What is this "incognito window" thing on Google Chrome?

Question

I sort of read (more skimmed over) about Google Chrome and I read something about Incognito mode, but I don't fully understand what it does. I am using Google Chrome and I can open a new tab, new window, or new incognito window and I wondered what the incognito window actually does.

Answer 1

You've gone incognito. Pages you view in this window won't appear in your browser history or search history, and they won't leave other traces, like cookies, on your computer after you close the incognito window. Any files you download or bookmarks you create will be preserved, however.

Going incognito doesn't affect the behavior of other people, servers, or software. Be wary of:

    * Websites that collect or share information about you

    * Internet service providers or employers that track the pages you visit

    * Malicious software that tracks your keystrokes in exchange for free smileys

    * Surveillance by secret agents

    * People standing behind you

Answer 2

Think of incognito as a "privacy mode" where you can't be tracked. Since the advent of browsing in the stone ages, parents have been busting kids for stuff they surf on the web.  Spouses busting each other for looking at the history of other sites they surf.  Incognito mode throws a wrench into the whole spying game by hiding your tracks.

Answer 3

In incognito mode, it's sort-of like InPrivate Browsing in Internet Explorer 8. In incognito mode, NOTHING (history, cookies, passwords...all private data) will be stored, making it impossible to track your digital footsteps.  

Answer 4

In an incognito mode window, nothing you do, including searches, are saved at all on your computer.  Some are referring to it as the "p**n mode".  Once the window is closed, all traces of what you did are gone from your computer.

Answer 5

incognito mode stops Google Chrome from storing information about the websites you've visited in the history. However, it does not make browsing completely private The websites you visit may still have records of your visit. Any files saved to your computer will still remain on your computer. it is similar to the "in private" mode in internet explorer(8 beta 2) but the IE 8 one does not save browsing and searching history, cookies, form data and passwords; it also will automatically clear the browser cache, Google Chrome does not clear the browser cache