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Keeping your browsing history a secret just got a little easier on Android, as Google Chrome now hides your incognito mode tabs behind a biometric lock
Those of you using one of the best Android phones should get an upgrade to your Chrome browser app (if you haven’t already), which will allow you to secure your incognito mode tabs behind a fingerprint scan. Once the feature is enabled, you’ll need to pass the biometric scan to see the pages when you want to return to open incognito tabs after a break from browsing the web.
Trying to keep your browsing history a secret from other users who might borrow your smartphone, such as a partner you’re buying a gift for, should make it a little easier to keep that information hidden.
Interestingly, Google Chrome users who own one of the best iPhones have been able to take advantage of these biometric locks for almost a year now — much sooner than people using the app on devices running Google’s own operating system.
To enable the feature, you need to go to the privacy and security settings of the Chrome browser. This can be found by pressing the three-dot icon in the top-right corner of the screen, then selecting Settings from the menu that appears, then Privacy and security. If you received the update, you should see an option to enable Lock Incognito Tabs when you close Chrome.
The Google blog post (opens in new tab) Highlighting the feature indicates that it is currently “rolling out to Android users”, so it may not be available on your phone yet. You may need to come back in the next few days to see if you have received the update.
Analysis: still not quite incognito
While this will certainly be a welcome change for many Chrome users, it doesn’t change the fact that Incognito Mode isn’t as private as its name suggests.
Sure, this feature lets you hide your browsing history from other people using the same device, but it won’t hide that data from Google or your ISP’s view. Given the name, the misunderstanding is understandable — Google is actually facing a $5 billion lawsuit over the matter — but know that the data from your incognito browsing doesn’t stay in incognito mode.
However, there are options to keep your information completely hidden, in the form of one of the best VPN services.
While many people rely on VPNs – short for Virtual Private Network – to get around geo-locked content so they can more easily watch content such as the best Netflix shows and the best Prime video shows in regions they may not be able to access , you can also use these tools to surf the web anonymously.
A VPN works by routing your data through its encrypted servers before it goes to the website you are trying to visit. If you also use one of the most private VPNs, all of which offer a strict no-log policy, then no one in the chain (the VPN provider, the website, your ISP, or your browser) will know anything about your device type, your location or your browsing history.
Our favorite VPN is ExpressVPN, but there are several great options. If you’re looking for a true incognito mode, these are the apps you need to download.