What Is Safari Private Browsing | vs. Chrome Incognito Mode

Online privacy is a growing concern for every user, especially those with sensitive information. Hence, many browsers offer features to enhance user confidentiality. Safari private browsing and Chrome incognito mode are two widely used options with these features. While both aim to protect users from prying eyes, their features differ.

That is why this post explains deeply how Safari private browsing works. We also compare it with the equally popular Chrome incognito mode. So you will make informed decisions.

What Is Safari Private Browsing?

Safari Private Browsing is Apple's default provision for its users to have a safe and confidential online experience. This built-in feature is designed to function on all Apple devices, such as iPhone, Mac, and iPad. It comes with the default Safari app preinstalled on these devices.

When using private browsing on Safari, the app creates an isolated session for your activities. That way, your browsing history, search history, and website data are not saved locally. However, private mode doesn't prevent your internet service provider (ISP) from recording your history. It only ensures that your device won't save your history once you close the window.

What Does Safari Private Browsing Do

To further understand how Safari private browsing works, here are some things it does.

Does Not Save History

Private browsing ensures that websites visited and searches conducted are not recorded in the browser's history. That way, when your browsing history is checked, no one will be able to tell the websites you visited, what you searched, or downloaded. However, files downloaded during the session will remain in the downloaded folder on your device until it is removed remotely.

Does Not Keep Cookies or Website Data

Cookies and temporary website data are deleted once the session ends. Hence, you have to reenter your preferences when using the website again. Also, you will be requested to accept the website cookies upon reentry. Safari private browsing helps your device forget the website it has previously visited and activities that happened during your last visit to those pages.

Isolate the Tabs

Cross-communication between tabs could compromise privacy. Hence, each tab in Safari's private browsing operates independently. Changes on one tab do not synergize with the other one.
Instead, changes made on a tab will override the ones made on the other tab. Depending on the website setting, logging in on another tab may log you out of the other tab.

Block Known Trackers

Safari uses Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) to block third-party trackers. It uses a content blocker to prevent network loads from getting to known trackers. It limits attempts by these trackers to follow your online activities across websites. Furthermore, it restricts the sharing of referrer information in cross-site integration. However, it does not completely stop online activity tracking by network administrators or sophisticated scripts.

Stops Obtaining Device Information

Advanced fingerprinting techniques allow websites to collect details about your device. For instance, screen resolution, browser type, version, and operating system are some of the details that can be gotten through JavaScript and the Canvas API.
Safari private browsing minimizes this information sharing by using noise injection to obscure the unique device characteristics against advanced fingerprinting techniques.

Disable AutoFill

To prevent sensitive data exposure, Safari disables AutoFill for usernames, passwords, and payment information in private browsing. Login details, autofill, website settings, and other similar features that work with the website data will not be accessible.

Does Not Sync to iCloud

Safari ensures private browsing sessions are not shared across devices connected to the same Apple ID by avoiding iCloud sync. Hence, the actions on the private browsing Safari will not be reflected on another device while you can access the same website from different devices.

What Does Safari Private Browsing Not Do

While Safari has several features, here are some of the features not available on it.

Does Not Mask IP Address

Safari private browsing does not inherently hide your IP address. This means you are vulnerable to IP-based tracking or WebRTC leaks. However, you can subscribe to iCloud+ to access iCloud Private Relay, which helps obscure your IP address and location.

Does Not Stop Online Activity Tracking

Through your Internet Service Provider (ISP), loved ones, employers, or school administrators can still monitor your browsing activity. However, legal procedures may be involved to avoid privacy breaches.

Does Not Stop Malware or Phishing Attacks

Private browsing does not guard against malicious websites or phishing attempts. Users have to exercise caution when using a link to prevent such attacks. Safari private browsing does not flag scam activities or likely malware attacks.

Does Not Block Ads Tracking or Ads

Users may still experience targeted ads based on their browsing habits, even when using Private Browsing. This is because advertisers can utilize other methods to gather data about user preferences and behaviors that are not fully mitigated by Safari's privacy features.
Ads on websites are not stopped in private browsing. These ads are embedded in the website and would work the same way with other features on the website. Using a Safari ad blocker can help to prevent ads.

