How to use Chrome extensions in incognito mode: When you switch to incognito mode, all extensions are automatically disabled, preventing data from being saved on your computer and leaving you vulnerable to annoying and intrusive ads. The good news is that there are various settings that allow you to enable Chrome extensions in incognito mode. In this article, we will explore these settings.
We often use incognito mode or private browsing mode to surf the web when we don’t want the browser to save our history and cookies. For the average user, private browsing provides a reasonable level of privacy, as all browsing activities and searches are automatically cleared at the end of the session.
Now, when we talk about Chrome, we find that incognito browsing offers us privacy while surfing the internet, but on the other hand, it reduces the browser's functionality by disabling all extensions. Well, there’s no need to worry, as we will provide you with simple instructions to enable Chrome extensions in incognito mode in this article.
How does private browsing work?
Incognito (or private) windows hide your page visits and search history in your local browser on your device, so anyone else using the same device won’t be able to see your browsing or search history. This makes incognito mode a good way to conceal information on a shared device, as it clears the local browsing history as soon as you close the window.
Incognito mode also adds some limited privacy protections, specifically:
Data in the incognito window does not persist on local storage.
You get a blank storage space as soon as you open a new incognito window.
Note: Enabling the extension in incognito mode does not change the extension itself or make it more secure; the extension will remain vulnerable to hacking whether you are in a regular window or an incognito window.
How private is incognito mode?
If you are using incognito mode in Chrome and think you are completely protected from prying eyes, that is not the case at all. Even when using Chrome in privacy mode, your Internet Service Provider can still see your traffic; thus, the idea that you are completely anonymous just by clicking a button in your Chrome browser is a misconception. Therefore, you cannot always rely on incognito mode for the level of privacy you desire.
Why are Chrome extensions disabled in incognito mode?
Before learning how to enable Chrome extensions in private browsing, let’s first discuss why extensions are automatically disabled in incognito mode.
As you all know, extensions are a small set of programs or applications that not only enhance Chrome's functionality by providing additional cool features but also add an extra layer of security. However, when we enter incognito mode in Chrome, all extensions automatically disappear. Why? Because the primary purpose of incognito mode is to prevent the browser from tracking user activity, so Chrome cannot ensure which extensions will track user data and which ones won’t.
Thus, to provide you with a complete private browsing interface, it disables all the extensions you have installed in your browser.
But don’t worry, as we are here to help you enable your favorite extension in incognito mode.
In this context, here’s how to use extensions in incognito mode or private windows.
How to use Chrome extensions in incognito mode?
Once you enable extensions in incognito mode in Chrome, you can browse in private mode with your favorite extensions as well.
1. To start, launch Chrome in normal mode and click on the menu (three dots) in the upper right corner of the screen. From the dropdown menu, select the More Tools option and go to Extensions.
2. This will open the Chrome Extensions window, where you can find all the extensions you have installed in Chrome.
Step 2 Extensions
3. Now that you want to enable Chrome extensions in private browsing, select the individual extensions you want to use in incognito mode and click on Details.
Step 3 Extensions
4. Click the "Allow in incognito" button to enable this Chrome extension even in incognito mode. This will display a warning that Google Chrome has no control over the extensions to prevent them from tracking your browsing session. Therefore, we recommend enabling only the necessary extensions in incognito mode that you feel are trustworthy.
Step 4 Extensions
That’s it! From now on, when you launch Chrome in incognito mode, you will find your favorite extension there, all set for use.
Yes, it’s true that Chrome disables all extensions in private mode for a good reason: to protect our privacy. However, there’s no harm in enabling the Chrome extensions in incognito mode that we trust and feel are necessary, such as those that block pop-ups and ads. After all, no one wants to deal with those annoying ads and pop-ups, whether in regular browsing mode or incognito mode.
Should I enable extensions in incognito mode?
Now that we’ve seen the steps you need to follow to allow extensions in private mode, let’s answer another common question.
Is it safe to enable extensions in incognito mode? Incognito mode automatically disables your extensions for a good reason; some extensions actively track your online activities and log data about your behavior.
So, don’t rely solely on incognito mode for privacy.
Browsing the internet in incognito mode is not enough to keep your data private. Although incognito mode blocks many tracking tools and ads, it is rarely completely safe for privacy.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed how to use Chrome extensions in incognito mode. Our browsers have become an integral part of our daily lives, and the data they collect is indispensable. If you are concerned about your privacy, you should use incognito mode in Chrome. If you find yourself needing to work with both incognito mode and your extensions, you should think twice about what you do. If you have any doubts about the data saved by one of the extensions, do not enable it in incognito mode. Otherwise, enable it (but use it with caution).
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