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

 

[reecy1986]

i will do it tomorrow as I won't have time to do it today but I will let you know if the inplace install works, Thanks for your help.
Dan

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Dan. I hope it goes smoothly and works properly afterwards.

 

[Cosm0]

This is really great.
The menu option is GONE nice
The short cut ctrl-shift+p does NOT work any more. Really nice.

But if I type about:inpraivate in the adressbar, I get an InPrivate session just the same. NOT so nice.

What do we do now? Were our efforts in vain?

 

[needhelp2013]

context menu (right-click) menu

This worked great but the option is still viewable (granted greyed out) on the context menu. Is there any way to remove it from the menu? I'm using Windows 8 and IE 10.

Thanks!

 

[Brink]

Hello needhelp2013, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Not that I'm aware of. When disabled, it just grays it out and prevents IE from being able to open in inprivate mode.

 

[needhelp2013]

Do you have any information on the issue Cosm0 raised on Mar 2012?

 

[Brink]

This is really great.
The menu option is GONE nice
The short cut ctrl-shift+p does NOT work any more. Really nice.

But if I type about:inprivate in the adressbar, I get an InPrivate session just the same. NOT so nice.

What do we do now? Were our efforts in vain?

Do you have any information on the issue Cosm0 raised on Mar 2012?

Sorry I missed your post Cosm0.

about:inprivate only displays information about InPrivate browsing, and does not actually open IE in it.

Only when you see the blue InPrivate box to the left of the address bar in IE like below is when you are in it.

 

[hairyg]

Is there a way to remove inprivate browsing but still let the user think it's working?

In Firefox we used to just delete the in private browsing file and the user would click on "in private" and think they were using it but it really wasn't working. Now the group uses IE and we've upgraded to Windows 7 from XP.

 

[Brink]

Hello Hairy, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Sorry, but when InPrivate Browsing has been disabled it's option will be grayed out.

 

[hairyg]

Thanks - guess disabling it is no longer an option for our group.

 

[Brink]

Well, if you don't want them to be able to use it, then disabling it would prevent that. It's just that it's going to be obvious that it was disabled.

 

[watdog11]

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