Is It Possible to Permanently Disable Safari Private Browsing?

Yes, Safari Private Browsing can be permanently disabled if you are not interested in using it again. Likewise, parents may want to restrict access to a child's device. That way, the child will not be able to hide their online activities from their parent. Also, employers might request employees to deactivate it for proper monitoring of work activities. Here are the steps:

Open the Settings app on your device.
Select the Screen Time option.
Select Content & Privacy Restrictions and toggle it on. Then open the App Store, Media, Siri, & Game Center.
Click on Web Content and choose Limit Adult Websites or Only Approved Websites.
Safari's Private Browsing option will no longer appear in the Private option of Tab Management.

Tips: The website restrictions are easy to bypass, especially for tech-savvy teenagers. Parents can still monitor a device with the AirDroid Parental Control even when they cannot disable Safari Private Browsing on an iPhone or iPad.

AirDroid Parental Control
Set parental controls on iPhone from Android, iOS or any device with a browser
Hide the app when the time limit is due, which makes time limits hard to bypass
Support to enable time limits at a specific zone
Block a special app or the whole device with one click
Block inappropriate URLs more completely and thoroughly
Record website history even in Private Mode

How Does Safari Private Browsing Compared to Chrome Incognito Mode

Safari private browsing and Chrome incognito mode are popular among iPhone and Android users, respectively. However, they have a shared aim of safeguarding users’ privacy. In this section, we compare the features of these two renowned privacy options for browsing anonymously.

Feature	Safari Private Browsing	Chrome Incognito Mode
Privacy Protection	Blocks fingerprinting and works with iCloud + Private Relay for IP protection.	Focuses on clearing session data and Safe Search protection from unwanted sites.
Effectiveness Against Tracking	Blocks data collection connections and removes known tracking parameters from URLs.	Prevent some website tracking but not as comprehensive as Safari's.
User Experience	Have default privacy settings, sessions are isolated, and limit extension use.	Requires to adjust settings for enhanced privacy manually, shares session data across tabs, and supports lots of extensions.
Performance and Efficiency	Optimized for macOS and iOS devices while maintaining browsing speed.	High performance on various devices but consumes more resources.

Privacy Protection

The protection technology of the two privacy options is different. Safari private browsing protects users against advanced fingerprinting techniques. Also, it blocks suspicious cookies and trackers.

On the other hand, Chrome's incognito mode limits browsing history and prevents cookies from being saved. In addition, it uses the Safe Search feature to filter access to some undesired content or websites. Hence, private browsing is considered more sophisticated for its advanced fingerprinting protections.

Effectiveness Against Tracking

Both modes do not provide complete anonymity. ISPs or advertisers can still track users via their IP addresses and other methods. However, Safari actively works to obscure user data by providing false information to tracking companies. It even prevents cookies from following the user from one website to another.

While Chrome's Incognito Mode can also prevent some website tracking, its protections are not as comprehensive as Safari's. It also does not prevent tracking by ISPs or advertisers.

User Experience

Safari's Private Browsing is designed to be more user-friendly with default privacy settings that block third-party cookies and trackers. In contrast, Chrome requires users to manually adjust settings for enhanced privacy.

In Safari's Private Browsing, sessions are isolated, allowing users to log into different accounts on the same site without interference. Chrome's Incognito Mode shares session data across tabs, which can be less convenient for users needing to manage multiple accounts.

Chrome supports a wide range of extensions that can enhance privacy and functionality, while Safari limits extension use in Private Browsing mode. This can affect users who rely on specific tools for enhanced browsing experiences.

Performance and Efficiency

Private browsing has a smooth performance with lower battery consumption. Furthermore, it is an efficient tool for maintaining privacy when surfing the internet without compromising browsing speed.

With incognito mode, devices with limited memory can lag because the platform is resource-intensive. However, it is an efficient solution across platforms.

Privacy Tools in Action

Guaranteed privacy when surfing the internet is highly essential. With Safari private browsing users can count on privacy features for protecting their casual browsing. However, it does not provide complete anonymity or security from online threats. To enhance privacy, users may have to consider additional tools like VPNs or private search engines.

For users considering alternative solutions like the Chrome incognito mode, the Google alternative does not provide any significant advantage over its Apple counterpart.