Windows 7: Internet Explorer InPrivate Browsing - Turn On

   Information

InPrivate Browsing enables you to surf the web without leaving a trail in Internet Explorer. This helps prevent anyone else who might be using your computer from seeing where you visited and what you looked at on the web. This will show you how to open a Internet Explorer InPrivate Browsing window in Windows 7.

   Note

When you start InPrivate Browsing, Internet Explorer opens a new browser window. The protection that InPrivate Browsing provides is only in effect during the time that you use that window. You can open as many tabs as you want in that window, and they will all be protected by InPrivate Browsing. However, if you open another Internet Explorer browser window, that window will not be protected by InPrivate Browsing. To end your InPrivate Browsing session, close the browser window.

While you are surfing using InPrivate Browsing, Internet Explorer stores some information, such as cookies and temporary Internet files, so that the webpages you visit will work correctly. However, at the end of your InPrivate Browsing session, this information is discarded. The following table describes which information InPrivate Browsing discards when you close the browser and how it is affected during your browsing session:

Information	How it is affected by InPrivate Browsing
Cookies	Kept in memory so pages work correctly, but cleared when you close the browser.
Temporary Internet Files	Stored on disk so pages work correctly, but deleted when you close the browser.
Webpage history	This information is not stored.
Form data and passwords	This information is not stored.
Anti-phishing cache	Temporary information is encrypted and stored so pages work correctly.
Address bar and search AutoComplete	This information is not stored.
Automatic Crash Restore (ACR)	The ACR feature in Internet Explorer can restore when a tab crashes in a session, but if the whole window crashes, data is deleted and the window cannot be restored.
Document Object Model (DOM) storage	The DOM storage is a kind of "super cookie" web developers can use to retain information. Like regular cookies, they are not kept after the window is closed.

   Tip

InPrivate doesn't clear any history or information about toolbars or browser extensions that is stored on your computer. To help protect your privacy, Internet Explorer disables all toolbars and extensions by default in an InPrivate Browsing window. You can still manually enable a toolbar or extension if you like though.

   Warning

• InPrivate Browsing does not prevent someone on your network, such as a network administrator or hacker, from seeing where you went.
• InPrivate Browsing does not necessarily provide you with anonymity on the Internet. That means that websites might be able to identify you through your web address, and anything you do or enter on a website can be recorded by that website.
• Any favorites or feeds that you add while using InPrivate Browsing are not going to be removed when you close your InPrivate Browsing session. Changes to Internet Explorer settings, such as adding a new home page, are also retained after you close your InPrivate Browsing session.

1. Do step 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 below for what you would like to do.

2. Right click on the pinned Internet Explorer icon on the taskbar, then click on the Start InPrivate Browsing link in the jump list. (see screenshot below)

OR


3. Open Internet Explorer, and press Ctrl+Shift+P.

A) Go to step 7.

OR

4. Open Internet Explorer, click on the Safety Command Bar icon button, and click on InPrivate Browsing. (See screenshot below)

A) Go to step 7.

OR

5. Open Internet Explorer, click on the Tools Menu Bar item, and click on InPrivate Browsing. (See screenshot below)

A) Go to step 7.

OR

6. Open Internet Explorer, open a new tab, and click on InPrivate Browsing link. (See screenshot below)

7. Internet Explorer will now open a separate new window with InPrivate Browsing turned on. (See example screenshot at the top of the tutorial)

8. When done with InPrivate Browsing, just close the window to turn off Inprivate Browsing.