View Private Browsing History on iPhone: Compare the Top 3 Tools
Private browsing helps make online activities unseen in a device's history. However, parents, guardians, or employers may need to monitor these activities for safety reasons.
While Safari does not provide a direct way to view private browsing history on iPhone, certain tools can help. These tools are third-party solutions but significantly differ in interface, technology, and overall experience. That is why this article compares some of the top tools by showing how they work and helps you decide which option suits your needs best.
Why Is It Impossible to View Private Browsing History on iPhone Directly?
Private browsing mode in Safari is designed to leave no trace of visited websites, search terms, form details, or cookies after a session ends. This feature is meant to enhance user privacy. Therefore, neither the iPhone's settings nor native apps can reveal this information, including advanced website data.
What's more, even when the private tab is not closed, users can enable "Require Face ID to Unlock Private Browsing" to stop unauthorized access for iOS 17 and later.
However, third-party tools use advanced tracking methods to monitor online activity, even when you are using a private browsing mode. These tools allow you to watch your kids, employees, or loved ones while respecting technological limitations.
Compare the Top 3 Tools to View Private Browsing History on iPhone
In this section, we consider three renowned tools that enable users to view private search history on iPhone.
| AirDroid | Qustodio | mSpy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compatibility | iOS 13 and later | iOS 12 and later | iOS 11 to 14.3 |
| Easy to Bind | Medium | Medium | Complex |
| User Interface | Intuitive | Minimalistic | Classical |
| User Experience | Easy to access and block | Easy to access | Easy to access |
| Technology | Built-in Web Content Filter | Cloud-based filtering | Advanced tracking |
| Performance | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Price | Pocket-friendly pricing | Free and premium plans | Premium pricing |
1AirDroid Parental Control
AirDroid Parental Control app offers real-time monitoring of your child's browsing activities on the Safari app. You can also set time limits or block a special website. Remotely disabling Privacy Mode is also easy. It is a popular tool among parents who are intentional about their children's safety online and with their digital gadgets.
Compatibility: iOS 13 and later
Easy to Bind: The app has an average rating when examining how to bind the target device. You need to access the target iPhone to download the app physically and then connect the device to yours.
UI & UX: It has a clean and intuitive design that enhances easy navigation. The browsing history in private mode is recorded in common mode together. However, it records blocked websites separately when your child tries to open them. Furthermore, it allows users to block a site from the history directly.
Performance: The built-in Web Content Filter helps the app to intercept and keep records of browsing and app usage history. That way, it records all browsing history, including deleted ones.
Price: $9.99/month, $29.99/quarter, $59.95/year. 3-day free trial with full features.
2Qustodio
Qustodio is a parental control application that fosters safe and balanced digital habits for children. It allows parents to manage screen time by setting daily limits for their kids. In addition, the app is used to filter inappropriate content to ensure safer internet usage. The tool also has a detailed report serving as a monitoring feature to view a child's digital activity. That way, parents and tutors can monitor their children's private browsing experience. Qustodio features a custom alert to notify the employer, parents, or tutors of an inappropriate use of the internet against the set boundaries.
Compatibility: iOS 12 and later
Easy to Bind: Medium. The setup procedure is average because it needs physical access to the target iPhone to download the App on the child's device.
UI & UX: The interface is intuitive but minimalistic with its mixed listings. For instance, activities on the mobile and web app are mixed. Again, the app history only records the domains, not the specific URL. Also, if one URL is accessed multiple times, the app records its whole access time. It cannot block a site from the history, instead, it uses activity reports to show the history of websites visited.
Performance: It relies on cloud-based filtering and monitoring. Hence, it will record the domain and visit times when you visit websites that have been blocked. However, the app is unstable, with many user histories missing, not only in Private mode but also in normal mode.
For example, as we have tested: I viewed 6 pages (4 domains) in Private and 4 pages (2 domains) in normal mode, but Qustodio only records 3 domains. It missed YouTube and AirDroid Cast Web access records. It also incorrectly records App Store visits as the AliExpress Shopping App.
Price: $54.95-$99.95/year. 3-day free trial with limited tiered pricing based on features.
3 mSpy for iPhone Monitoring
mSpy is a sleek monitoring solution designed for tracking and managing online activities. Its discreet and comprehensive features provide users with tools to monitor browsing and social media platforms in real time. It has other parental control features like tracking GPS locations in real time and accessing call logs and text messages. mSpy is a valuable tool for parental oversight or securing personal devices.
Compatibility: iOS 11 to 14.3 (versions that permit jailbreak)
Easy to Bind: It has a complex setup best appreciated by tech-savvy users. For instance, it requires physical access to the target phone, and it has to jailbroken the device.
UI & UX: It has a modern setup for recording browsing and search history. Hence, it is an ideal tool for tech-savvy users. It cannot block a site from history directly. Also, it uses a keylogger to record search history.
Performance: It utilizes advanced tracking algorithms to log activities and record most browsing history. Price: $48.99/month, $83.99/quarter, $139.99/year. No free trial.
Why We Can't View Private Browsing History from iCloud/iTunes Backup
Private browsing creates a temporary session that deletes all data when the session ends. So Safari does not save search history or website visits on your device.
iTunes and iCloud backup systems rely on storing device data in the cloud or on a computer. In private mode, Safari doesn't save browsing history and other data to regular backup locations, so iTunes and iCloud can't find this data to back up.
Additionally, Apple's strict privacy policies ensure no private browsing data is available in iCloud or backups. This principle protects user privacy, making third-party tools the only option for monitoring such activities.
Final Thoughts
Apple protects its user's privacy discreetly, making it almost impossible to see private browsing history even on iCloud or via backup recovery. Hence, monitoring private browsing history on iPhones requires specialized tools like AirDroid Parental Control, Qustodio, and mSpy.
Each of these tools, and several others like them, have unique features for monitoring or tracking Safari's private browsing. However, AirDroid stands out for ease of use and competitive pricing. It gives you access to see private search activities in real-time, block inappropriate websites, and use other parental control features to keep your kids safe online.
Leave a Reply.