What Is Incognito Mode in YouTube and How to Use It

The Incognito mode of most browsers allows you to browse privately in a way that doesn't store your search history or browsing history locally. YouTube also offers this feature. Nevertheless, what does Incognito mode do and how can it be enabled or disabled in YouTube? Read on to learn more.

What Is Incognito Mode in YouTube

YouTube's history records everything you watch or search for while you are logged in. You will see more of these types of videos in your YouTube feed as a result of this.

On YouTube, Incognito mode allows you to watch videos privately without recording them in your search or watch history. No traces of what you watched in Incognito mode will remain after you leave private mode. When you disable Incognito mode, your search and watch history is automatically cleared. Anything you do in Incognito mode stays in Incognito mode.

Therefore, watching videos in Incognito mode won't affect your YouTube recommendations. This feature can be accessed without logging out. YouTube will sign you back in as soon as you turn off Incognito mode.

Additionally, since you have been logged out of your account, you cannot interact with a YouTube video in Incognito mode. A video cannot be liked, added to your watchlist, commented on, or subscribed to. You will be asked to log in if you attempt such an action, which will turn off Incognito mode.

The Incognito mode hides only your device's and your Google account's activity. Google, your employer, and your Internet service provider have access to this information. You can still be tracked in Incognito mode.

How to Enable YouTube Incognito Mode on iOS and Android

Follow these steps:

1. Download the YouTube app.

2. Select the profile picture icon.

Settings for YouTube Incognito Mobile Account

3. A YouTube menu will appear. Choose Turn on Incognito. You will see a confirmation screen. Tap OK.

Please note: You will see the Turn on Incognito option only if you are logged in to YouTube.

Once you're in Incognito mode, you'll see a black banner saying You're incognito.

How to Pause Search on YouTube and Watch History on Your Mobile Device.

This will affect both search history and YouTube recommendations. If you want to watch the history alone, why not disable the search function? Pause neither requires you to enable Incognito mode.

To do so, follow these steps:

1. In YouTube, tap on your profile photo.

2. Go to the Settings page.

3. You can toggle between Pausing watch history and Pausing search history.

If you enable Pause watch history, you won't be able to influence YouTube recommendations. Any new videos you watch won't be saved in your YouTube history. YouTube will also stop recording future search histories if you enable Pause search history.

You can enable both settings without affecting the earlier history. Simply return to the same screen to disable either setting.

YouTube App Incognito Mode - How to Turn It Off

Incognito mode will automatically turn off after 90 minutes of inactivity. Within 90 minutes, you'll see a pop-up telling you have been logged into your Google account, which means Incognito mode has been disabled.

To disable YouTube's Incognito mode manually on Android or iPhone, follow these steps:

1. Select the Incognito icon at the top of the YouTube app. You'll find it next to your profile picture.

Select the YouTube Incognito icon at the top of the YouTube app.

2. You will see a menu appear. Select Turn off Incognito.

When you enable Incognito mode, you will be automatically logged into the Google account you previously used. YouTube will record your watch and search history once again.

Click here to learn how to use Incognito Mode on your PC.

There is no Incognito mode native to YouTube for PC. Use the Incognito mode of your web browser if you wish to browse privately or pause watching or searching history.

Turn on Incognito mode in your web browser.

Follow the steps below to open Incognito mode in various popular browsers. Visit youtube.com in an Incognito window.

Choose New Incognito window from the three-dot menu at the top. Press CTRL+SHIFT+N to open Incognito quickly.

Click on the three-bar icon in Firefox to open a private window.

By clicking on the three-dot icon in Microsoft Edge, select New InPrivate window.

In Safari, go to File > New Private Window.

Open YouTube in a regular browser window and close the Incognito window to disable YouTube Incognito mode.

Stop searching and watching your history.

YouTube apps and PCs both allow you to pause your history. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Go to YouTube.com.

2. In the left-hand menu, choose History.

How to use YouTube Incognito on a computer

3. Click Pause watch history in the right sidebar. Click OK to confirm.

4. Click the Watch and search history button on the right sidebar to pause the search history.

5. The YouTube History will appear. Click Controls on the left sidebar.

6. Deselect "Include your YouTube searches". Your search history will be paused.

Pro Tip: You can set your YouTube history to automatically delete after a certain period of time, such as three months, 18 months, and 36 months.

Disable Incognito Mode on YouTube Permanently

Parents want to disable YouTube's Incognito mode permanently since kids often use it to view adult websites. This cannot be accomplished. Incognito mode can be disabled on Windows and macOS. It can also be disabled on Android.

By going to iPhone Settings > Screen Time, you can restrict content and privacy. Just toggle the switch next to Content and Privacy. Scroll down to Web content, then tap Content Restrictions. Select Limit adult websites. Safari will hide private browsing. See iOS private browsing for more information.

iPhone Incognito Disabled - YouTube

Bonus: How to Enable Incognito Mode in YouTube Music

YouTube Music does not support Incognito mode. Alternatively, you can pause search or watch history so that it does not affect your recommendations. You can do this by clicking Privacy & Location in the YouTube Music Settings. Choose whether to Pause watch history or Pause search history.

Follow the YouTube journey.

On YouTube, you can watch videos with or without subtitles. To watch them, download the YouTube subtitles. YouTube videos can also be accessed through QR codes. GIFs can be created from YouTube videos.