

At the bottom of the tab menu, you will see a button labeled "Private" next to a button labeled "Tabs". Tap "Private". Safari will switch to Private Browsing mode, and the tab menu background will turn dark or gray to show the change. Any new tabs you open from this point will be private tabs.

To open a new private tab, tap the plus icon at the bottom of the screen while in Private mode. Each private tab works like a regular tab, but Safari will not save your history or data when you close it.

How to turn Private Browsing off

Open Safari and tap the tab icon in the bottom right corner again. Tap the "Tabs" button at the bottom of the menu to switch back to regular browsing mode. The background will return to its normal color, and new tabs will now save your history and data as usual.

If you had private tabs open before switching back to regular mode, those tabs will still be there — they do not disappear. You can switch between private and regular tabs freely, and each type will behave according to its mode.

What Private Browsing does and does not do

Private Browsing stops Safari from storing your browsing history, search history, cookies from websites, and autofill information. When you close a private tab, all of that data is deleted from your phone. If someone else picks up your iPhone and opens Safari, they will not see a record of the websites you visited in private tabs.

Private Browsing does not hide your activity from your internet service provider, your mobile carrier, your workplace network, or the websites themselves. Those entities can still see what you are doing online. Private Browsing also does not block ads or trackers — it straightforward does not store them on your device after you close the tab.

When to use Private Browsing

Use Private Browsing when you share your iPhone with family members and want to keep your searches private. It is also useful when you are shopping for a gift and do not want ads for that item to follow you around the web, or when you are researching a sensitive topic and prefer not to leave a local record on your device.

Private Browsing is not a security tool for hiding from hackers or protecting your passwords on public WiFi. If you are on an unsecured network, a VPN (virtual private network) offers stronger protection than Private Browsing alone. Private Browsing is straightforward a way to keep your local browsing history clean.

Switching between private and regular tabs

You can have both private and regular tabs open at the same time. Tap the tab icon and then tap either "Private" or "Tabs" to see whichever set you want to view. The button you tap determines which tabs appear on your screen, but both sets remain open in the background.

If you want to close all private tabs at once, open the tab menu, tap "Private", and then swipe left on each tab to close it. You can also close individual private tabs by swiping left on them one at a time. Closing a private tab removes it when ready and deletes all data associated with it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Private Browsing hide my activity from my internet service provider?

No. Private Browsing only stops your iPhone from storing data locally. Your internet service provider, mobile carrier, and network administrator can still see which websites you visit. If you want to hide your activity from those entities, you need a VPN.

Will websites know I am using Private Browsing?

Most websites cannot tell whether you are in Private Browsing mode. Some websites may behave differently because Private Browsing blocks cookies, which some sites use to remember you. You may be asked to log in again or see different content, but the website does not receive a notification that you are in private mode.

What happens to my passwords in Private Browsing?

Safari will still offer to autofill your saved passwords in Private Browsing, and you can save new passwords if you choose to. Passwords are stored in your iPhone's keychain, not in browsing history, so they are not deleted when you close a private tab.

Can I set Private Browsing as my default mode?

No. Safari does not have a setting to make Private Browsing the default for all new tabs. You must manually switch to Private mode each time you want to use it. When you close Safari completely and reopen it, you will return to regular browsing mode.

If I close Safari, do my private tabs stay open?

Private tabs close when you fully close Safari. If you swipe Safari away from the app switcher or restart your phone, all private tabs will be gone. Regular tabs will reopen the next time you launch Safari, but private tabs will not.