Home Computer Tips How to Open Your Device Default Browsers in Private Mode Anytime

How to Open Your Device Default Browsers in Private Mode Anytime

For you to leave no tracing after browsing on your system then you need to open your browser in private mode and this could be as result of security issues to prevent other from accessing your information when using the same device used by you to browse, you may decide to also set up your browser in private mode by default.


In this post we will see how we can set up Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Opera, Safari and Microsoft Edge open in private mode by default after launching.


Note: These can only remove tracks to your PC but your activity can still be tracked from your network or by making use of a third-party spying tool.


Setup PC Browsers to Private Mode



⇰ Google Chrome Browser
To open Google Chrome in Private Mode by default modify one of the Chrome shortcuts to always open in incognito mode by adding a command to it. Any shortcut of your choice can be chosen for this purpose, and this may include the desktop shortcut, Start Menu, or even on the Taskbar and to do this just follow the steps below.


>>1. Simply right-click on shortcut of your choice and select “Properties” from the context menu.
>>2. From below the “Shortcut” tab, ensure to add –incognito command just at the end of the “Target” string. For example, “…chrome.exe” –incognito. Also take and apply this, there is a space between the ending quotes and that of the dash in order to avoid mistake.


Google Chrome incognito mode settings



Proceed by clicking “OK” and you will see the shortcut modified. So whenever you are accessing the shortcut in future, it will just open in incognito mode, that is in (Private Mode) by default.


⇰ Mozilla Firefox Browser
In the case of Mozilla Firefox, we can achieve this private mode basically in two ways and that implies by either modifying its shortcut or by enabling this feature (Private Mode) from the Firefox options


Method 1: Enabling it inside Firefox
>>1. Click on the Firefox hamburger menu at the top-right corner and select “Options “.
>>2. Proceed to “Privacy” and check the checkbox next to “Always use private browsing mode” under the “History” section.


Firefox private browsing mode

After carrying out the steps above then restart Firefox for these settings to take effect. Opening up Firefox from any shortcut after these set up, it will definitely open up in Private mode. But the Firefox Private mode icon won’t display at the top of your browser and don’t even bother about that, because you are still browsing in private mode.  


Method 2: Modifying Firefox shortcut
>>1. Just right-click on any of the Firefox shortcuts and select Properties from the menu prompted to you.
>>2. Proceed by adding –private command at the end of the Target string. Ensure that you add a space between the quotes and the dash, like this “….firefox.exe” –private


Firefox Private mode



>>3. Next click on the OK button to confirm the change, and whenever Firefox is open with this shortcut it will open in Private mode.
Normally you will see Private mode page along with the Private mode icon at the top of the browser (Firefox to be precise).


Read Also: How to Disable Save Password Settings in 6 Most Used Browsers Worldwide


⇰ Opera Browser
In order to access opera in private mode while browsing just follow the below steps carefully.
>>1. Simply right-click on any Opera shortcuts and click on Properties from the context menu.
>>2. Just like Firefox browser add -private at the end of the Target string with a space between the quotes and the dash.


Opera private browsing mode setup

Click on the OK button to apply the changes. To access the Private Mode in Opera launch with the created shortcut.


⇰ Internet Explorer
Just like the previous browsers we have treated in this list, you will also have to modify the Target box to access Internet Explorer in Private mode by default.


Normally in Windows 10 edit Internet of Explorer’s original shortcut is normally done in the Windows Accessories, but in the case of custom made shortcuts it will not work.


In order to be able to access the original shortcut, type Internet Explorer in the search bar and right-click on it. From the menu, select Open file location.


Internet Explorer open in Private mode by default.

The Windows Explorer should open up and from there, you should see Internet Explorer shortcut. Now Right-click on it and then click on Properties from the context menu. From here just add -private at the end of the Target string and ensure to click on OK in order to confirm it.


After that Windows Explorer will open up and Internet Explorer shortcut will be seen in there. Right-click on it and then click on Properties from the context menu. Now proceed to add –private at the end of the Target string and click on OK to confirm the process.


access Internet Explorer private mode

⇰ Safari & Microsoft Edge
It seems that Safari and Microsoft Edge does not allow the modification of this feature (Private Mode) because I tried it for Microsoft Edge from different angle but to no avail that is to say you have to launch Private Mode for both Safari and Microsoft Edge manually.