Private browsing: what it clears and what it keeps
Private browsing protects part of your local history. It is not an anonymity service.
Local history and cookies
In Chrome and Firefox, private browsing separates the session from ordinary browsing. Closing every private window ends that session. It does not erase the history that was already stored in your normal browser.
What remains visible
A website can still receive your IP address. Signing into an account identifies you to that service. Downloaded files and saved bookmarks remain after you close the session; private mode does not remove malware.
A quick check with harmless data
On your own device, open a private window and visit a public help page. Bookmark that page, close all private windows, then look for the bookmark in the normal window. This demonstrates the difference between session history and deliberately saved information. Remove the test bookmark afterwards if you no longer need it.
Before handing over a device
Close every private window, including those in the background. Check downloads and saved bookmarks separately. Lock the device. On an unfamiliar or managed computer, avoid sensitive sign-ins: a private window cannot control the device administrator or installed software.
GOONIT — educational guide prepared with AI assistance. Sources checked on