Internet Explorer InPrivate Browsing Enable or Disable

How to Enable or Disable Internet Explorer InPrivate Browsing​

   Information

InPrivate Browsing prevents Internet Explorer 8, Internet Explorer 9, and Internet Explorer 10 from storing data about a user's browsing session. This includes cookies, temporary Internet files, history, and other data. Toolbars and extensions are disabled by default.

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the ability to use the InPrivate Browsing feature in IE8, IE9, or IE10 for all or specific users on the computer.

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

   Note

When disabled, the InPrivate Browsing option in Internet Explorer will be grayed out and not be able to open and turn on Inprivate Browsing.

   Warning

This can only be done while logged in as a administrator.

EXAMPLE: Internet Explorer InPrivate Browsing
NOTE: This is the default window you will see when you open a InPrivate Browsing window when it is enabled. Notice how you will have a InPrivate indicator to the left of the address bar to let you know that you have InPrivate Browsing turned on.

OPTION ONE

To Enable or Disable "IE InPrivate Browsing" using a REG File Download

NOTE: This option will affect all users on the computer.
1. To Enable InPrivate Browsing in IE9 or IE10 for All Users
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.
Enable_InPrivate_Browsing.reg

Download


B) Go to step 3.
2. To Disable InPrivate Browsing in IE9 or IE10 for All Users
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.
Disable_InPrivate_Browsing.reg

Download


3. Save the .reg file to the desktop.

4. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

5. Click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC-Windows 7/8) or Continue (UAC-Vista), Yes, and OK when prompted.

6. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to fully apply.

7. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

OPTION TWO

To Enable or Disable "IE InPrivate Browsing" in Local Group Policy Editor

1. Open the all users, specific users or groups, or all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied.

2. If you have Internet Explorer 8 Installed
A) In the left pane, click/tap on to expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Internet Explorer, and InPrivate. (See screenshot below)

B) Go to step 4.
3. If you have IE9 or IE10 Installed
A) In the left pane, click/tap on to expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Internet Explorer, and Privacy. (see screenshot below)

4. In the right pane, double click/tap on Turn off InPrivate Browsing to edit it. (see screenshot above)

5. To Enable InPrivate Browsing
A) Select (dot) either Not Configured or Disabled. (see screenshot below step 7)
NOTE: Not Configured is the default setting.

B) Go to step 7.
6. To Disable InPrivate Browsing
A) Select (dot) Enabled. (see screenshot below step 7)
7. Click/tap on OK. (See screenshot below)

8. Close the Local Group Policy Editor window.

9. If open, close and reopen Internet Explorer to fully apply.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Open an Internet Explorer InPrivate Browsing Window
• How to Open Internet Explorer InPrivate Browsing in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Create an Internet Explorer InPrivate Browsing Shortcut
• How to Enable or Disable Toolbars and Extensions in Internet Explorer InPrivate Browsing
• How to Turn InPrivate Filtering On or Off in Internet Explorer 8

 

[Hmiller]

Only partially worked for me.

I downloaded it to my desktop under the admin. It ran fine and worked on my desktop but didn't work on the other users on the computer. When I tried to do it directly on their desktops, this is the error message I recieved:

Cannot import C:\Users\NAME\Desktop]Disable_InPrivate_Browsing.reg:Error accessing the registry.

Can you help me?

 

[Brink]

Hello Miller,

It turns out that the "User Configuration" option didn't affect all users as it said it would, so I have updated the tutorial to use "Computer Configuration" instead. I have verified that it affects all users.

I have updated the REG files again. See if downloading and using it may work better for you now.

 

[Hmiller]

It worked!

Yay! You're my hero! haha
Thank you so much! You're a genius!

 

[Brink]

LOL, you're most welcome Miller.

 

[mousetrap]

I'm having the same problem as Miller. I downloaded your file to get rid of Inprivate browsing and it worked on my administrator account but did not work on the other user. What can I do? On my old computer that had Win XP, I was able to do Option 2 or something similiar, but I can't do that on this Win 7 I don't think.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Brink]

Hello Mousetrap, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Please try the disable REG again. I have updated it to where it should work on all user accounts now.

 

[mousetrap]

Thanks so much Brink, that did it!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.

 

[VAF0605]

inprivate browisng issue

|Hello Brink,
i am having the same issue where i was able to disable the inprivate from the admin account but no the user account. i get the same message about a registry error...

what to do?

 

[Brink]

Hello VAF0605, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Merging the REG file while logged in as an administrator, then restarting the computer should apply it to all users as well. You do not need to and will not be able apply the REG file in a standard user account.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[FeatherMoon]

Shawn, I completed Option 1, downloaded, saved and merged the file to disable In private browsing. My problem like many other's is Netflix, I get the message (after using this site for several years with no problem) "Silverlight App Storage Error N8010, IE InPrivate browsing mode is restricting Netflix from storing settings, turn off private browser. After doing everything I found on the internet to turn it off to no avail... I came accross your forum and tried your Option 1....however, in my Safety pulldown menu there is NO private browing at all now and I still get the same message on Netflix. In addition I was getting the error 1622 and after uninstalling Silverlight, rename 3 temp files I was able to get that error to go away and download Silverlight again sucessfully. What more do I need to do and how do I check for sure that my private browsing is disabled?

 

[Brink]

Hello FeatherMoon, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Sounds like some sort of compatibilty issue with Netflix. I found this that may help. It has a couple of solutions that folks posted towards the end that you might give a try as well.

http://forums.silverlight.net/t/188943.aspx/1

 

[FeatherMoon]

SILVERLIGHT ERROR M811

Oh thank you so much, that worked and Netflix is working again

 

[reecy1986]

I am currently trying to enable inprivate browsing for IE9 on a PC with windows 7 H/P X. I have tried the .reg fix which has not worked and I'm unable to use group policy editor as I'm using Home Premium. If anyone could shed some light it would be great. I have tried many things from different forums but am still unable to enable inprivate browsing.

 

[Brink]

Hello Reecy, and welcome to Seven Forums.

What is Windows 7 H/P X?

Windows 7 Home Premium, but what is X?

 

[reecy1986]

Sorry it was meant to be x86. At the moment I am in the process of ghosting the HDD. I have tried to enable and disable with your (BRINK's) .reg key, tried reinstalling IE9, Created new user profile. Disabled Anti-virus and checked for add-ons, removed Silverlight, tested in safe mode and it still won’t work. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks Dan

 

[Brink]

Ah, ok. Thank you Dan. I just wanted to make sure that it wasn't some sort of custom Windows 7 copy.

Just to verify, is the Inprivate Browsing option grayed out, and you are unable to turn it on?

As a test, will the Inprivate Browsing shortcut below work for you?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1277-internet-explorer-inprivate-browsing-shortcut.html

 

[reecy1986]

I have already Manually Create the "InPrivate Browsing" Shortcut but forgot to mention it earlyer but it didn't work. I have tried so much but i'm still unable to enable inprivate browser.
Thanks Dan

 

[Brink]

Dan,

I'd hate to say it, but you might consider do a repair install or reinstalling Windows 7 to fix this if your current installation may be corrupted.