How to Enable or Disable Private Browsing on iOS 15

Incognito mode, or private browsing, lets you browse privately on Safari. As a result, your browsing history won't be saved, websites won't be shared, and Safari won't remember your Autofill information. When Private browsing is enabled, the address bar turns black or dark instead of the normal white or gray. Here's how to get to the private browser on iOS 15 or iPadOS 15. You will also learn how to disable private browsing in Safari on iPhone and iPad. Let's get going.

How to Turn on Private Browsing in iOS 15

You can enable Safari’s private browser in three ways.

1. Directly From Home Screen

Long-pressing the Safari app icon on the iPhone's home screen or in the App Library is an easy way to go to private browsing. A menu will appear. Select the New Private tab.

Your private browsing session will begin. Navigate to the website you wish to browse privately. To create more tabs in the private browsing mode, tap the two square icons at the bottom-right corner and select the + (Add) icon. 

2. From Tab Overview

1. Tap the square icons at the bottom of the Safari browser. As they take you to a particular screen, they are also known as tab overview or tab switcher buttons.

Tip: If the Safari address bar is at the bottom, swipe up on it to open the Tab switcher screen.

2. Tap the X Tabs or Start Page at the bottom of the Tab overview screen. From the menu, select Private.

3. If there are any private tabs, you will be taken to the Private browsing mode. To open a private tab, click the + (Add) icon.

Similarly, tap the tab overview icon at the bottom-right corner and press the + icon to open more private tabs. Select New private tab by long-pressing the Tab Overview icon.

3. Open Private Tab Quickly

Long-pressing the Tab switcher icon in Safari is another way to open private browsing. This will open a menu where you can choose between two options related to private browsing. You can open an incognito tab directly by tapping the New private tab button. Alternatively, tap the Private option to enter private browsing mode where you will see the existing incognito tabs and can also create new ones.

Private Browsing iPhone Open Quickly

Tip: To switch between private tabs, swipe right or left on the address bar at the bottom.

How to Disable Private Browsing on iPhone

You can disable private browsing in iOS 15 in the following ways:

1. Using Tab Overview Button

1. Tap the Tab overview button to open the tab overview.

2. To get rid of private browsing, tap on the Private option at the bottom and then select X Tabs.

To exit private browsing, select X Tabs from the menu by long-pressing the Tab overview icon. The regular mode can be identified by its white background.

2. Close all private browsing windows

None of the methods described above will automatically close any private tabs. In other words, if you open private browsing again, you will be able to see the earlier private tabs. Prior to leaving private browsing, you must manually close all the open private pages to be on the safe side and to stop private browsing completely.

To do so, follow these steps:

1. To close a tab, long-press its overview button and choose Close tab.

To close the page thumbnails, tap on the Tab overview button and press the X button on the thumbnail.

2. You will be taken to the home page of Private browsing mode once you have closed all open tabs. Choose X tabs from the Private menu.

Getting Private Browsing in iPadOS 15

Method 1

1. In the Safari browser, press and hold the Tabs button.

2. From the menu, choose New Private Tab.

To open the tab overview, tap the Tabs button. From the X Tabs menu, select Private.

Method 2

1. You can access Safari's side drawer by tapping the Navigation icon in the top-left corner.

2. Select Private from the menu.

How to turn off private browsing on the iPad

Follow these steps to disable private browsing on iPadOS 15:

1. Click on the Tabs button at the top of the Safari window.

2. Tap Private and then X tabs from the tab overview screen. The regular browsing mode will appear.

Tip: You can tap on X tabs in the Safari sidebar.

Long-press the Tabs button and select Close X tabs to delete all private tabs. Then, close Private browsing mode by following the above steps. You will be able to delete all evidence of websites that you opened in private browsing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How to Fix Safari Private Browsing Not Available

If you do not see the Private tab or Private browsing option in Safari, it is because content restrictions have been set in Screen time settings. You can fix it by going to iPhone Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. Turn on the Content & Privacy Restrictions toggle.

Scroll down to the Content Restrictions section. Select Unrestricted access instead of Limit adult websites and Allowed websites only under Web content.

2. How to Fix Can’t Disable Private Browsing Issue?  

You can restart your iPhone or iPad if for some reason you are unable to turn off private browsing. If the above methods do not work, then try restarting your iPhone or iPad.

If that doesn't work, try resetting the settings. To do this, go to iPhone Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset > Reset all settings. Your personal data will not be lost. Your device will only be reset.

Learn how iOS 15 works.

On iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, enabling or disabling private browsing is quite simple. Read more about iOS 15's privacy features. Learn which iOS 15 features you need to know.